Okay...really, this time

In true God-like form, we were finally able to close on our new (to us) home! I put an exclamation mark there because it seems more appropriate, but I don't really feel the exclamation in my heart. I have been too scarred by disappointment in this deal that I now find myself completely unable to feel truly excited about this.  To top it off, any excitement is squelched by the sheer panic over having to move in THREE days while working full time and having the kids in school, etc, etc, etc!  Good thing over half of my house has been packed up for past month plus, right!??

I will try to keep the story short, and I don't think we even know the half of it after speaking to the couple from the title agency that came to us to do the closing this evening. It sounds like they were scurrying all day to get the paperwork together and cross all the Ts and dot all the Is. Such an orchestration...all part of God's plan. So many people involved...amazing. Really. Nothing short of miraculous. Apparently, the seller had a CASH offer for at least $10,000 more than what we had agreed to (we heard 2 different stories and don't know really which to believe) and still chose to agree to sell us the house even though our contract expired on Monday at 4pm. We received word on Tuesday morning that the bank had finally gotten the mortgage underwritten (in record time actually) and that they would go ahead and put the closing package on the seller's desk that night. The seller would not discuss anything until he got the closing package and we weren't sure he would accept it and he was certainly not obligated to. We received word around 1pm that he had agreed and signed the papers to make the house ours. I had just a couple hours notice to let my boss know I would need to leave early to go close the deal. Paul had to scurry around to get a cashier's check for our down payment and all the other fees that go with closing (sickening, actually), pick up the kids from school, and rush over to the insurance office and get the certificate of coverage necessary to close. WHEW, really the scurrying is just beginning! We want to paint the entire house except the bathrooms and laundry room, so we certainly have our work cut out for us for the next few days...oh, and we never felt confident enough to ask for time off, so we both have a full work week! Oh well, we will just have to make do!

We are still not sure why God chose to allow this to play out like it did.  However, I have a sneaking suspicion that we had something to learn in it, and that our kids did too.  As we were driving home, Gabe said, "I think God wanted us to know that He could be trusted." Yes, I think that was it too. I knew that all along, it was just so hard Monday to see how this was going to be resurrected when it seemed surely too far gone. I have so appreciated words of encouragement from some of you along the way. Prayers you sent up for our peace...we felt peace so many times when we really shouldn't have. Prayers for God to work a miracle...we got our miracle! Some of you just cared enough to ask how we were holding up...precious reminders of His love pouring through you. We are humbled and blessed.  We love each of you!

Ahhhh, Iowa!

Holden has a project due Monday. He had to choose any state besides Florida and research it and prepare a notebook and a poster.  He worked very hard on his Iowa project! He had lots of fun looking back through pictures to find fun ones for the poster.  And, Aunt JoJo was a BIG help!  Thanks Aunt JoJo!  Here is a close up of his work:

You can see his Hawkeye colors and the kids in their shirts, the state seal, the capitol building, the state flower, some pictures of snow (some kids here have only seen it in pictures!), and of course the flood of '08.  The top left is a weather graph he made of your lovely April weather for one week. It was in the 70s the entire week! Congrats Iowa folk, spring finally arrived!

We hope that warm weather sticks around for May because we are going to come for a visit! We are so excited! We are not going to miss the Prachar family reunion this year! After hosting the reunion at our home for 9 years, and never missing it for 10 years, we were heartbroken to miss it last year. We resolved not to miss this year.  We will likely be driving [insert sarcasm laced "Yipee" here], and the kids will miss a few of the last days of school...but we are coming! We will probably land in the area Friday, May 28th and head back out Monday evening. Alayna has Kindergarten graduation on Wednesday, so we have to get back quickly! But, we hope to see lots of you over the weekend! Please give us a call (we still have the same cell numbers) if you are going to be in town as well!

For those of you keeping up on our home buying struggle, the latest news is not good, we must close on Monday or lose the deal and the bank is not optimistic about closing that day.  Either way, we will know for sure Monday at 4pm. We need another miracle...this is getting OLD! I have been in almost every one of the boxes we have had packed up in the garage for the past several weeks, looking for some needed item like shampoo, shower gel, lotion, razor blades, antibiotics. I still need to dig out some school shorts for Gabriel too.  Parking outside is no fun either...wow, I am whiny today!

We do have our moments when we feel down about what is going on, but we keep reminding each other that God is looking out for us and if He is on our side, we cannot lose!  I got a little perspective this week through a couple of my patients. I had  a new patient come in to establish care who was 22 years old and just diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Then, on Friday, I had to tell a 23 year old patient that she had cervical cancer. It was no fun, we cried together and I hugged her several times.  So, I am certainly aware of all the RICH, rich blessings around me and evermore reminded to shine my light into all the dark places and share His precious love.  And, I also am reminded that this world is not my home, I am just waiting for my final, perfect home...where there will be PLENTY of bedrooms (I hope Glenda can find me a verse for that one too)!

We did it!

The Sharktooth 10K was today.  We were up before the crack of dawn to get to the start line.  On a Saturday. The kids were THRILLED! There were some pretty bad attitudes and the kids asked if they could stay home to sleep in.  They were not allowed, and realized they were really glad they went when it was over. They got into the spirit and cheered for us as we rounded the first corner by the parking area. Yelling for Kristen and I and Alayna cheering "Go Mom, Go!" repeatedly.  You can see we were feeling just fine as the race started. 

We pushed pretty hard during the race (though I wasn't able to judge that until the end).  It was very different to run in the daylight with several hundred other people.  Our conversation was pretty dull and we actually had a hard time coming up with things to occupy our minds and distract us from our heavy feeling legs.  Kristen promised to make a wristband with "Would You Rather" topics for our next race since our brains didn't have enough oxygen to think of them today! Poor Kristen stopped at Starbucks for coffee before the race and wasn't feeling well for the majority of the race, but we stuck together until the final 200 meters.  I am grateful for her pacing me since I have no idea how to do that and save energy to get through the entire race! We made a great team and I was excited to cross the finish with a personal best time! It took just over 1 hour for the 6.2 miles. Now, I know you serious runners (Suzy) will think that is slow, but I am very happy with that time since anything over a quarter mile used to be too much for me! I felt good for the last bit and sprinted to the finish with Alayna and Holden joining me, but felt a bit nauseated after I stopped.  That passed quickly (thankfully), and the post race pig out began! There was so much food! I couldn't believe what I saw people eating! Pulled pork at 8:15 am! There was also oranges, bananas, apples, bagels, and even pastries.  Smoothie King was also there with strawberry smoothies and bottled water abounded.  I even let the boys enjoy a bottle of Coke since they came to watch my race at the crack of dawn. They were very glad they went! I did cave and have some of the pork, it was really good even if it wasn't 9 am yet! Here I am rounding one of the last curves:

Riley (our family photographer) got a great picture of Kristen's finish. She was even smiling!

So, I am glad its over and glad I did it, it was really fun. PLUS, I won a $15 gift certificate in the post race door prize drawing! We are talking about what is next and kicking around the idea of the sprint triathalon (400 meter swim, 13 mile bike, 5K run). I have wanted to do one for years...I am not sure why!

I also want to throw in here the updates on the missing teeth and healed leg.  Alayna with her sooooo grown up smile:

And Riley all healed up:

We have been getting lots of stuff done today like cleaning out the van, laundry, bathrooms, mopping (my fave), and tree trimming. Its looking good around here, so we are off to relax at the community pool (heated) in our neighborhood and maybe go bowling later for my birthday! Another year older...where does the time go???

The rollercoaster ride

What we thought was the ride slowing to stop was really the peak of another hill and the bottom came out again yesterday of our house deal...God really enjoys showing His might and sovereignty! The deal is unofficially off again (for the umpteenth time) as the seller is too impatient to give the bank enough time to close the deal.  We are chilling this weekend over a decision we have to make to bring the deal back to life or not. Here is what I am doing with my weekend: 

My first ever 10K! I ran a 5K several years ago and have been running again (well before the crack of dawn with my friend Kristen) faithfully. We decided to do this race since proceeds go to the Special Olympics. I am pumped and have had several 10K runs to prepare and can't believe that I am actually capable! It will be GREAT stress relief.  I am choosing peace...sometimes I have to rechoose it again minute by minute!

Over the hurdle

We got word earlier today of the 3rd appraisal shortly after my last update. The value came up enough that we were able to modify our offer and after a couple counters, hashed out a deal.  We hesitate to feel any excitement at all, so we are viewing this as a hurdle cleared.  It is not that we doubt God or His abilities to close the deal here, we feel like we got our miracle! Paul said a few months ago he felt like we would get this house and still felt that way after we walked away the first time. We still have confidence that He will close the deal on the house He picked out for us...we are just holding on to our hats and lunches as the roller coaster slows down...we don't know what is around the corner! We did save a few dollars because of the pain and heartache of that appraisal mess! That is just how He works! Praise Him!

Sorry for the teeny picture, its the only one I have of the outside! I couldn't do another post without a picture!

No news...

Unbelievable, but we are stil awaiting the results of the third appraisal...well after it was promised. I have to say a big thank you to my dear friend and mentor Glenda for forwarding me these verses that have comforted me GREATLY:
24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:24-26.
I'll keep you posted. This certainly seems like a God sized problem...just the kind He loves!