Blessings in Disguise

   Remember how over a month ago we canceled an offer and then put a new one on a short sale? It feels like so long ago... And it was since our offer was accepted by the seller (not the bank) on August 31st. I haven't bothered updating about anything since we've just been playing the waiting game. There have been so few details to share. After a couple weeks we got word that the bank requested the paperwork back since they had sent it onto somewhere else and they told us that the foreclosure date was being pushed back to sometime in October. Another couple weeks and they asked for basic information about us and at the end of last week the bank asked for an updated pre-qualification form to make sure our offer is real.

   Fast forward to yesterday. We had sent the bank what they wanted the night before and were crossing our fingers that in maybe another month or two we could get the house inspected. The word 'short' in short sale has nothing to do with time; it is about the fact that the bank is willing to have the house sell for less than the mortgage and thus they end up coming out 'short' in the deal. Anyways, Tim calls me from work asking if I was ready to hear some bad news... A random guy in another state called our realtor asking about the property we've been waiting on. He was attending an auction and was interested in bidding on that property and thus wanted to know if there was any interest in it. SAY WHAT?! Yes, the bank went behind our (and our realtor's) backs to put it on auction while making us believe that the foreclosure date had been pushed back and they were processing our offer.

   I was in tears and felt as if this entire house search has been in vain. I felt like giving up, succumbing to going back to an apartment for a long time just to be back on our own feet and to be done with this mess... I went back to fixing a crockpot dinner and decided to make a salad too since I needed something to keep me from just being upset.  I also felt like telling our lender to not send the courier for other paperwork we took care of since the house was being auctioned and there's nothing we could do.

    My phone rang again. Tim asked if I was ready for some good news now. Um... Yes! Knowing him, I thought he wanted to tell me something sweet, take me out, or something to help with the horrible news. "That guy just bought that house at the auction, has the keys, and now wants to sell it to us." Tim went on with the news he got from our realtor: he wanted only 5 thousand more than we had on the short sale offer, asked for a slightly higher deposit, and wanted to close on October 28th. I was in shock! We decided to accept and minutes later my email had the offer paperwork to print out and sign. The situation went from one of despair to a true blessing, especially since it is rare for someone to buy a property at auction and then sell it to the buyers who were trying to buy it previously. These next few weeks will go quickly and hopefully well. The Lord's ways are not our ways, but His works better than ours would. Now for some pictures :)

Tim's quick sketch of our baby right now. Note the clothing. Oh, and it's next to a huge sword that was part of a different sketch on the page.

Last week at 15 weeks 5 days. That bump makes my butt look smaller :D
I also am excited that we can see the baby in about 2 weeks!

Tim wouldn't let me bring groceries in... (the other side has just as many bags)

Noah loves this seat! This was when I babysat him for Deana and Sean. It took the baby awhile to not be mad at me anymore once he wasn't around all day (kicked me most of that weekend and then spent about 5 days keeping quiet inside)

Tim is a goofball, or a fruit cake as Aaron would say. But that's why I love him! He makes me laugh all the time :)

Seeing Tim hold Noah makes me more anxious for him to hold our child <3