Initial here, sign there

Yesterday morning we started the day out with a lot of thinking.

Numbers and fine print were on the agenda.

We went and met with our awesome lender, Robin Gentry at Mortgage Advisory Group, and submitted or last few statements and paystubs. We signed a whole bunch of papers and got the ball rolling for the USDA loan that we are utilizing.

The rates right now are insanely low (3.75% anyone?) and we are hoping we can lock-in within the next few weeks!

So now we have our closing date of no later than September 14th and we are just waiting on a few repairs to be made this week so the appraisal can go through.

We are really hoping that it is appraised a little higher than purchase for some instant equity. The goal is to be able to roll about 3k of our closing into the loan so we have some cash to do some of the immediate fix-its from the inspection. We are only able to do that if we are appraised higher. So fingers crossed!

We also got the chance to drive up to the house and do a walk through. Make sure we are still interested and see if we have any new questions. We met our agent, Ginger York from Keller Williams, as well as the listing agent there to sign the final addendum.

As we did I found a very large discrepancy in our closing costs of about $1700! So happy I found it and so nice to see that off the balance!

As we wandered the house we realized a few things that we never noticed before and were reminded of a few glaring things as well.

The sellers are no longer living there and have a bit of stuff moved out so we really got a better feel for the size of the house and I was so pleasantly surprised! It's much bigger and taller than I remember!

We also realized, now that crap isn't everywhere, that every room has different carpet. The living room is yellow, dining room is hardwood, kitchen is vinyl, family room is berber biege, hallway is yellowish, guest rooms used to be white/gray, master is a different tone of biege/white, master closet is pink, and the step into the garden tub is pink carpet too!

We also have every room except the master painted a different color. And some are multi-colored! Paint funds will be extreme! I will be taking donations/helping hands for that project!

Other than all the fun cosmetic projects, I went through our inspection sheets and feel pretty confident about getting our home homey and livable by the holidays!

Until the next bump in the road, I leave you with paperwork!

We got it!

We freaking got it!

We are officially in escrow!

We got the call yesterday that the lien holder approved our price and we can follow through with the purchase of our own home!

The only snag so far is that they lowered the amount they are willing to pay for closing. A bit of a bummer but not too big of an issue.

We are sitting down on Tuesday with our lender to start all the paperwork and then heading out to the house to meet with our agent and see the home again!

I can not wait! We are so terrified and so excited!

If all goes as planned we should be in the house by the end of September. Which means..... We will be in our home for my favorite time of year!

Please keep us in your thoughts so it all goes smoothly!

Down with the cuteness

It's been a tough few months. We are so ready to have an answer on this house. Or to at least have a direction, a timeline, any news at all. But we don't and so we wait.

In the time of waiting and saving we try to embrace each other and keep the love alive. No easy thing when we work opposite schedules,let me tell you!

Once a week we hit a movie or dinner, sometimes lunch if we won't see each other for dinner.

I love these little moments we spend together. I am reminded daily of how wonderful he is and how freaking cute that face is!  Even when the laundry doesn't get switched or the dishes put away or any little thing doesn't get done he gets away with it because that freaking face!

It makes me a bit nervous about what our future child will get away with!

So until we have a house to fill our time and drive us crazy I will just continue to enjoy our time together!

Cuteness and mushy overload!

Stagnant.....

We are stagnant.

We are stale.

We are DONE!

Done with the waiting and having our life on hold! This home buying process has been draining. So draining. And we have only just started.

We are almost three months in from the date of placing an offer and I feel like nothing has changed. It was all go go go at the start. So many addendums, inspections, drive bys. It all was happening so fast. And then we hit the brick wall that is a short sale.

We are at the mercy of the lienholder. Just waiting and waiting for the call and hoping it is a good one. And then the stress really starts.

Until then our lives are on hold. We just keep working and saving and passing each other like ships in the night. Only pausing once a week for dinner together. We miss each other. We miss our lives.

Right now we can't change a single thing about our money. I can't switch to a better job, although I Sooo desperately want and need to. The vw is slowly breaking down and not so reliable but we can't get a new car. Our mattress leaves much to be desired and we are taking turns sleeping on the couch.

It's not all negative but it is all tho he that we badly need to fix, replace or purchase and we can't. We must wait. Our credit can not change until the keys are handed over.

I can't release until then. The pressure is so needing a little escape. A little good news, a little forward motion, a little something, anything.

The abyss of not knowing is driving me insane. I just want our life to begin! Until then, we do drive-bys (with the tinted windows rolled up) about once a month to remind me why we are doing this. So, I leave you with this....... A picture of our hopefully-ours-home.

I'm back!

Oh happy day! I finally downloaded the Blogger app so I can actually blog again!

Our powercord broke a few months ago for our laptop and trying to blog from my phone on the full site was next to impossible but now I'm mobile! Yay!

I work in a few minutes but just wanted to say you shall be expecting much much more from me!

Big steps

Cory and I are taking the steps to purchasing our first home together!!

We are actively searching for a place where our puppies can wrestle and play, a place where we can be comfortable and cozy and most importantly.... I place where we can bring in a new addition. We, well I, are very excited to get to that step along the way! The faster we get a home the sooner we can start baby making!!! YAY!!

But we are not letting that cloud our judgment, just using it to make proper decisions about the property we purchase.

I am thrilled about this step we are taking.  It has opened new avenues for conversation between us. It has helped us learn about each others future goals and dreams. It has helped us learn to communicate aspects that are truly important to us individually and, in turn, when and how to compromise.

So far we have found a few homes we loved. We even went to put an offer on one but unfortunately we were out bid by thousands. Twenty thousand to be exact. We are being practical and staying in a budget that is comfortable on one income. We are also not getting too attached to any properties. We understand how quickly we can be outbid with our price point and we have faith that the right one will come to us at the right time. For now just keep sending us those positive vibes!!

Until then, we shall keep saving and keep looking.


xoxox

The charmed life.....

The past few months have been life changing for me. I can actually feel the shift in my heart, soul and mind.

I made a few choices that I wasn't proud of last fall. I felt a pull away from who i was and it was strong so I caved into it. Most of it was contributed to me drinking more than usual and I would love for that to be the main source of blame but I know that I am a big girl, I know what I'm doing when I pick up that drink and I accept that responsibility.

I have a family that has addictive personalities. I have a family that is full of wandering eyes, fickle hearts, and always changing. I thought I was able to avoid most of that. About 3 years ago I did go through a very hard time. I went thru about 4 months of non-stop drinking that I have wrote about before. I lost everything in that time frame. My job, my car, my apartment, my boyfriend, and my faith in myself as well as my confidence.

I met a group that helped me thru it all and then I met Cory. My life changed and calmed drastically. I would still have my moments of being 23 and stupid. Getting drunk and trying to leave him. We have struggled like any couple. But our struggles really only came to the surface when I would drink. I slowly started to see this and I slowly started to drink less and less.

Last fall I began my new position in the kitchen. I started smoking again, started going out drinking every night after work and stopped focusing on my relationship. I was inactive in our relationship. I was no longer a part of it. I rarely saw him and when I did I would block him out of my life. My phone became my world so I didn't have to deal with what was in front of me.

Thank God for Cory. And I do. I thank God for him every single night. He let me find my way back to him. He was there for me when I broke down and told him how much I needed him to help me. We moved out of our old place that just felt haunted with bad blood from so many other people's misfortunes. We got our own place for just the two of us and our puppies. We make a daily effort to tell each other about our days and how much we love each other. We find whatever amount of time we can in the day to spend with each other.

I can honestly say that I feel safe. I feel like I found my match and my mate. I feel like my life is so charmed and special and I am who I want to be now.  I slowly stopped reading blogs and postes from people that never showed their weakness, it was making it too easy for me to find faults of my own that I didn't have such a "perfect" life. In reality I do. I have a perfectly broken life, a life that I love to live everyday and that I get to share with my perfectly flawed boyfriend.

I wouldn't have it any other way.