Tuesday Letters

I stole this idea of writing letters (or venting what's on my mind) from my friend.  Thanks Karen, hope you don't mind.  Here I go.


Dear Big Banks,

Hi.  My name is Amy.  Remember me? Probably not.  We've been working with you since July to get help with our new home.  Does anyone REALLY work there?  And if you really do have employees, do you ever speak to each other or work on the same days?  It seems as though the only way I can get any sort of response from you is when my husband physically goes into your office and sits in front of you until you do something.  The second he leaves you totally forget about us.  I do not like you very much at all.  You are making my life more miserable.  I hope you never need anything from me because I can tell you I will not make it easy or pleasant for you.  I'm just returning the favor.

Impatiently,
Home owner stuck in a rental


Dear Builder #1,

Thanks for convincing us that we really could build this on our own MUCH cheaper than going to a "tract" builder.  Thanks for trying.  Thanks for your honesty.  Thanks for waiting until the very last day to tell us your fee was a brand new truck more than you originally told us.

Frustratedly,
Looking for another builder

Dear Builder #2,

I am so happy that you got my hopes up.  You told me that everything would be fine.  The other builder was way too high.  You could do it NO PROBLEM!  "I'll take care of everything," you said.  Whew!  What a relief!  Oh. I'm sorry.  What's that?  On the LAST day of our three week waiting period you tell us your fee is a brand new truck, too? Didn't I just watch that movie?  You are on my list and I feel very sorry for you.

Defeated,
I'm so done

Dear Jacob, Kayla & Kelsie,

I love you with all that I am.  You have been nothing but perfect children through this whole mess I got you into.  You have shown me how to truly be grateful for what we DO have.  You love each other, and fight with each other, and bring me back to reality, and our reality is awesome.  I love how you share a room and help each other, most of the time, to keep it clean.  You are humble and sweet and you show me everyday how to truly love.  You sincerely love your new neighborhood friends and ward family.  You are the greatest examples to me.  I hope to be that for you some day.

Love you truly,
Mom

Dear Sweet Realtor who gave me hope,

I've been looking for you.  I had lost all hope.  I am glad that I listened to the voice in my head that told me to go and see you today.  You gave me a lot of answers.  You were so kind and sweet.  I hope you weren't just being a "Salesman" today.  I am not 100% ready to give up on the land we are looking at now, but I feel my options are running out.  I'll probably come see you again.  I enjoyed the tour you gave me.  I am intrigued by the information you gave me.  I want to explore my options.  It seems like you have made LOTS of my friends happy, maybe I could be too.

Curiously & Prayerfully,
Family wanting a home again

Dear Kevin,

I'm sorry for being so whinny.  I'm sorry for making you feel like this was all your fault.  You work so hard for us and I know you are trying your best.  It's not your fault that there are stupid people out there who don't keep their word and bait you in just to let you go again.  You are more than capable of building us an amazing home, I just wish other people could see that.  Maybe we rethink this AGAIN.  Whatever we do, we'll do it together and it'll be great.

All my love,
Your wife



I feel much better now.

Just A Reminder . . .

Are you gonna come watch it with us? 15 More days People!!!

Catching Up on the Story of Us

I sit here in my cozy little rental house wondering what to blog about.  So many events, so many topics.  So I'll write about what's on my mind right now. 

This year has been filled with a roller coaster of emotions.  Back in February, Kevin and I discussed selling our house and building a new one.  I didn't think we needed to.  Our house was small, but it was ours and we made room for what we needed.  Sure it was cluttered and cramped, but it wasn't unbearable.  We pushed the thoughts aside until after Spring Break in April.  The topic came up again.  This time I was really leaning towards Kevin's idea.  I was feeling cramped and claustrophobic in our little house.  We need more space.  After a couple of nights of prayer, I ran to Lowe's one mid-April morning, bought a For Sale By Owner sign and stuck it in the yard.  I made up a little flyer and I was ready! So I thought.  After only 4 showings and 10 days "on the market" we received an offer for our full asking price and we took it.  WHAT?!  I honestly thought it would take us at least 3-4 months to sell.  10 DAYS!!  Suddenly my head was spinning and there was no more order in my life.  We had to pack up and clean out 7 years worth of stuff.  Of course I put things off until the very end and was rushing at the end of June to get moved out and moved in to our rental house.  We were lucky to find this place.  Occupancy rates were at 99% and I was having a hard time finding a place for us to live where we didn't have to change schools and move too far away.  A friend of mine from high school got married at about the same time we needed to move.  She read my plea on Facebook to anyone who knew of a place to rent out in our current school district.  She was moving in with her new husband and was trying to decide whether to sell or rent her house.  It worked out for us all and now here we are, a family of 5 in 1100 sq ft. 

But what about the new house?  This is where ALL of my stress and frustration lies.  I was so naive.  I thought it would be so easy.  Boy was I wrong.  Sure, it would be easy if we went to a builder like everyone else and picked a lot, chose package A, B or C, and wala! The house would be complete.  WE decided that we could build the house on our own and get a bigger house for less money and have more room.  3/4 of an acre!!  Can you hear the bankers laughing at us?  I had no idea the red tape and hoops that we would be jumping through to get this thing going.  It has been such a long process.  No one tells you what you need to do.  It's all been trial and error for us.  Just when we think we've got everything they want turned in and filled out, they find another document that they are missing or a step we forgot.  I wish they had a check list.  I'm good with lists.  I make one for myself everyday!!  Give me a list of documents and permits that you need and I'll get it to you.

It's been 4 months since we moved into our rental and we are still waiting.  Now, as far as i know, they have everything they need, the loan has been approved and now we are waiting for the appraiser to say we can build the house at the price we have come up with (after a month of chasing down tons of bids).  The lady at the bank said we'd know in 3 weeks.  It's been a week and a half.  SO many times throughout this 4 months I've said, "I'm done."  Let's just build or buy a house they easy way.  This is too hard!!  Luckily, Kevin does not give up that easily and when times are tough, he fights harder.  I thank him for that.  I wanted to be in my new house by Christmas.  I hoping for Easter now.

The kids have been AWESOME through this whole process.  Not one complaint. Not once.  I've been the whiny one complaining for 4 months.  They share one bedroom.  All three of them, 1 boy 2 girls in 1 small bedroom.  They have adjusted to the new neighborhood and made lots of new friends.  They ride the bus to school and are enjoying our new ward/church family.  I have been the exact opposite of them in practically every way.  They are such good examples to me and I am SO thankful for them.

I am hoping to get a real answer in the next week and a half.  I am hoping we can take our shovels down to our little piece of land and start digging before Thanksgiving.  I will be patient.