We are "FINALLY" First Time Home Owners! Yippeeee!!!

Those of you who have been following this blog know that our home buying process has been anything BUT smooth.  Apparently that is the norm right now, so if you want to buy a house BEWARE!!!! Everything will take 3-4 weeks longer then expected.  

We left New Mexico June 5th, moved everything into storage in Tucson on June 6th and headed out to sunny So. California.  Over the next two weeks we turned in documents that we had already submitted 5 times, found out we weren't locked in at 5% and ended up locking in at 5.75% (Ouch!), sent Chad out to Tucson to install appliances that the lender decided needed to be installed and running before they could approve the loan (Did we mention that this home was an as is foreclosure with ZERO appliances?) and then finally driving as a family back to Tucson to sign documents only to find out on Friday while we were at a family reunion in Utah that they had a few wrong documents in our stack that now urgently needed signing if we were to fund.  The icing on the cake was driving to Tucson the following Monday only to find out that the seller never signed the documents, our funding had been returned and we were now once again homeless.  Lots of prayers and phone calls eventually led us to recording on the evening of June 23rd (the day before Chad had to go back to work full time).   

We finally have a home! Yippeee!!!!  This entire experience was enough to make me never want to borrow money to buy a home ever again.  But, like everyone always says, it is worth it.  Our house is cute and things are finally settling down.  The kids are going through friend withdrawal and I am anxiously awaiting our reimbursement checks and that $8000 government check so that I can buy a car.  We had to sell our second car to satisfy the lender and walking around in 100 degree heat is not going real well.  Sara broke out in Hives today because we had to walk to the grocery store to get milk.  New challenges, new fun, but lots of blessings too.  I am just grateful to once again have a home.  (When I finally have things painted and cleaned up, I will post more photos.)

Saying Goodbye to New Mexico

We were blessed in New Mexico to have amazing neighbors.  Not only did they help us with our kids, they brought us meals, helped us load our truck until midnight and offered to house us.  They even gave us a going away party.  

You know living on base wasn't the most stylish place to live as you can tell, and the mold gets a little old, but I wouldn't trade my neighbors and the friends that we had for the nicest home in New Mexico.   

Sara's Baptism Day

Sara is Sara and those of you who know her will agree.  Sara had her baptism on her birthday (Sunday May 31st).  Living in a small town allows you some privilege when it comes to baptisms. First, you can choose to be baptized any day the building is available and Second, the entire program is dedicated to you.  

So. . . . Sara decided that since her Uncle Mark was unavailable, that her dad could baptize and confirm her.  Then she informed her two speakers (Grandma Prior and Grandma Brown) that she wanted her entire program to take only 30 minutes so they needed to limit their talks to 5 minutes a piece.  

Sara cracks me up.  Needless to say we were done and cleaned up an hour after things started, but it was a beautiful day and Sara glowed.  

 

Dance Recital 2009

Timing for this year's dance recital correlated with a whole lot of craziness, but in the end things turned out well.  We started closer to on time then we ever had and the flow of things was good.  

The girls did a great job in their ballet, tap and jazz numbers.  I can't believe how much they have learned in such a short period of time.  I keep forgetting that they are only 8 and 9.  I can't wait to see what they will do in the future.  

  

End of the School Year

Joey and his ever patient Pre-school teacher.  I think her comment to me was that Joey has sat in every chair in her classroom.  

He's a sweetheart, but following instructions is not Joe's specialty. 

Jake's end of the year graduation party.  Jake graduated from Pre-school.  How cute is he.  I showed up and he had tucked in his own shirt and was all smiles.  I love little boys.