Thursday, December 9, 2010

Home Sweet Home (Part 1)

If you haven't heard yet...the loan modification on our house got APPROVED!!! I am so thankful and give 100% of the glory to God for this. I know it was Him. He is the reason that we have our house in the first place and now he is the reason we get to keep it. He has made this very known by the timing of all the things surrounding our house. For the first part, I want to tell you the story of how we got our house, and the way God showed himself through the whole process.

Kevin's mom and step dad got married at the same time that Kevin was looking for a house. Kevin's step dad owned a condo in Redlands, and since him and his mom were moving into her house, he was going to sell it. Kevin was looking at places and decided just to buy his step dad's condo. He got it for a very good deal. He moved in, then we got married and I moved in. Once we had Olivia, and quickly got pregnant with Toby, we realized that we needed a bigger house, we needed a home.

The only problem, the market was at it's peak. Now even though we were going to be able to sell the condo for a whole lot, the houses in our price range (350k) were definitely fixer-upers. They were straight out of the 80's and all in the north side. *Side note: Call me a snob...I don't care, but I was NOT going to buy a house in the north side. I knew what I wanted and that was a 92373 zip code. Call me a brat...but I just knew what I wanted and didnt want to settle.* We had our house up for sale for 6 months with no bites. Six months of keeping the house clean in case someone came by, six months of looking at 30+ houses...none that I liked, six months of thinking "We need to get in a house before this baby comes out or there will be no place for him." It was rough. We decided to change realators. The new realator took us to see at least 15 more houses before we realized that we were just going to have to pay more for something that we could live in. So we looked at houses in the 400k range and they were so much better. We had found 2 that we put offers on, only for those houses to be bought in cash by an investor. It was such an emotional roller coaster ride.

After the second house, which I really liked, got swept away I had a break down. I was done. I cursed and cried and gave up. I remember sitting there, balling my eyes out, and just praying "God take it. Take my situation. I am realizing now I have absolutly NO control over whats going on. I can't keep getting invested, I can't keep getting let down." I pleaded with God to give me peace and take care of us.

A week later we got an offer on our house. This was bitter sweet. I was so thankful to have an offer, but so discouraged at the houses we had seen. We didnt want to accept the offer, then be homeless. So I prayed and prayed and prayed that God would show us our house. Our condo was listed for 299k. The lady offered us 10k less, which would have been fine, but we had already taken it down 10k when we listed it with the new realator. We knew we should take it but had 2 days to decide.

That night, around 9pm our realator called. She said that a realator friend of hers had a house that just fell out of escrow and that it was a really nice house in our price range. (They had been talking about our situation and she was on the look out for us along with our realator) Our realator said that we could go look at it first thing the next morning. So we did...and I fell in LOVE. I knew this was it, but Kevin took some convincing. All the walls were white, excpept for the add on which walls were wood paneling. I saw a blank slate, Kevin saw a boring white house. After much convincing from me, and any other family member we had come and look at it, he gave in. She called her realator friend and told her to tell anyone who was coming to look at it that there was already another offer in and she aggreed. So we put in the offer that morning, offering 10k less to make up for the 10k less the lady offered us for our condo. And...they accepted it. (God always works out numbers exactly for me.) We accepted the offer on our condo and in to escrow we went...

(...to be continued)

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving (Part 2)

Today I am also so greatful for the things I don't have at the moment. I remember this verse today:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Today I am also thankful for:

1. That hardly any of my clothes fit, though it's totally annoying, it means I am a new healthier (and smaller) me.

2 Garage doors. Our is broken at the moment, but it makes me realize how much I really appreciate being able to park in the garage.

3. My health and the ability to exercise. I am feeling sick today, and it always forces me to slow down and rest, i am thankful for that.

4. Money. We do not have much of it, but I am still thankful that we have just enough to pay our bills. Being on a tight budget also makes me thankful when we get to go out to eat (and be served). It is a rarity but I am thankful that we get to do it at all because I know some people aren't that lucky.

5. Money. Its a big deal so it gets 2 spots. Since we dont have a lot of extra money for Christmas gifts, I am thankful for my God-given ability to craft and make stuff. That way I can show the people I love how thankful I am for them by making them gifts.

6. All My family. I do not get my sister here on Thanksgiving or Christmas this year and it is really hard, but I am thankful that I have gotten to go see her in Colorado twice and that I know she will get to come home eventually.

I am so greatful to God for everything he has given me and all the things He chooses to withhold. I know that having less makes me more of a person. We are making it...and even though we dont have a lot of things or money, we have a lot of love and I am SO thankful for that.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Count Your Blessings

This time of year always gets me feeling thankful. This year I am thankful for: (In no particular order other than what comes to my jumbled head)

1. Getting to stay at home with my kids everyday.
2. For a husband that cooks the most amazing dinners.
3. My house and (hopefully) modified payment soon.
4. Olivias heart.
5. Toby's Dance moves.
6. Snuggle time on the couch every morning.
7. That people actually buy Ankle Biters stuff.
8. And amazing group of women I get to call my friends.
9. A healthy Baby Licoln.
10. An amazing and inspiring small group.
11. My sister-in-law. (I got real lucky with this one)
12. My Mom.
13. Crafting (yes...so thankful for this outlet)
14. Worship music
15. A God who not only provides for my needs but also my wants.
16. Cold weather


Have a great day...and count your blessings!!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Ridiculous Faces of Toby

Toby is going through a phase right now that he makes the most rediculous faces in pictures. He is also throwing up some sort of toddler gang signs. Not sure what they mean...not sure he does either. It is driving me NUTS...hope it ends soon. Here are a few of the funniest for your viewing pleasure.
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A Day with Thomas

On Sunday we headed out to the Perris Train Museum to go see Thomas. Toby LOVES Thomas. He loves all trains but Thomas and Toby the Train have a special place in his little boy heart. He was pumped the whole time, having to stop, look, and touch everything train. We also got to ride in a train car pulled by a life size Thomas. It was pretty cool to see his little face light up. Olivia was pretty excited too. She was just bummed that Rosie (The girl train) wasn't there.
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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Dena's Dinner Party

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only wanted one thing for her 30th birthday. She wanted to have a dinner party in the forest surrounded with twinkling lights. The only problem...no electricity in the forest or a forest near by...but we made due. My mother in law has a little meadow in her back yard so we decided to do it there. I got to be in charge of the table. (I was pumped to be in charge of this) This was my first attempt at a tablescape and was pretty proud of how it turned out. I wanted it to be fancy, but woodland-esque. Tons of twinkly lights, candles, wood stumps, and woodland creatures. I wish the pictures I took could do it justice, but I just couldn't get a good shot. Here is what I did get.
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The company was perfect. The night was perfect. Happy Birthday Dena. I love you so much!

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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Fall Decorations

I am slightly obsessed with fall this year and wanted to make a bunch of decorations...so I did. Here they are:
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And yes, I took it to a whole new level and made a couple of fall bunting banners for outside. How freakin cute do they look though??

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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Zuzu Pet

Miss Liv has been wanted a ZuZu pet for a while now. But at $9 a piece this was going to take some work on her part. Now there is another thing that Miss Liv has been doing forever...and that is waking me up 3 times a night to go pee. She wakes up almost every 3 hours and goes pee and wants me to tuck her back in to bed. Now after almost a year of this (I know I should have done it sooner...dont judge me) I had had it. So we made a reward chart and if she went pee by herself and tucked herself back into bed she would get a sticker. After 6 stickers, she would get her ZuZu pet. She did amazing...should have done this sooner. After 2 days of the chart she was sleeping through the night and only getting up to pee once. So we go and get the ZuZu pet and she grabs it. "Thank you mom, but she needs an outfit" Here is "furry" in her "outfit.
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