Earlier this year, The Hubby and I decided that we were ready to take a BIG step... we were ready to purchase our first home! It was a scary and exciting decision. We contacted all the appropriate persons needed to start the journey.. we signed our names, gave out our personal information and practically gave blood to get the ball rolling. Soon, we were given a wonderful Realtor and told her what our "dream house" would include... a big backyard for the boys to play in, a friendly neighborhood, good schools, and all under $XXX (I feel odd really giving out of price... but lets just say that we're in the mid range, ok?)
Afterward, The Realtor sent me a thousand home listings to peruse through...and I had to vote "yay" or "nay" on each one. After a while, each home started to look alike to me.. and I had yet to set foot in a single one!
Then came the first "showing" day... I dropped the boys off at school and met The Realtor at 9:15am... we were going to see 10 houses in under 4 hours! I had to strap on my battle gear and plow head on into fight.
And some of these houses looked like war zones... it was difficult to try to imagine my little family in some of these homes. Some were empty and had been for months... the pictures that I looked at mere hours before were nothing like what I was standing in. Like the saying goes, "crystal clear blue pool in the photo, green slimy pool in reality"... or something like that.
For every Thursday after that, we met... my weekly date with The Realtor and at least 10 other "possible" homes. And before each home, I would say a prayer, "Dear Lord, if this is the home that You want for us, please let me know. And if it is not, please show me." I would set foot in the house and see about 15 things wrong with the home or I would get "that feeling" and know that it just wasn't the right house.
After about the one millionth (or 25th) house, I was starting to get discouraged. I thought that maybe "our house" was not out there. But, I still had more to see and so, as I sat in the driveway of the house on Ivy Lane, I said my prayer and walked in.
My first feeling was warmth.. could it have been the real wood flooring all throughout the house? Was it the beautiful dark wood and glass front door? Was it the cheery yellow paint that reminded me of The Hubby and I's first "real (rental) house"? As I walked through the house, I could "see" us there... I could hear the boys laughing... I could smell cooking. I could feel the wind in the backyard during family parties...with twinkling white lights in the trees. Was this "it"? Was this OUR house? There was only one.. teeny..tiny thing.. the house was small... 1260 square feet to be exact. About 500 square feet smaller than the house we are currently living in. But there as something about this house...something that I couldn't turn away from...something that I had to show The Hubby.
So, he met The Realtor and I there one afternoon... with LC, our youngest son. We walked around the house...my son stomped his little feet and laughed at the echo it made. It all felt right... I remember thinking, "All we're missing is LG." But... as we all know in making very big decisions (house buying, wedding dress shopping, etc...) you have to shop around until you start to compare all the others to a certain one.. and then you KNOW, that certain one is "THE ONE"
So... I met The Realtor the following week, and we preceded to visit more houses.. and with each one, I would say my prayer and walk through the front door...and with each one, I would think to myself..."This house has carpet... but THAT house has hardwood floors...This house has that but THAT house has this..." I kept comparing every house with THAT house... so.. we had found THE ONE!
Our next step was to put in and offer and pray... we have done a lot of praying during this journey. The sellers accepted our offer... but it didn't stop there. The house was a short sale (i.e. the LONGEST possible process in the world... aka hurry up and wait) So, we waited to hear from this person and then that person and then finally we were given a closing date... but then that dates came and went and then it was round two...and then three...and now we're at the fourth times the charm. But, I know that this is all happening for a reason... and we have laid it all down at the foot of the cross and we have given it all over to the Lord.
So, with our closing date (#4) approaching... I am excited for this new journey to begin. A journey that will bring my family into a 1260 square foot 1950's block home, with hard wood floors, Mexican tile, great climbing trees and lots and lots of LOVE!
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