looming appraisal

Good news and potential BAD news ... we have had A LOT of interest in the house over the past weekend. We just put our house on the market last Thursday, and by Sabbath, we had an offer ... and by Monday, we had two offers. We've had four different showings and one extra interest who went on vacation, but he had full intentions to come and see the house. So far, God has blessed us with interest. We are pleased with the first offer, and we are in motion to sell ... but the looming, scary, potentially sale-stopping next step is the appraisal. We have to have the house appraised at a price where we can afford to sell ... especially to an FHA loan buyer ... because this appraisal will potentially stop all FHA loan interests for the next 6 months, if it's appraised too low. We are nervous, because there's nothing left that we can do. We have prepared our home, put it up for sale, and attracted buyers. Now, it's totally in God's hands (not that we didn't leave it up to Him before this). I want to be like Joseph or Job, and I want to completely and utterly give my faith to Him that He will take care of us and send the right appraiser to our house. I am praying multiple times a day that God continues to lead in this process and our lives. I know that He has lead so far ... and I, logically, can't understand why He wouldn't continue to guide us ... even if these aren't the right owners and it falls through. I know that He will ultimately watch over us. It's just stressful ... and to totally give up control is harder than it sounds. But I know that there's nothing I can do ... it's out of my hands, and God is in control.

We're headed to Tampa on Thursday to have a home inspection of the new house. I'm excited! Even though I'm nerve-wracked about potentially owning two homes, I am ready to be "at home" in Tampa. Buying this house feels like home ... and it's exciting to see the next step in our lives come to fruition. Plus, I get to spend the whole afternoon with Billy (and Cole) and that doesn't happen too often ... so it's going to be a good Thursday.

Tomorrow is my next doctor's appointment for Sissy Wally (or as Colton calls her "Sissy Baby"). I'm excited, because I'm nearing 33 weeks ... and each week that passes brings us closer to being parents of two. I'm not looking for her to come early, because we have enough going on between now and then ... and to be honest, adding a newborn to all of that sounds CRAZY! Plus, Billy and Colton will be in MN over Labor Day weekend for Dad H's 60th birthday, and it would be horrible if I had the baby down here all by myself. I would be very sad ... so she must stay in and cook until the end. I don't think that much will happen at tomorrow's appointment. But at this point, a boring, old basic appointment is just what I would like. This pregnancy has been pretty uneventful since the first trimester, and I have been SUPER thankful for that. Aside from a little heartburn during the second trimester, I've been pretty lucky to have it going pretty easy. Blessed in that way ... because I don't have to focus too hard on feeling miserable or huge or anything. I do feel her pretty constantly. In the evening, she kicks and punches ... and she's started doing it during the night ... which when I wake up to use the bathroom, makes it hard to fall back asleep. But every time I feel her kick, punch, hiccup, etc., it makes me happy to know she's in there growing and getting stronger.

I was laughing at Colton today ... when we were putting him to bed, I said, "Where'd Daddy go?" Billy had stepped out of the room to throw the diaper in the main trashcan. Colton answered, "He's in the bathroom." Good to know! I laughed so hard that Colton was laughing ... and he had no idea what was funny! Tonight, Billy was jumping and spin-jumping, and Colton wanted to spin-jump, too. So, every time Billy spin-jumped, he'd say, "Spin-o-rama!" And then Colton would run in circles around Billy and say, "Colton, spin-o-rama!" Then he would stop and say, "Daddy, spin-o-rama!" It was a great way to tire him out for bedtime. What fun memories!

We took an evening walk today. I really thought I'd enjoy it, because it was only 78 degrees outside. By the time we got back home, I was pouring sweat ... it was SO hot ... this humidity makes weather in the 70s feel like a sauna! Is there no escape!?! I guess we aren't the only ones getting beat by the heat this summer. The midwest is getting baked to death. I think it's this time of year when people start pining for the winter time again. I just like low to no humidity weather ... and that's really what benefit we get in the winter around here. No snow ... no fall ... no seeing my breath in the crisp air ... but no humidity is good enough for me. I think it's worse this year, because I'm pregnant ... so I'm pretty hot even when it's generally cool inside the house. Oh, well ... if that's all I have to complain about, I have it pretty good!

Ready for things to advance around here, and praying for the best possible situation ... let's go appraisal--give us something we can work with!