a hodge podge

We closed on our house yesterday. We are now official homeowners. (How did this happen? 2 kids and a mortgage!)

Even Emma seemed to understand and all day was so relieved to have “home”. I only moderatley panicked before, during and after closing. I can’t take it back to the store if I change my mind! BUT we are excited.

After the closing, Daniel and I first came to the house before getting the girls from my parents and THIS was posted on the windows:

What!? They were warning stickers stating the house was under surveillance and demanding that a Certificate of Occupancy must be obtained before moving in.

WHAT?!!?

The stickers were signed and dated for yesterday. Posted the day we purchased our first home. Talk about immediate stress. We literally only owned the home for minutes and there was already a problem. I called the number posted, and prayed in the Spirit while on hold. The unhelpful man told me to call a different number. No answer there. I call back to Mr. Unhelpful. Another number is given. They, also, are unable to give me answers but think the inspector who posted the signs might know something. He has one office hour per day and is unreachable. But where and who I question out loud, has my answers. What is wrong with my house and why weren’t we notified or red flagged in an inspection?

The inspectors secretary explains that he gets all of his orders from the city and it is the city that will have all the information I need. She offers me a phone number….it’s the first phone number that I called twice. To my delight, someone else answers. I explain my situation and she takes my name and address and the name of the inspector.

“Oh really? He just walked in for a meeting, please hold……holding…..He’s says it’s your lucky day. Take the stickers down. The city only wanted to start monitoring it because it has been vacant!”

Thank You, Jesus.

Once we were given permission to enter our own home, we photoed our first keys and unlocking. Daniel also carried me over the threshold and proceeded to walk around the house saying “That’s my toilet, that’s my light fixture, that’s my ugly kitchen floor”…and then he did “snow angels” in the carpet. (Why not!? It’s our house, right!?)

We brought the girls back took our first family photo and showed them their room. Emma was so excited she was jumping and dancing in her no-longer-gold room.  

We had a wonderful dinner last night with our families and our pastors. We had subs on a blanket in the living room floor and prayed for God’s blessing and protection over our home. Daniel also enjoyed his first game of pool with his brother.The four of us “camped out” together on the living room floor last night.

Today we were busy painting. We have a crew lined up for Saturday to help us move in all our belongings.

It’s good to be home.

Our Anna Bear is One today. I am in awe.

We are continuing to pray through this process but we decided that we should apply to see if we could get preapproved for a mortgage. If we did not get approved, then we’d know we were not to buy a house and if we did get the word to buy it would already be set in (pre)motion. We heard today that we were approved. And continuing in the spirit of preparation we felt that no matter where we move we know that we really want to purge and get some clutter out.

I quickly perused through the kitchen and gathered an overflowing laundry basket of things. Anna was helpful in the decluttering process.

                                     

To give the moms a break Daniel is leading worship on Sunday for the first time in a looooooong time (since our church closed in ‘06). The girls were helping him practice. Emma was helping strum and Anna was organizing his music.

…and Anna found it. Ooops.

I bought the Enchanted soundtrack. I love this movie - it’s sweet, has great acting, fun music and it makes me laugh. The bonus is that Emma also loves the movie and even Daniel enjoys it. Anna seems pretty mesmerized when it is on. I like it so much I can’t even decide which is the funniest line, my favorite part or my favorite song. I think part of it is that 1) it’s a grown up fairy tale and 2) it’s a princess movie with actual non-animated people in it. Movies of the princess genre have been dominating our tv time. Have you seen it?

So, what will you admit, has been your “most embarrassing” music or movie purchase?

Emma gets stir crazy and I can relate (it must be genetic) so when I saw the thermometer outside read 60+ this morning, I made the executive decision to head to the park with the girls. There is nothing quite like the I’m-so-gitty-I-can’t-control-my-giggles smile on a two year old at the park (especially the first couple times of spring). Priceless.

After the park (sorry this is redundant for eDaniel readers…what can I say? I was here first, so you’ll just have to read double sometimes) it was as if our neighbors came out of hibernation. They were all in their front yards playing and talking. There are at least three other 2-3 year olds in a 3 house radius. The families described themselves as “front yarders who all share toys and play”. Neighbors were walking up to us saying “Oh, you’re Daniel and Danielle,(yeah….how do you know that?!). so nice to meet you. Your names won’t be hard to remember (Almost EVERY time we meet someone new say that but yet somehow people don’t remember!) ” Turns out a family we grew up knowing from church is about 3 houses away and they warned everyone about us. Our street ends at a golf course fence and every 4th of July they do amazing fireworks. Well, I guess here, it’s like a huge block party. They all sit at the end of the road, bbq, and play. I think it will be a fun summer. The extrovert in me is Luh-ov-ing this (now…if we can just get the basement to stop stinking like cat peepee).