We put in an offer . . .

Success!! Our trip to Spokane was a whirlwind of activity - - certainly not romantic by any means, even though we were there without kids, but wonderful all the same. As we flew in late Thursday night (Dec 1st) I had an overwhelming feeling of coming HOME. We recognized all that we were seeing from the air and celebrated in the beauty of our home town. Besides being able to visit with our parents and a few family members while there (and of course my side trip to CA), we looked at around 25 houses in Deer Park and North Spokane, and settled on a house in Brentwood Forest in North Spokane. Jon will still only have to commute 15-20 minutes up to Deer Park (on a nice highway through beautiful scenery) and yet it put us much closer to our family, shopping, church, etc. In fact the house we chose is only blocks from the North Spokane Stake Center, Brentwood elementary school, Northwood Park and Mead High School. I love the pine tree forested neighborhood which has newer parts and older parts, but yet feels so family friendly and nice.




The biggest hitch on the house we chose is that it is a "short sale", which means the whole process of buying and closing takes longer. I pray it will be ready in time- - we have 2 1/2 months until we need to move in- - I hope it is enough time!! It wasn't the most gorgeous house we saw (we saw some really BEAUTIFUL houses that we almost too fancy for a family like ours), but is VERY livable and nice as it is. With 6 bedrooms, 3652 square feet, and good amounts of storage- it was the house that seemed to fit us best, and at a great price. It seriously is $70,000 less than our second choice, saving us hundreds on a house payment. We decided that the amount we would save is worth the little bit of TLC it needs (it has been vacant for awhile). It still looks fine, but there are just enough little projects for Jon to do to keep him happy (since he likes that kind of thing). It just feels so right- so we are going to try for it- - we are fervently praying that all goes well! We do have several other houses we really liked (at a higher price, but still within our price range) that are not a short sale that we could go for if this doesn't work out. I really hope that it does, though! I am trying to not stress over it- again I go back to the feelings the Lord has given me throughout this whole process. Whenever I feel a little doubt or worry, I feel strongly that everything will work out, and that I should not stress. I almost get chastized when I start to feel stressed- - like the Lord is saying "I ALREADY told you that things will work out the way they need to- - quit worrying!!" So, however it happens, even if it isn't in the time frame we want- it WILL be fine.

You know how certain songs seem to apply at different times in our lives? The one that keeps running through my head is "It's gonna be a good life, it's gonna be a good life, a good, good life . . . ". Maybe it is because this song is played on the current Disneyworld ommercial and we are heading there soon, but I think it does apply. We have sacrificed soooo much for Jon's career. We have had some truly difficult trial over the years with his path to becoming a Doctor. Financially, of course it has been hard, but truly our hardships were not related to money. As Jon visited with the clinic in Deer Park, I see this amazing light of excitement in his eyes as he will get to finally do what has has been trained to do, and in the setting he chooses. For our family, we have moved across the country and back, and then accross the country again, uprooting our family each time and the repercussions that came with those moves were difficult. We have lived surrounded by poverty and in places too small for our family. We have managed apartments, pulled out more loans, shopped at the thrift store, carted laundry across parking lots, scrimped and pinched to make it. Truly through all these times, we were a happy family, and we have had many wonderful memories together as a family. I think since we knew that we were working toward a better life, and with a Gospel Perspective we truly didn't feel impoverished or deprived. Our hardest trials had more to do with the emotional well being of certain family members. At the same time, I can't say I never cursed our tiny kitchens, lack of washer and dryer or junker cars over the years. . but I am only human, right?? To see the end of all of that so near- it truly feels like it is going to be a "good, good life". I will NEVER take for granted a good income, and I will also never take for granted my family! Like I said, we truly did have wonderful times as a family working towards this goal, and I am so grateful to finally be there. I know that there are probably are other trials we will have to face ahead, for money isn't everything, but I know that we can handle them with the Lords help. We have been through so much to this point- I have no doubt the Lord has been with us through it all, and I am so grateful for how much HE has watched out for us. For truly, I feel we have been taken care of and watched over. I attribute our success and our upcoming (and past) "good life" to Him!