It Was A God Thing

I know I haven't said much about the house hunt. We are under contract.... Again.

Our search for our first non-military home has been rather disappointing. Maybe we are putting too much significance on this house. Maybe.

We can actually afford a nice home at this point. Even nicer than what we are willing to spend -- some habits die hard. So we picked an amount that was rather reasonable and still it was twice what we ever did before.

At this price we expect certain things. Plus we have a list of desires like a place to keep the RV, an office for both of us, a decent sized kitchen, not in certain school districts, etc.

I contacted an agent on a property on our first trip into town to look. She set up several things. During that trip it turned out we were going to be in a day earlier. I tried in vain to get the agent to take us out that Sunday. Maybe she doesn't work Sundays. I don't know.

So I turned to the Internet in the car that Sunday morning on our way into town. I found the first place I wanted to see (not on the other realtors list to show us) and contacted the listing agent. Again - early Sunday morning. Within 45 minutes we were not only set up to see that house but others as well. Score.

So we worked with him Sunday and then her on Monday and Tuesday. And after working with her days we would turn around and work with him nights.

We ended up offering on one of her houses. The owner decided to pull it off the market. We had another of hers we were going to offer on - it was in foreclosure and we didn't have time to get it before it went on auction.

We returned to Arkansas a little defeated.

During the remainder of our time in Arkansas they were supposed to be sending us potential properties. Only he did. Tell me that didn't make our decision on who to keep working with.

So it is with him that we end up finding the perfect place. Unfortunately the seller is in a bad financial place. We walked away.

But after seeing everything in our area we found no alternative....until we started looking 40-50k above what we want to spend. So we are back and under contract with the one we walked away from.

This means nothing yet. We are concerned about the inspections as the seller is in no position to fix anything major they might find.
Plus with all the work it needs (lots and lots of little things) we are concerned it might not meet the contract price on appraisal. They had it appraised and it was more than the contact - but that doesn't mean my lender will agree.

We are literally walking on eggshells waiting. It's awful.

My only comfort is that I feel like we were taken out of the first realtors hands and directed to the second by God. No explanations beyond that's what we believe. So I'm hoping that means this is the house we are meant to buy. This is our home.

Monday we have three inspections set up as we want everything checked so we can walk away or go in with eyes wide open. It will have cost is a very pretty penny already if this doesn't work out.

Closing date is set at June 27. I'm not going to say much about the place until it looks like its really going to happen.

I will say all four of us love it and want to live there. I can see myself living out the rest of my days there. It feels like home should feel. (A rather big statement from someone who has never lived anywhere longer than 7 years. )

So wish us luck, send prayers our way, send out positive energy - whatever it is you have to share.

And I hope I don't have to cry on your shoulders after Mondays inspections.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Trailer Zone...Edition One

Why oh why did we think it would be okay to move into a travel trailer?

Just kidding.

In a hotel,we would have already surpassed the amount in one week that we have paid to stay here for an entire month. It is a no-brainer for sure. Dogs complicate everything...and pet deposits are the debil.

As you can imagine though, moving a family of four plus two into a 30 foot tin house on wheels is full of new adventures and pressures and funnies...almost on an hourly basis.

That's not a complaint.

Unfortunately the internet connection in the park leaves a lot to be desires. (Spoiled much Ms. Autumn??) Half the time I can't even get on the network. The other half its like having dial-up from the 90's.  I kid you not.

If our connection was better I am sure I would post more of the funnies. Instead I end up saying unkind words to the computer and slamming the screen shut in frustration. Oh, poor poor spoiled white girl.  Next I'll be whining about losing my pony, right?

So, I will just have to try and remember it all and post little Trailer Zone issues as the connection allows. Because it is funny stuff.

Of course I already told you about the wrinkle spray incident of 2013. It really was funny. I was kinda surprised that none of the other park residents came out to figure out what was up. That dratted propane gas alarm is SO LOUD. I thought the Dobie was going to have a heart attack. (Hmmm...Dobie- why was I surprised no one came to check?)

We have also all had to get over our seasickness. Yes, trailer living is not for land lovers.  Every time someone so much as blinks the place rocks. And an attack of the giggles by a certain 9 year old is sure to rock the house FOR REAL.  Do you know how crazy it is to have to tell your kid to stop laughing? But I do believe we are all over that phase and have our trailer legs now.

Lack of space has not killed off one family tradition. You know, the one where the whole family ends up in mom and dads bed? Except now our bed is rather smaller than ever before...and in a tiny tiny room. Doesn't stop them. All six of us can still be found on mom's bed. (Its currently the only room I have a fan running in nonstop also - going to rectify that soon and see if it helps any. Moving air just makes things better in a cramped space.)

On one evening Hubs was hoping to run the teen out of the room so he reached down and grabbed my hiney. This brings all kinds of squeals of disgust and shock from any teen. That is just not allowed. So I yelp as I didn't see it coming, the teen squeals at the extreme grossness, and the chihuahua BITES hubs!!! LOL!!! Then we all laugh until we have to pee. Because Bogart is a lover, not a fighter. But some things apparently are not only NOT OKAY with the teen.....

Rain has a whole new place in life when you live in a trailer also. Of course there is the ever present threat of tornados in this part of the country. Luckily I have some friends that have offered to shelter our family if necessary -- since our town has NO SHELTERS. The front winds rock the trailer and set the dogs off. The noise is triplified I swear. This sets the dogs off even more. Big babies. And the rain itself is loud on the roof.

But we are all dry and safe. Well, until we try to exit the trailer after the storm abates.  You open the door and find.....you are stranded in the middle of a lake. Do you know how much dogs love to get their feet wet when they go out and pee? Right. NOT! Now not only do you have to force them out to do their business, you have to stand ankles deep also and it all gets tracked back in to your little ity bity living space.  Niceeeeee.

That I think about covers the highlights of this weeks trailer zone. Please note that this is not a complaint column, its more like the funny pages.

Oh, I will leave you with one more tale that isn't in the trailer but that the trailer was useful for..

I was out running errands with the girls one day -- you know, going to the Dollar Tree for some more fine china (paper plates) when a lady accosted Songbird and half forced her way into the passenger side of the car where she was to try to talk me into helping her out with some bus tickets. It was crazy aggressive but not scary aggressive as I try to ensure we are not in a victim  position as much as possible. Anyways as the lady was giving her story as to how she is not a panhandler and here is her license to prove it (that proves what?) I leaned over and looked her straight in the eye and told her: Honey, I'm homeless right now. (Which the teen throws in an emphatic UH HUH also.)

Stopped her dead in her tracks. She backed out of the car and found herself someone else to ask for help.

Now I'm not 100% sure a trailer counts as homeless.  We do have a roof over our heads. And we do own the roof over our head and are able to leave our things in it rather than have to carry them with us everywhere.  The biggest difference is that we are temporarily homeless with the means to buy our way out of this state. So should I have used that excuse?  Probably not. But its not a lie. I have no address. I have no actual home. I have a rather large vehicle we can legally stay overnight in. So I used it to my advantage. And I have to tell you, when the unfortunates start to get really pushy and aggressive it is nice to have an out. I am not okay with having my personal space invaded because someone wants whatever money I have.

So anyways, hope you all are enjoying your holiday weekend with your families and loved ones. We are thinking of you all!

Six Months Later.....

.....we really do move into the trailer and head for Texas. It was time. Hubs is now doing his Saudi rotations and we are starting our new life schedule. 

So we packed up and left the vacation home. It was a great place to stay with the kids while we went through the adjustments and changes. They got to live close to Nano for once. 

Now we have settled into a RV park in a central area where we are house hunting. Of course all these storms are rolling through and shaking things up. We also found out that there are no storm shelters here. In tornado country.  I might have to get politically active over that. Not acceptable. There are so many people living full time in RVs around here. They don't matter??

Trailer life is hard on the kids. And the dogs. Cinder has managed to get loose twice by rushing us out the door. Nut case. She doesn't go far and we are in the middle of nowhere so it hasn't been a problem. I don't want her to scare someone and get us kicked out. 

House hunting has not gone well. This time we found something we loved and the owner needs to be rescued from a financial disaster due to a divorce so he is asking too much for the property. He is stuck in a hard place. We aren't used to not getting a deal. Time will tell if we are able to work it out. It doesn't look promising. 

Oh - and just so you know....... If something falls onto a spray can of wrinkle spray and empties the contents in a RV bathroom....the propane gas alarm will go off. For a long time. And it's very loud and will scare the dogs. And the kids will complain about it hurting their ears.  

Cause that's trailer life.