When to say when

Yesterday I was all set to say we were "good to go". I was even ready to post a sneak peak of the house. Today, 6 days from closing, we got more bad news that could make this all disappear much faster than I can even get my furniture back from storage. Honestly, I am too exhausted -- physically and mentally to even go into details. I am ready to throw in the towl and say, "I'm done; this journey is over". I'm angry at the situations surrounding this, the bank who keeps throwing us curve balls, the system that makes it hard for honest people to buy houses now, and I am even angry at God. I am angry that I locked myself in my office to cry today. I am angry that my kids are sleeping on mattresses on the floor because their beds are on a storage pod. I am angry...and that's about all there is to say.

So much depends on...

Two weeks until closing and we are still waiting on two very important documents before we can go to underwriting...and that has to be done Monday. Needless to say, I am freaking out. I'm freaking out a lot. My personality trait of compulsive worrying is kicked into major overdrive. The document we need the most was mailed from California Tuesday (of course, California. Can't be Missouri or anything close). If it doesn't get to us tomorrow, I am afraid to think of what the results will be.

Besides the fact that our house is half-packed, the kids start school tomorrow...in a new city. All the neighbor kids started today at Central. In a way, this makes me so sad. I feel like I am upending them (especially Ella) and so much depends on a stupid piece of mail from California.

Because I worry so much (about pretty much everything), I have this "coping" strategy where I think of the worst case scenario and if I can deal with that, then I can usually relax. In this case, if we don't get the mail we need (oh, by tomorrow), and if this falls through, I will have to unpack my house, transfer my kids, .... I really can't even think about this.

God has really seen us through a pretty amazing journey. I am choosing to believe that it isn't going to all come down to the US Postal Service. However, I will take all the prayer anyone might be willing to send our way...for a speedy mailman, for a great appraisal, for final underwriting, for a successful closing, and for easy transitions on my kids as they start school tomorrow--counting on Mom and Dad to have made a good decision in their lives.

Update

So, here's where we are right now...the trade deal on the houses has gone through (we buy their house, they buy ours). Closing date is September 7th. This weekend and early next week are the really important "next steps" because almost all the inspections and appraisals are happening between that time frame. Always the realist, I don't want to get too excited yet, knowing all it would take for the deal to fall through would be a piece of bad news in any one of these items. For those of you who have been faithfully rooting for us, please keep those prayers coming because He's hearing you!

Your persistence will pay off soon...

That was my fortune cookie a few weeks ago. I'm hoping that a sudden turn in events is leading in this direction. More details to come!

July in pictures

Not a perfect month, in terms of photos, but I got more than I thought I would! I will do better for August, right?


July 6, 2011 ~ Keeton mastered the diving board in four swim lessons. He's my brave one and that scares me to death!

July 11, 2011 ~ I know this will seem like an odd picture to most everyone but me, but with the day I was handed, it was the best I could do.

July 13, 2011 ~ Silly girls! Ella and Kate get such a kick out of each other, you can't help but laugh at them (or with them, I guess).

July 16, 2011 ~ And on to the boys...just as silly, just as cute!

July 18, 2011 ~ Spotted a funnel cloud, which really freaked our neighbor out. Strangely enough, I thought it was pretty neat and was glad I ran in to get the camera!

July 19, 2011 ~ Can you believe I had to chase this kid down for a single shot? And then he got all contortionist on me!

July ?, 2011 ~ Hmmm, not sure when Jeff took this one, but another picture of Keeton obsessed by trucks, cars, and all things that move (literally, the neighbors were moving their cars to another state). This would totally freak me out if my cars had been on there.

July 20, 2011 ~ Love having a hydrangea bush right outside the door. Well, when it isn't covered in Japanese Beetles, anyway. I know, they are gross. Really, really, gross. But the flowers are pretty, right?

July 21, 2011 ~ I had a closet intervention with Ella. I took away all her soccer clothes, mandating that she wears the adorable summer clothes she has, instead. Sounds mean, but by the looks of this photo, I think she went overboard in swiping my shoes, too!

July 22, 2011 ~ What a face! I guess my root beer floaties aren't as good as Papa's...I know, what? I can't cook...not like I didn't know that. Actually, you don't cook root beer floaties...whatever.

July 23, 2011 ~ Keeton cracks me up with his "worker" obsession. He spent the morning imitating the guys who were re-paving our street. He got a few high-fives, too.

July 24, 2011 ~ Yep, sometimes a boy has to just give the dog a hug, even when he's in his underoos and "just passing through".

July 25, 2011 ~ If you look very closely you will see a rainbow set against these stormy clouds.

July 26, 2011 ~ Don't you just wish you could pass out like this some days? I sure will admit that I do! Ah, to be 5 again...