Where We Stand

When at first you don't succeed, pray a lot, and then try, try again.

We spent the weekend accepting what didn't go right with Friday's missed house closing and what, if anything, we could do on Monday to continue with the purchase of our home.

Our best bet was to abandon our loan with our current lender since it would be impossible to get the documents they needed without an 8-12 week delay. Since the hang-up was not a credit issue, we'd instead start a new, expedited loan with a new company in the hopes that the seller would agree to an extension.

On Monday morning we sat down with a new lending company and were assured that we would not encounter the same roadblock as the last lender and that we could get a closing in 2 weeks. We provided all our information for our pre-approval, and we received our pre-approval letter by that evening.

On Tuesday we submitted an amended contract to the seller (who is actually a relocation company) for a new closing date of on or before July 12th and waited all day for a response. The waiting is the hardest part, especially since we are doing everything we can quickly to get this resolved.

Today they had a counter offer that they'd agree to the new closing date with a little more earnest money. So once again we had to sign another amended contract and wait for them to do the final sign-off before we could initiate the loan and get the ball rolling.

Finally, today, we had the new signed contract in hand and were able to get the closing process re-started and order the appraisal!

The worst part of the whole experience is the lost confidence. We were burned the first time so we are very gun-shy on this second go-round. There's not as much security in "pre-approval" as we once believed. While we are cautiously optimistic, we won't have any true relief until the underwriting is complete and we know for sure that the sale will go through.

At least we're still in the game.

Two weeks. It's really not a long time. We can wait two more weeks.

Unfortunately our current landlords cannot. The absolute latest we can stay at our rental (due to new tenants moving in) is next Thursday, July 5th. Needless to say we are looking at all our options for loading and storing our belongings for the week until we can get in the house. {At this point, we're hardly blinking at this setback!}

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Thank you all for your texts, calls and prayers! It's been an exhausting week filled with so many different emotions. With the encouragement and guidance from some special people, we reached a point of perspective and acceptance and realized that in the grand scheme of things, this is not nearly as terrible as other hardships we could face in life. It's just a house, a beautiful one, yes, but just a house nonetheless.

We are so thankful for the answered prayer of more time. We'll continue to pray that the rest of the closing goes swiftly and easily. Thanks for praying along.

Scrambling

This week did not go as planned. This weekend we were supposed to own the most beautiful house and be surrounded by movers and unpacking boxes. We don't, and we're not.

It has been an incredibly emotional, frustrating, sad, terrifying and exhausting few days as we realized that we were unable to close on our much-anticipated house on Friday. Our lender requires paperwork that will take weeks to get and suddenly all our happy plans hang in the balance as we realize we may lose this house we've grown to love.

Just on Wednesday we had our walk-through, and the house was clean, empty and move-in ready. We were excited. We happily took pictures in front of the house with the "SOLD" sign and now I feel foolish for doing so. I feel foolish for gushing about our new home, making plans for visitors and showing it off. I feel like it was too good to be true, and I can't even look at those photos since today we realize it may never be ours.

I have cried a lot. A Lot. And I've prayed. A Lot. I know in my heart that God has always taken care of us better than we imagine, and while I may briefly question why this is all happening and I am sure trying to have faith that He is in control and knows what He is doing. He will put us where we need to be, whether on Beech Knoll lane, staying with family while in limbo, or somewhere else entirely.

Our main prayer right now it a request for more time. Since our closing date has come and gone, we are praying that the sellers will be willing to wait on us even longer. We know we are good for the loan; we are just needing the time to finalize the paperwork. If the sellers say 'no', we lose the house and have to start all over on the search. {Please, please, say you'll work with us longer.}

We are also praying for direction. If the seller gives us a reprieve, then we'll need to determine the fastest course of action, whether it be waiting for the necessary paperwork (longest option), trying to find a new loan quickly that doesn't require the paperwork, or possibly adding cosigners to the loan to speed things along. Or suddenly raising a ton of money this weekend to pay in cash (feel free to donate). {ha!}

And regardless of the first two prayer requests, we are praying for housing. We have to be out of our rental home by the 1st, though I don't think the new tenants will be moving in until mid-July, so we may have a little extra time. Where to go from here, with all of our packed boxes, is still in question until we know more about the timeframe we're working within.

If you know me at all, you know I'm a worrier, and I am trying to stay as faithful and worry-free as possible (I keep telling myself it's not good for the baby!) but doing that is much harder than I'd like to admit. I heard a wonderful quote this week -- "My grace is sufficient for you for; My strength is perfected in weakness." I am clinging to this as a reminder not to give up but to keep persevering and doing everything we can to make this happen, and above all, trusting in His strength.

This weekend we came to my parent's house. I really needed to get away from the packed boxes that serve as reminders of our predicament. I needed a diversion. Or maybe I just needed my Mom and Dad. Or maybe both.

Good news is I got through this whole blog without crying. That must show acceptance of the situation and some acceptance that we may have to start over. The exhausting part is the rollercoaster of hope. Hope that the lender will accept an alternate document instead -- no. Hope that we can get another loan without the document -- likely not. And currently, hope that the sellers will extend. We're praying for a yes.

We'd love for you to pray along.

Dads Deserve Their Day, Too

I didn't blog about Father's Day. I didn't honor the Dads in our family publicly out in the bloggersphere -- my Father, the first man I loved. My Pop-Pop, who you can't help but love. My father-in-law, a great man. My brothers-in-law, yea, they are pretty swell, too. Adam's Godfather Bud is so special. And Michael, the most Amazing Dad who I couldn't imagine anyone else raising up our kids. {He takes morning duty, and, when needed, middle of the night duty, he teaches Adam things I wouldn't think of teaching him about now, and most nights, he's responsible for our fantastic dinners. Sorry girls, he's taken.} I think they'll all forgive me, and I know they know that I adore all of them and are so very blessed to have each of them in my life.

Adam made sweet Daddy's Day gifts at school, bringing home a man's sock with his tiny footprint on the bottom (he has some big shoes to fill to be like Daddy), and a bottle of Dad's Root Beer. He and I made Michael a card and gave him a stereo bluetooth headset for his bike rides.

And on Wednesday we gave Michael one more belated Father's Day gift -- a glimpse at his next child. I am so happy to report that everything looked beautiful on the sonogram. Baby (we opted to not find out the gender) is approximately 11 oz now and heartbeat was 154 bpm. We are 19 weeks along -- about halfway there!

To the Dads in my life -- Happy Father's Day! -- you are special and loved and oh, so appreciated. We love you!

June in the Country

Last weekend we make a quick trip up to Akron for Michael's cousin's wedding. I knew beforehand that it would be an outdoor wedding on a farm, but I wasn't prepared for how absolutely beautiful the venue would be. If you're ever looking for a shabby-chic elegant wedding location, the Conrad Botzum Farmstead in Akron is for you.

The wedding itself was in a field with the sun setting to our left, and the reception was in an old barn, with the original floorboards and rafters. Combine that with the evening lighting, and there's no way the photographer could have taken a bad picture that day. Because the bride and groom were stunning as well.

The bride had the doors specially made just for the occasion. I loved them. What a neat idea for the wedding party and bride to make their entry through. And the flowers were spectacular.

I borrowed this one and the next from the bride's Facebook page.

In the background you can see the barn where the reception was held. 

It may not look like much from the outside, but...

...the inside was so dressed up. It made for a beautiful contrast to the old barn structure and original wood beams and floor.

Did you notice the chandeliers hanging in the barn doorways?

But the wedding isn't about the place, it's about the people. The bride and groom have so much energy and spirit. It was a joy to watch them together.

The checked shirt was a nice touch.

Congrats, Greg & Amanda!

We enjoyed a night out, catching up with family.

And Adam had a great time spending the afternoon with Aunt Karen and cousin Hillary.

They are two of the most special people I know. Aunt Karen is akin to a second mom to me. I was thrilled when we discovered Hillary lived only 10 minutes from the wedding venue and we could spend time with them as well. Adam was in good hands. Thanks, Aunt K, Hillary & Brian!

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As for the rest of the weekend, we spent it floating around seeing family we don't see often enough. 

Hopefully now that we live in the same state we'll get to see our upstate-kin more frequently.

Already looking forward to our next visit.

Saturday Drive

A couple of weeks ago we set out to discover a little more of our local area with a leisurely Saturday drive. Our main destination was Adams County, Ohio where there's a small Amish community, and we took the long way there by crossing over the river and exploring the small towns along Route 8 in Kentucky first.

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We first came across Augusta, Kentucky, a quaint tiny town right on the banks of the river. The town has a population of a couple thousand people and is only 1.6 square miles in size.


What I loved about it (aside from the fact that George Clooney lived here!) was the simpleness of it. It harkens back to small town America.


We drove through "downtown" and along Riverside Drive where larger homes face the river. We may have considered stopping for lunch except that I'm not entirely sure there was anywhere to eat. It hasn't been changed for tourism, and I don't recall seeing one franchise of any kind. It just seems pure Americana.

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If the good folks from Augusta were to go the "city", I reckon they'd be referring to Maysville. It's just a few miles east along the river and has one of the few bridges across to Ohio. I wish we'd taken more time to explore here, and I look forward to a return visit to do just that.


Maysville reminds me of a river town captured in time with original facades along the main streets and old brick structures. It appeared to have a lot more to do in the way of local shops and restaurants and bed and breakfasts.


Neither of these were our main destination but were lovely to have visited. We made our way back into Ohio.


We made one more stop in West Union, Ohio to see Blake Pharmacy, "an old style 60's drugstore with a soda fountain that is still serving five cent cokes; just like they did in 1961, serving milkshakes and sandwiches too." It was located right on the courthouse square and reminded me so much of my dad's hometown of Harrisville, WV. We sat at the soda fountain counter. We ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, a tuna salad sandwich and a pimento cheese sandwich, all with chips, a milk and two 5-cent cokes. The lunch total came to $4.50. Love small towns.


Finally, on to Amish country. Near West Union there's a small community. We drove the beautiful farmlands, explored the covered bridges (or tunnels, as Adam called them), and admired the furniture craftmanship at Millers Bakery, Bulk Food and Furniture and Keim Family Market and Deli. Adam especially loved testing out the outdoor playsets.


It may not have been our most riveting getaway, but we enjoyed the quiet family time.