Our current state of uncertainty

In the last post, I shared some pics of the house we have been waiting for.  Let me back up now and document our story. 

We bid on a house in the West Valley when I was still student teaching.  It was by family, friends, and a freeway, and we were really excited.  I had some reservations, but I also felt like I would never be fully ready to make such a large purchase, so we went for it.  We started picturing ourselves in it and our future, and then we found out we were outbid.  We were pretty bummed, but were able to move on. 

Then I graduated (need to post on this one) and got a job in Tempe and we decided we'd try looking more in the Tempe/East Valleyish area.  Jake commutes to Scottsdale everyday.  We don't want to live in Scottsdale and no matter where we pick, we're going to have to drive a little, but in Tempe, it would be the least amount of time and it's closest to my job (also need to post about this one).  In Tempe, there were either really nice, out of our price range houses, or really junky and scary looking houses.  In the price range we are trying to stick with, in Tempeish area, we have seen some houses in really, and I mean really bad shape.

Then came the one I pictured in the previous post.  I loved it right away, even just driving down the street.   I think it's a cute little neighborhood with a lot of big trees(a thing on my wish list) and a school a block from the house.  There's also a few large parks that are close(wish list).  It's on Baseline, so it's close to a freeway, and we like the businesses that are around it.  I liked the layout, I liked the low windows(also on my wish list), the pool was a plus(wish list), big yard(on our MUST list), big pantry(wish list), cool add-on area, fans in most rooms(wish list), and fireplace(wish list).  There were a few things when we first saw it that we knew we would need to fix/or work on(master bath, pool fence, etc.), but we were looking for a house that we could try things out on and do a little fixing up.  So we bid on it and they accepted our bid! We were soooo excited! 

Then we had an inspector come, and we learned there were a lot more things that needed attention.  We'll spare you all those details, but there were a few major things such as: crack in the pool (leak), broken windows, AC stuff, a new toilet needed. After a lot of talking, showing family and friends, and crying (only me and a lot of it) we decided to say no to the house after our ten day inspection period.  We really love the house, and I had already pictured bringing our next baby home to it (no, we are not pregnant) and where all our furniture would go.  We said no in such a way that we let the bank know that we still want it, but wanted some things to be fixed or the price to be lowered.  Our realtor acted like there was no way the bank was going to work with us, so we tried to mentally prepare to let the house go.  Jake and I decided that we were going to put it in The Lord's hands from here and if we were supposed to be in it, He would make it work out, and if we weren't, He would let the process of canceling it go on.  Then we waited for their answer.

They responded by asking what things we thought needed fixing.  We sent them a list, they wanted us to revise the list, so we did, and then we waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And now it's been over a month.  We haven't heard from them, besides the times that we bugged our realtor enough and he asked the bank.  They always say that they are still getting bids.  I can't figure out how in the world it could take this long especially because we had already had one of the bids and gave them all the paperwork for it.  I've run myself in circles with rationalizing and then being mad, and then telling myself that I need to be patient.  I have tried to remind myself that I told Heavenly Father that I would let him choose for us, but if I'm being totally honest, it just wasn't happening in the time frame that I was planning on... I guess that we were planning on.

If all had gone as planned we would have gotten the keys on July 13th and then our current contract would have ended July 31st.  We would have enough time to do any necessary stuff and clean a little and then move in and clean our current place without feeling super rushed.  When the date got closer and we still weren't sure what we were doing, we had to make some back-up plans, and we had a lot.  To live where we live, as most of you know, you have to be a student, pursuing a degree and taking at least 6 credits.  With both of us graduated now, we no longer qualify, unless one of us starts doing more school.  This is something we have always talked about, it's just that we don't want to pay for it. :)  We want someone else to, but I was more than willing to if it meant just staying where we are at.  It seemed like the easier option to me.  I also have been thinking a lot about getting Montessori certified and there is a program at South Mountain Community College, so that was one option.  We could also just ask for an extension with Housing, but a snag in that plan was that the management was just switching over, and the "connections" I might have had to allow us to didn't have as much power anymore. (That's a lame way of putting it, but I don't know how else to describe it.)  We had talked about moving in with one of our parents until we hear from this house or find another one.  We had talked about an apartment for a little while with some stuff in storage. 

So on Friday the 16th, when Jake and I got home from work we had a lovely sign on our door saying that they were going to lock us out of our house the following Wednesday if we didn't go to the office to sign a license agreement because they didn't have one. (Side note- With the switchover of companies, we had to go and sign a new one at a mandatory meeting, and we did, and apparently they must have lost it, or switched up who was the student, or something) and of course, their office hours are Monday through Friday from 8-5.  So we had all weekend to think about if they were going to let us sign an agreement for just a week or so, if we needed to move out, if we should pack, if we should sign up for school, etc.

We decided that we were going to move sometime soon, to somewhere, so we packed all that weekend.  Jake went in that Monday to meet with someone (had to go to work late because of their available hours too) and of course, the ONLY person who could help us was out sick that day.  After a bit of a run around for a few days, I finally got in to sign one and they told me they had one and didn't need me.  What!?! Ugh! So we could have enjoyed our lovely home in all it's cuteness for probably another week before we needed to pack, but oh well, we were packed and ready.  We did find out that the new company only requires you take one credit at a higher rent price, that you can only sign a year license agreement, and that you can cancel at any time for only $75.  So that's our plan, we are going to take a gym class, wait on this house, and if it doesn't work out, find another house. 

In the meantime, back to my lesson from the Lord on patience....I was doing my part, and keeping faith, just crying and having to remind myself often that He would know what's best.  I had the thought that this time must be important for something, I have no clue what, but something.  Perhaps Jake was going to get a better and more exciting job (like we've been hoping and applying for).  Perhaps it would be in another state or out of the country (like we've been hoping and applying for).  Perhaps something big/wrong/good was happening with the house.  Perhaps I was to meet some stranger at the store that just needed to meet me but I wouldn't have been there if we had moved already. (I didn't meet anyone exciting, just giving you a glimpse into my crazy thought processes here) 

Moving on, because this part could go on forever, like more than a month (insert sarcasm), I was talking to my mom on the phone and she randomly brought up if we had thought of the Air Force.  I responded with the fact that we had, as a back up when Jake was being let go at his job, but once he found another, we were good and didn't need that back up.  But then, very quickly I felt good about it and as I thought more I was dying to get off the phone with my mom and talk to Jake.  Long story short (I know, I don't really make them short, but your still reading so you can't deny your into the stories) we decided to look into it more.  Jake took this job, which has kinda nothing to do with what he's been going to school for all our married lives, that isn't something that he loves or even likes, in hopes that we would get our foot in the door somewhere with an awesome company paying more that we get at this job.  We are aware that these might be high hopes and big dreams, but that's what they are.  This is still our dream.  I want Jake to get a job in the field he likes, at a company he thinks is great, doing something that he thinks is fascinating. 

The more we have thought about it and looked into it, the more we think we are going to do it.  If Jake doesn't get another job offer in the time he would leave for Officer training, we're going to join the Air Force.  But then this only added another twist to our house plot.  We could just tell the bank we definitely didn't want the house and then see where the Air Force process would take us, or we could keep waiting it out and see if we wanted to live there and/or rent it out.  This now made me go from my test of faith to a little bit of "Why would you throw this on top of this all NOW! I think I've got enough options already here!" attitude.  I only let this bother me for a brief moment and then it was onto the details of finding a recruiter to talk to (again with the business days and hours problem conflicting with work schedules) and looking up possibilities the Air Force could offer us.

I really did/do believe that Heavenly Father will help us go and do what we are supposed to be doing at this time in our lives.  There is no way that I could ever handle the stress of all the "grown up" decisions you have to make in this process if I didn't feel like I was being led by the guidance of His hand.  I'm not sure if the Air Force is going to happen or work for us, but I do feel that we were supposed to wait for something and think more about what we really want for our family.

**Now that it has taken me so long to write this post, I have an update to add.  Apparently this whole time they were getting bids as well as asking for an extension of our closing date.  They already have fixed the windows, they are going to fix the pool which will be at least $7,500, they have replaced the toilet, and we are waiting to see the paperwork on all the work that was done.  We did go check it out tonight and they have worked on it.  The next closing date is August 20.  As for the Air Force, it is going to be a while.  We need to drop some extra pounds, take the test, do all the steps, and then there would be a review.  The next review is in April! Then it could be up to six months of waiting to hear back, then he would go to Officer training for three months, and then we would possibly move.  So, we are going to probably go through with this house, fix it up along the way like we planned originally, do the Air Force process, keep applying to jobs we want, and see where we end up. **

You're a true friend if you read all of this...holy cow...is that a long post!!!