Well, I am still in a hotel (a foreigner in a strange land)... and after a few grueling days of searching, we are discovering that the apartments within our price range (if you include the cost of renting furniture and paying for storage in Texas) are just not up to par. It really depressed me yesterday, so we contacted a mortgage officer last night and had her run our credit for a pre-approval on a home loan. I assume she will call me back some time today and let us know how much we qualify for so we can start looking for a house to move into.
I am not sure how long getting into a house will take, but it is seriously putting a dent in our school-year (at least my lesson plan schedule). Although, it really doesn't matter, since we can adjust easily - and I can re-claim our summer break if I have to find some extra time to make up the slack. I am calling this limbo we are in our "Thanksgiving Break", and we are trying to be thankful in the midst of stresses. It's not easy living in a hotel with three adults (including my mom) and two kids (stir crazy kids!) - and only two full size beds (not to mention the fact that our CAT is here with us). Hotels are not cheap, either... if you add up the estimated 50-something a night for a month, you end up with a large hole in your wallet the size of Wisconsin. Oh, and don't forget eating out every meal. Even those of you who hate cooking could probably agree that eating EVERY meal out is not healthy, and eventually makes you wish for your own kitchen (and thinner thighs).
I left the phone numbers of my homeschooling friends in this state on my real computer... which is wrapped in blankets and stuffed under a mountain of other personal items in my mom's van outside. So, I can't even contact anyone here in this area to meet up. We went to a church nearby on Sunday, and not even ONE person recognized that we were visitors and introduced themselves. I felt invisible... not a good feeling. It made me want to strike this area from my search-list. I am also getting used to the idea (however painfully) that a few of my favorite establishments (restaurants, stores, etc.) are NOT up here where we've landed. It is a whole new world to get used to, living outside the Texas borders (*profuse weeping erupts*). I'm seeing very few Mexican food restaurants. I was having such a withdrawal last night that I ate at a really cheap, nasty chain here just to get a fix. Let's just say it didn't do "Tex-Mex" justice.
I am praying that the realtor which the mortgage lady refers me to will be honest and able to help us quickly. Housing seems to be a lot more expensive here. Kevin reminded me last night that God knew our needs and that He would supply them. I certainly can't complain - even in these tight, stressful times. God has been very good to us.
I pray that by next week we can find a house, get into a contract, do a lease-back option and move in, get our movers to work out a payment plan on bringing our stuff up here, get back into the swing of school, meet some other homeschoolers, and start unboxing our life!
Until the next time I can pop in .... please forgive my lengthy silences! Thanks for checking in with us, and God bless you and yours!
7 comments:
Awww, Heather, I'm sorry it's such a tough time for y'all right now. I'm thinking of you!
There are hotels you can get into by the week that have small kitchens in them.
Look for Extended Stay.
Well, I've certainly had my share of limbo. What a daunting task to find a home in a place that you don't know that much about. And, yes, grieving the move and the loss of your 'old' life. It must be very draining, both physically and emotionally, to be constantly on the move.
Homeschooling should be the last of your worries. I'm sure that you are managing to give your children lots of learning experiences. Sometimes we're much too much in the box with what is considered education.(Hmm... I should write a post on that one day.) I endorse the philosophy that all of life is about learning, and some of the best learning takes place outside of seatwork. Your kids are having to make enormous adjustments too. This is all part of learning as well - accepting change, learning to be in a new place, learning about new places.
You're definitely in my thoughts and prayers.
Sara - thanks sweetie. :) Angie called me yesterday. You guys should get together. She's not too far from you. I am sorry about that friend you emailed me about. I will pray for his family and church.
My Boaz's Ruth - I am certainly going to look into an extended stay hotel if I can't find a rental house/apartment soon.
Sheri - I got an email from a great friend today from our previous home... and your comment and that email made me cry. I wasn't considering the grief part of leaving Texas because it was such a sudden move. I think it was better that way, though. I don't know if I would have left Texas if it hadn't been. God knows exactly what we need... and I know through all this experience that He is the one who orchestrated this move, and that He will bless us more than we could have imagined through it. I just have to allow the emotions to come a smile through the tears. If you ever need to talk - let us know... I'm only an email away! I'm also in the market for a babysitter, a church home, and might consider a franchise of Pei Wei or Chipotle if I can't find one in this area! :)
Thanks Jan. Your post appeared while I was typing my response to the other three messages! Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Yes, you are right that this is an adjustment.... but there are many positive things about it as well. For one thing... Autumn! And hopefully a little snow this winter. I felt a little better today after the kids watched Reading Rainbow at the hotel... they learned some about trees. :) I am considering a field trip today, also... and I did finally get ahold of a homeschool mom here and called her - and we may go ride horses Friday with her family... or at least pet and feed them.
God is good. All the time. Thank you guys for writing to me. I appreciate the encouragement.
Heather, Things will get better. It is easy to get discouraged but God is with you. We moved from Minneapolis to Orlando three years ago this month! And I will never be a Floridian! We would move back in a minute but that is up to God at this point. The funny thing is that when we got home today there was a call from my DH's former company in Mpls that he was laid off from in 2001! They want to phone interview him for whatever they are doing now. How totally interesting. So God works in our lives but the timing isn't ours. I have emailed you because of the KONOS website and I have read your blogs but I am confused at why you are moving out of TX? I thought your DH was in another job in another city but I must have forgot that it was in a totally different state.
I enjoy learning about your KONOS homeschool adventures. I have a 2nd grade son and this is our first year homeschooling. I learn so much from you!
God bless,
sue in Orlando
Sue, thanks for popping in to comment. I hope you get to go home to Minneapolis. We are excited to one day return to Texas. My husband was working in a city in Texas while we were trying to sell our house in a different city... but before we could find a home in the city he was working, he found out that this other job had openings (out of state) and he applied and got the job. It was a God thing, and we prayed about it... and although it was a quick change, it fell in our lap, and we felt like it was from the Lord. It is hard to turn things down (even if it means leaving Texas) when it is from the Lord. :) Thanks for your encouragement. I love Konos and hope to get back into homeschooling quickly. I actually miss it when we are "breaking". LOL.
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