Home, Sweet, Home ?

  So what makes a home?  I closed on the sale of my condo this morning at 9:30 and thought I'd leave there head to another closing of my new house and live happily ever after with my husband.  Not so much.   The closing today didn't happen.  There isn't a clear title on the house and you can't close on a house without one.  They have asked for a 15 day extension and therefore have 15 days to get a clear title or we can get out of the contract.  
  I have very mixed emotions.  I was in love with the house, sort of still am.  It's everything we want in a house.  All of the drama has left me in a bad spot.  A part of me wants them to delay the title issues and we can look for a new house.  But I know that it is unlikely that we'll find a house that we love as much as this one.  
  If it's meant to be our house then we will move in within the next few weeks...if God's plan is give us the perfect house then it will happen.  I know it's all for a reason, it happens over and over again in life and I've seen it more than once in my own.  
  Carey and I "moved in" to Ashley's house yesterday.  Today we moved all of our stuff out of the Penske truck and into Carey's Maw Maw's garage.  Thankfully it's not costing us anything.  It already cost us $311 for the truck, plus the approximately $1600 or so that we've already spent on the house thus far.  The good thing is that if it doesn't happen they will owe us all of our money back. 
   Carey just said "it feels weird to not have a house.  It's strange that we'll never go back to that condo again."  I had to tell him home is where the heart is.   So cliche' I know, but at this point it is the truth.  I sort of miss it already, probably because we don't have a real home right now.  Thanks be to God for Ashley (and all the friends that offered us a space) but she said it and her Mom said it, "that's what friends are for."  They are right.  I'd do anything for my friends and I'd expect they'd do the same.  They are doing the same.  :)  God knew what he was doing when he brought Ashley into my life or vice versa.  She is amazing.  
  Just like I have to for most events in my life I have to put total faith in God and trust that things will happen the way the should and we'll end up with the house we're meant to have and raise our family in, no matter which one and no matter what it took to get there.
  God's plan for us is perfect.  I just hope we don't have to climb anymore mountains...but then again it'll be totally worth it and I'll be appreciative of what I have. 


AMEN.   I'm ready for a house.  So thankful that we've got the condo sold.  

Being Thankful

I''m disappointed in myself. I think I may have mentioned it previously that I feel like God answered my prayers and I've been telling Him thank you everyday, but what is being Thankful?  Is it just saying it?  How can I act it?  Well we hit a few bumps in the house buying process and I can honestly say that I've failed God's test and have not acted Thankful for the way things are going.  What I have done is let the devil fill my mouth with ugly and angry words.

Now I need to pray for forgiveness and ask God to bless me and continue to answer my prayers, guiding us in this process. God knows what's best for us and in this instance God knew that giving me everything without having to work for it, would not be good for me.

I hear Him speaking to me...I have to be quite to hear it.

How Great is the Love of Our Savior?

I came home to some not-so-good news and found my self very angry and upset. I picked up my iPod and went for a run, only to find myself sitting on the steps of the Catholic Radio station down the street having a conversation with myself and God as to why there was suddenly something/someone trying to take my dream away from me.  I  didn't run as far or for as long as I thought I would, but when I neared the house on my return trip, "How Great is the Love" by Meredith Andrews came on my iPod and it just reminded me that our God loves us so much that He would never do something to harm us nor would he give us trials that we can't handle.  What is happening with the house is not really in my control at this point and if I really want this house, which I do, I'm going to have to be willing to give in a bit.  I have to pray that God continues to bless this situation and that it works out for the best for Carey and I.

I know the devil is using this time of weakness to get to me, my prayer and petition in regards to this house has been so strong for so long, yet at the instance of struggle or imperfection, I let my anger take control and start complaining and being ugly, knowing that the person on the "other end" isn't feeling any of my hatred/dislike.  It's not remedying the situation in anyway.

I have to be strong, we have to stand our ground and continue to pray that our Lord is blessing this transaction.  It's just that in that small moment I saw myself homeless.  Perhaps we jumped the gun with things, but I just know God answered my prayers with this house and I feel now that He is reminding me that we can't forget about Him no matter what the situation is, b/c He never stops loving us and blessing us.  I just pray that the sellers of our house find compassion in their hearts and work with us, following the rules and guidelines/deadlines of the contracts that we have signed.   Following the rules should apply for everyone.

God rose from the grave to make things happen in our lives, but we must, I MUST, remain strong in my prayer and petition (thanksgiving too) in asking that everything runs smoothly over the next week and 1/2 before we move into THIS house.

The devil WILL NOT win this one.  Jesus is Lord almighty.

AMEN Lord, Amen.

NEW, NEW, NEW

New house in the works - THANKS to God.  New job is going fabulously and I couldn't be more grateful to the Lord for sending it to me.  Now I have a new hair cut.  I feel like a completely new woman.  I ran this morning and I just feel great.  Carey is at work, I packed a few more things and am just excited about this weekend and this day.

Waiting on Erica to go shop for a big with her.  She needs a new bedroom comforter set.  I may look for one as well, just to get ideas.

Pedro is sad.  He has been watching me pack and I truly think that he thinks we are leaving him.  Poor baby.  My angel, I would never leave him.  I can tell he has been crying.  It's so sad.  Makes my heart hurt.  I want him to know he's my baby.

Gosh I'm just thrilled about the new house.  I know it's getting old already but the idea hasn't really sunk in yet.  I brought all the final paperwork to Derek at Fairway Mortgage and all I'm waiting on is my next pay check.  Then closing on the 29th...wHOOO hOOOO.

Here is my new hair:

I usually cut my hair about once a year...so it's funny that my hair stylist was shocked we cut about 8 inches off...give or take.  It needed it though so bad.

I'm enjoying it so far...but I have to actually fix it now.

Is home where the heart is?

Fortunately, my heart is in many places. This weekend my heart started off in limbo, praying that our offer on a house would be accepted.  I finalized the purchase of a house, via telephone, with Carey on one end and our realtor Mindy on the other. The day had finally arrived. Our condo sold and we had found a house we loved in a matter of a few days.  Truly God's hand was in everything that was happening it couldn't be possible otherwise and although I worried and I asked many people for prayers, I just asked for God to guide us in this process and thanked Him at the same time for "our House."  I just knew it was the right one for us.  I had prayed for 2 1/2 years for the right buyer and the perfect house for us, what God's will for us would be and it just so happened that he taught me patience as everything fell into place with a new job and selling this condo, buying a new house and an unfortunate hospital trip with Dad.  I'm amazed at how nervous and anxious I've been and at the same time very strong, patient and decisive all thing that I normally am not.

Thanks be to God.  We will have a house we can grow into.  I'm still in shock.  I went to Houston this 4th of July weekend and the "owners" of our house were out of town also, but we managed to make a deal over the phone.  Tomorrow we'll sign the necessary papers and meet with our mortgage guy to make sure everything is ready to go on our new house.   I hate to jinx it but I wanted Mom and others to see it, so I've sent pics to a few people.  I'm so proud to have a house and it has all the things that I wanted: driveway in the back of the house, a nice yard, big closet in the master bath, shower separate from the tub, and the kitchen and living room NOT on top of one another.  I am excited to have Christmas at my house, sorry, OUR house.  I can't wait to have Aidan and Alec and Davis come to sleep over at "Nannie and Uncle Carey's house.  Presley and Kensley, I'm sure will be hanging out a lot too.  How exciting. I still think it's too good to be true, but God hasn't ever let me down and he has fulfilled His promise to answer my prayers.

Now, I went to Houston suddenly to be "there" for my college buddy and friend of 15 years, Michelle.  She broke up with her boyfriend of 3 years and I felt like she needed me to be there for her so I drove over, a short 4 hours to be with and cheer up a good friend.  I knew she would do that for me at any moment if necessary and there was not doubt about that, so it took only a few seconds for me to say- I'm coming to be with you.  We had a great weekend, enjoyed dinner, shopping, drinks and such.  We reminisced and laughed.  It was a great time.  Now I'm trying to get her to move to Baton Rouge now.  That would be great.

So, in the last two weeks I had left one job, started another one, sat in the Emergency room with my family, put my dad into the hospital, sold my condo, searched for a new house, put a purchase agreement on a new house, shop for refrigerator, clean my house, packed items and visit Houston!  Whew.  I'm pooped, but I'm so excited about going to work tomorrow and that is a good thing.

We got a house!
WHOOP WHOOP!
Thank you Lord.