What do all of these things have in common?
* A purple sparkly moving truck * A pink house * lots of friends to play with * A pool * good school * A church primary where they don't always sing wiggly songs * A church where the bathrooms work * bigger backyard * dance lessons * sports teams * bigger trampoline *
Don't they just sound so lovely? I especially love the first two.
Requests from all of the kids...
This is the reality I was referring to that I'd rather not think about...
But truly, even after this post months ago, I feel calm; I'm okay with it. But then again, we felt fine and calm and good about staying here too. But it's almost a blessing in disguise even though I negotiated a killer modification on our first loan. I truly thought we had ironed out the biggest kinks and that we'd sealed our future here in San Elijo.
Even IF the decision hadn't just been made for us...even IF I actually did have a say in it (I didn't)...even IF the 2nd lender didn't just mess my plan royally and pull a major fast one...even IF we didn't have over 100K of our hard-earned cash sunk into this home...even IF we still try to milk our time here in this home that I have thrown my heart into, it wouldn't take away the fact that our home is still worth nearly $300,000 less than what we bought it for three years ago. Yes, you read it right, nearly 300K big ones with no signs of improvement. So, it's almost a blessing in disguise, even though we would have never made this exact decision without so rudely being forced to. Or at least, that's one part that helps this blow feel a little better.
I feel like in the end Heavenly Father doesn't care how we accomplish his purposes, what ward, stake, neighborhood, school we are in....if we own a home or rent one... it might take away some of my personal JOY. I know those things seem particularly important right at this moment, but in the end, the bigger picture has to be our focus.
Our blessings...we have our health, our family is intact, we have our faith, and of course lots of hope that we'll be led in the right direction. In the end it's important that we've learned to sacrifice, that we've built character and faith through our trials, that we've served one another, that we've taught our children well, that we have chosen Him. Having to walk away from my home and the joy therein breaks me into pieces for a moment, but the bigger picture prevails! And besides, Curt hasn't lost his job...it may be a tough economy, but we have that huge security even if it may be tough to make ends meet in this messed up state.
...and sometimes having no part in the decision is precisely how some of the best situations are born. What I may view right now as lemons, can really be a delicious lemonade (okay, that was a lame analogy).
The bigger picture is what we have to focus on. I will never go down without a fight and knowing that I have done everything humanly possible to avoid like what may seem right now as an awful reality is actually a comfort. But there is light at the end...there is a sense of relief as the burden of a huge debt will be lifted...we will finally be able to save for more than a couple of rainy days...
Say hello to no property taxes....no HOA fees for a while... I think I can live with this.
Where? we'll see. San Elijo is out... a dollar per square foot isn't in the new budget.
Temecula? Vista? Fallbrook? Stay tuned.
16 comments:
Come east! :) Let me know if you need Shan. Lawler's email. They're still in Tem.
You know I wish you the very best and lots of blessings to carry you through the days ahead.
Lots of love...
This market has killed us, too. We're just about where you are. Only time will tell. I lived in Vista for a while and we loved it there! Fallbrook is really nice, too! I know you can find something good and be happy. Just make sure the sparkly moving truck is there to help out.
This post make me both happy and sad for you! Happy that you've come to terms (of sorts) with your current reality, and sad that there are still hard decisions to face. We've been hit really hard, too, and we are renters! One thing I do know without a doubt is that Heavenly Father takes care of all of us, even if it's not to our immediate liking!
You hit it right on the head when you listed the things we should all be grateful for; health, happiness, faith, strength, character, all those great qualities that get us through the tunnel to the light at the end!
I'm tuned in. Keep me posted. I wish we could keep you here with us.
Staying focused on the "Big Picture" is the right thing to do but it can still be difficult.
How about a fun Birthday celebration?
Breakfast, lunch or dinner? We have to include food. We'll talk.
Hugs
Oh Shay. I know and I don't. Know what I mean? I'm sorry to hear you are joinging the "moving" club, but not surprised to hear the determination and faith in your voice. This too shall pass. Right? I mean, it is going to pass, isn't it? At least that is what I have been told. Hang in there.
I'm so, so, so very sad for me-but happy for you and your positive attitude. You have always been such an example to me of grace when facing trials-or things we simply don't understand at the time. Please know I love you and your family and always will.
Shay!! So, Marla is asleep, I can't get your email from her or your phone number. I looked you up on whitepages.com, but phonenumber unavailable there. What are you doing, trying to hide?? :) Anyhoo, guess what? Marc is relocated to San Diego. We are moving this summer, but the biggest JOKE is that we have already looked at where we want to live, and san Marcos is where we have chosen. Not done yet, San Elijo Hills is the neighborhood. I JUST found out you live there. Small world. And that you're selling your house????? We have thought about renting first to watch the market, so that is where we are. email me back: trina@marcandtrina.com or 623 825 5834. Trina
There is always AZ and you are right it might turn out to be a blessing but you just can't see it right now - only time will tell. I hope you find a place that you love even more. Change is a good thing :)
You probably don't remember me, but I've followed your blog for a while now. You are fun to read and relate to. I've been where you are now. We did a refinance with the purpose of refinancing three months later with better credit. Ended up keeping the 5200.00 a month loan because we had accidentally paid our LAST 2nd mortgage payment $2.78 short. Yes, you heard me. LAST ONE, and $2 dollars and seventy eight cents short. They dinged our credit and refused to take it off. Because of that we couldn't do the refinance. We then proceeded to sink his entire retirement into paying the mortgage each month and trying to fix it up in case of selling. When the "year" was up on our "ding", we then tried to refinance again and found four different social securities on my husbands credit. We had to hire lawyers to get them off and they said it would take a few months to do so. At that time, we threw up our hands and said.... we give up! We went into foreclosure, lost our home and moved. I still miss my home and we've since moved back to our original area to a house that we should have been able to save about a thousand a month. Yup!! Its smaller and very crowded but we need to save for retirement and for a house again someday. We've been here since Mid-March. Beginning of May, my husband got a $1200.00 pay cut. There went that thousand we were going to save! But after crying for a half hour, the next day I was able to see the move as a blessing. I can't imagine what we would have done if we were a thousand short every month living where we used to be. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father, there are reason for everything that happens to us, for us. I'm thankful that we can live here with friends and family even if we don't own a home and I have to scrimp and save every penny to feed and cloth my nine children. Thankful that He knows me, loves me. That I know HIM, have HIM in my life and in my childrens lives. That we can depend on HIS guidance. I am happy to see that you too are guided by His spirit and can feel His presence in YOUR life. How blessed we are even in the most difficult of times! Thanks for listening to my rambling. I hope that many blessings come around through this trial and that you and your family will be able to see them!
I hope that you got to talk with Suzette or Liz. Did they have some good ideas about renting or areas for you?
It will be so sad to see that corner empty - without all your cute kids smiling and waving. But sometimes life happens and you just don't get to make the choice anymore. I love your good attitude! Hang in there and I know you guys will end up in a new great place. It is a sad loss for us. But good friends are good friends no matter where you end up living!
Shay! I read this post and so selfishly felt soooo sad for me (and Avery 'cause she was excited about Lexi and her going to school together)! I don't want you guys to go...but you are so right about trials like this not being the end of the world. You do have so much to be grateful for and like everyone else, i too admire your strength and your optimistic courage! You make every new "opportunity" exciting and fun for your kids, and I KNOW you guys will be happy and have great friends wherever you go! And none of those places you mentioned are far enough we can't still play--we'll just miss you, Curt, and your adorable six-pack every Sunday. Ditto what Michele said--Let's celebrate your BIRTHDAY with some good food!
Oh, this makes me sad and I don't even live near you anymore. Just the thought of you going even farther seems horrible. How about La Jolla? haha...choke...hm...=) At least we'll always have blogging! And who knows where jobs will take us once we're done with school (if that ever happens!).
I don't know how I missed this post last week...I'm sorry to hear about that. I'm glad that you are able to glimpse the blessings despite the hardships. I have family in both Temecula and Fallbrook and they seem to love it. Good luck and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.
Ahhh, crazy market. Have you found a place to move to yet? I know we're far away but if you want any of your kiddos to hang out with us for a while so you can get packing and what-not done let us know, we'd love to have them.
Shay,
It was nice to get caught up on your blog, I haven't read anyones for awhile! The great thing about you is whatever happens, you'll make it work for you & your family, you're so good that way! Dallas brother is serving in fallbrook right now & loves it! Good luck with all your choices! Love ya!
I think we aren't far behind you. What a bother this economy is starting to be...but you are right...sometimes we aren't open to opportunity the Lord needs us to be open to unless a wrench is thrown our way. We are still waiting for that opportunity to show up. In the mean time...here's to saving for some rainy days.
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