The Last 27 Hours

Insomnia at 2:23 AM this morning


Tick...tick...tick...wait. That's not right.  I have a digital clock.

But you get me.  I am up.  Right now. It's the middle of the night and I am not sleeping.

Why?

Well, I almost typed it but my heart pogo sticked right into my throat.  I am scared to write it because it will make it real.  OK.  I will just take the plunge because all of you are my precious friends and so many of told me you are praying or just asking how this house hunt is going.

We found a house that we love.

Butterflies in the tummy.  Tossing and turning.  A burgeoning hope that seems scarier than a fruitless search. Those are the things that are resigning me to stare at this glowing box, tap away on these little squares and listen to a symphony of sounds that the hubster is producing over there on our bed that I should be lying down on.

Finding a house we love seems harder than not being able to find one.  Are any of you nodding?  Talking out loud to your computer screen like a loony saying, "I been there sistah!  I am soooo with you!" I hope so.  Because I had no idea.

Back up to 6:00 PM Tuesday...

Tonight we saw a few houses.  The first one was this cutie patootie thing right by the gulf in this adorable neighborhood that looks like beach houses.  So cute.  And this house was right in our price range.  We walk in and it looked just as good.  Perfect layout.  Not too big. Not too small.  Just some cosmetic TLC.  And just 4 roof leaks and termites. And flood insurance.  Cha ching!  Real estate sucker punch!  Did not see it coming.  And we were out the door.

Next up.  A cute house on a cul-de-sac that is owner occupied and we needed an appointment.  Not too bad but it becomes hard to picture yourself in a cute house with all their furniture and clutter. Then I glanced outside and became witness to the only hill in the state of Florida right in their backyard.  My girls could daily reenact the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme together.  NEXT!

Now this one was a shot in the dark for us. The One.  The right neighborhood.  Newly listed.  No issues.  Curb appeal.  A bit outdated but only serves us to make it our own while hopefully getting it a bit cheaper. But the moment I saw it online I was drawn in.  Big time.

We walk up to the front door and there it was.  The knowing.  I kept chasing it away asking myself how on earth can we afford this house out of our budget range. I pray for a hideous interior.  We walk in to dark green carpet and peach colored counter tops.  Really.  

And all I saw was my house. 

Within 30 seconds, I said, THIS IS IT!  Great floor plan.  Beautiful back yard.  Fabulous neighborhood.  And all the little things I had been looking for. After discussing some things, we took great pleasure in praying with our realtor over the house and God's will for us.  I  confess I will be so sad if this does not work out but I keep reminding myself that God is my hope.  Not the house.

Our realtor got right to work with much research and information digging. Tomorrow (today) we find out if they would even accept.  Even as I type, I am unsure if I will even post this for fear I will have to deliver bad news to you that it fell through. And before most of you read this, I will probably know where we stand so I figure what is the point?

Because God is in the business of making the impossible possible. I remember becoming pregnant with Ella after such a long infertility journey.  We found out in November and used our family Christmas card to announce the pregnancy,  We had professional photos done and I remember agonizing over the last line announcing...And Baby (our last name) due in July! I send out over 60 cards each year and at this point I was 7 weeks along with my first pregnancy ever.

As I struggled, God just spoke to my heart and said, "Believe and walk in that belief." And I did. And of course that little baby is Ella.

So I walk in the same belief now, knowing God has already established our next home and is lining up all the details.  Here is my day of manic obsessing with a side of godly peace...

8:00 AM Today
Our realtor calls. Apparently the sellers have been renting the house to their pastor after moving into their other house.

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!!

He told the realtor a little about us and about us praying over the house last night.  The realtor responds with, "That's funny because the sellers were just doing the same thing for the right buyers."

Oh boy! Oh boy ! Oh boy! Oh boy!

So after much consideration we are going to extend a one time offer.  Today.  No negotiation dance.  Just  what we can afford.  Because we are really needing  a miracle here.  And if we start off low we may lose the whole thing.  And our realtor prayed over all of it so I am trusting His wisdom since it is the very thing we have been praying for.

12:45 PM: Mortgage Broker Phone Call
Numbers will be crunched.  But not yet.  Maybe in an hour.

1:45 PM
Have not heard anything.  Decide to concoct stress reliever food by combining random items from pantry.  Feel sick.

2:45 PM
Wondering if the way I am obsessing could be transposed to praying without ceasing.  Yet I keep refreshing my email hoping to hear back from hubby to give the go to our realtor to start the ball rolling. Click.  Click. Clickclickclickclickclicklcickclick.  Click.  Nothing.


3:31 PM
Still waiting. Just clicked refresh.  Again.  Nothing. Now I am looking to keep myself busy while the girls are still napping.  There is that pile of laundry...wait...click. Shoot. Nothing.


3:36 PM
EMAIL! Now we are told we are prequalified for more money than we want to spend  Say what?  No, no. Do that again. No reason to spend more than we have. More waiting.

4:36 PM
BING BONG!  Email...with scary numbers of a mortgage we might not be able to swing.  Enough to make us shy away from making an offer. Scary because we never sat down and figured out how we could make it work.  Insert broken hearts and dramatic response.

6:30 PM
After much freaking out on both our parts,  we come to our senses by getting on our knees and we are still going to make an offer. An official offer...with incredible peace.

I want all of you to know that I am so amazed at how many of you have emailed or asked questions about our house hunt and said you have been praying.  That means more to me than you will ever know. I am excited to continue to keep you posted.

Stay tuned and in the meantime...and if you think of it...please pray for us...we need a miracle.

Or send money.