Guess What ?!

We found a house that we love, and not just the house, but the yard, the layout, everything was perfect, as if it was built with the knowledge that we had 1 boy and three girls. We entered negotiations and after some back and forth we decided we were ready to pull the trigger. THEN... we couldn't get in touch with our original lender so after some time we decided we would have to contact the lender our agent uses. After some time he came back to tell us that although we have the income, the credit score, and the down payment, due to a new law with freddie mac and fannie mae you have to have at least 12 months of rental history on your tax forms and we only have a 5 month rental history from our town home in Utah we are renting. So basically... NO DEAL. You can imagine our shock since we were preapproved for a loan (twice) before we even went to Georgia to make sure our ducks were all in a row and what price range we would be comfortable in.

The good news is we weren't devastated. In fact maybe it just isn't the right time for us. I guess we aren't meant to leave Jersey just yet. After talking, Randall and I decided that we are going to use our down payment to pay off our van (hurray!) and some other debt. We have decided that instead of this being the year of our dream home and settling in, it will be the year of getting out of debt. The thought of that actually brings us even more joy than buying our "dream" home would. We feel very peaceful about that decision. We all know the economy is in the toilet and we have heard the housing market hasn't hit the bottom yet, so maybe next year would be an even better time to buy.

The hard part of course is that we now know what Georgia has to offer. It is absolutely stunningly beautiful. It is the epitome of American suburbia. The homes and yards and businesses are all clean, well groomed, and beautiful. The weather while we were there was perfect and sunny. The kids did some swimming and loved it. The people there could not be any kinder. The home that we fell in love with was on almost an acre backing up to a ten acre woodland that would not be built on. Basically a peaceful paradise. With that in mind it is a bit hard to come back to our present situation, of sirens and parking meters, no garage tiny bathrooms and one dim light in the kitchen. I'm sure for a lot of people all over the world this would be their "dream" home. I'm just going channel my inner Pollyanna and play the glad game for a bit to get my head back into the New Jersey realm. As we drove the 14 hrs last night we made a lengthy list of things we get to do here this summer. Camping and kayaking, beach visits, NYC of course, and a plethora of other things. For now it's all good and maybe we will just try again next year.

Culture Shock

We have arrived safely in Georgia. It was another long day but thankfully the kids again were total champs. I have to admit that along the way the further south we came the fewer teeth, shirts and shoes we saw! At one stop we saw a lot of t-shirts that said things along the lines of "If you mess with me you mess with the whole trailer park". I wondered if we had made the right decision but Randall assured me we were still very much in the sticks and all would be well. When we finally reached South Carolina close to Georgia we stopped at a Chick fil A for lunch, and it actually had a play place. We haven't seen a play place since we moved to Jersey. Now I know normally they are a tad germ infested but you can imagine that after so many hours in the car we told the kids to get crazy. They played for a good while. As Randall and I sat and talked over lunch I was seriously feeling culture shock. People were kind and so polite that it was seriously weird. People kept commenting about how cute the kids were. People were wearing actual color in their clothing. Nobody was rude or yelling in the restaurant. Just last week when we were in D.C. some crazy man came into a restaurant yelling like a crazy. Randall was seriously scared something was going to happen. On the road today someone cut about 4 cars off and it was a very close call but nobody honked or used any finger signals. At home when we are at a stop Anna often yells "Mom, just honk!" We now see a lot of bigger cars and many SUV's something that is not common around our area. It is strange to see actual business that were built for the purpose of business and not an old home turned into a law firm, a dental office etc. In Jersey when I am looking for a place of business I am still surprised to find it is an old house just among everything else. There are a lot of restaurants(with drive thru's) and it just feels really different. I should say that I loved it immediately but honestly it just feels so completely...different! I know it sounds dramatic, but I feel like I'm experiencing culture shock.

We decided it would be fun to drive through a neighborhood or two of two of homes at the top of our favorites list. We were both blown away! I don't know if it's just that we are coming from something so completely different, but these neighborhoods are beautiful! We kept having to pinch ourselves that this is for real. I almost feel like a total jerk looking to buy something in such a nice place. In fact one of the homes that we have LOVED on line and loved the neighborhood looked like it may have a very small backyard. Like not really room for a garden and and any place to toss a football. We shall see what it's really like but we felt like how could we be so picky now, and yet I don't want to choose something that really won't workout in the end, just because it actually has closets, and a garage and more than one bathroom big enough that you can't sit on the potty, wash your feet in the shower and your hands in the sink. Don't get me wrong. Jersey has been really good for us and I am actually really sad to leave for several reasons but being here now is making me feel really excited.

After we checked itto our hotel the kids did a little swimming in the 89 degree weather. I will say that the water was freezing! It was breezy too but they were having a ball. I just put my feet in with Jane and Randall was a champ to get in with the kids. We are now waiting for my parents to arrive which should be any time now. The kids are a little wild now I'm sure making up for the fact they've been strapped in their seats for so long.

I want to post pics but I only have Rand's work computer so I can't until we get home. We are excited for tomorrow. Our agent said she has appointments set all day. We hope everything falls into place! Who's going to be first to come visit? It's not NYC but I'm sure we could at the very least find us some good BBQ.

Along Our Way

I thought it would be fun to write some things that happen along our way to look back on in years to come. Today was the first day on the way to Georgia. I had some anxiety about being in the car all day with the kids, but it could not have gone more smoothly. The kids were so great! We didn't even turn a movie on for the first 3 hrs. At first they were just happy to ride a long. Then we turned on a book on CD, which they love. We listened to a good portion of Ramona Age 8. It was so much fun. Even Randall and I enjoyed it. I thought the kids would like it and picked that book in particular because Ramona is the same age as Ethan and is starting a new school and in the 3rd grade just like Ethan will be. I had forgotten what fun books they are since I haven't read them since I was really young. After that they watched a movie and we stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and lunch, and the time was just sailing by. Jane had the hardest time but really doesn't do badly either. Poor little thing though, I knew she was cutting one molar and has been a champ but today I was feeling around in her mouth and realized she is cutting 2 molars with 2 more on the way. One of the molars that hasn't cut yet is so incredibly swollen it looks like a little marshmallow in her mouth. She easily could be screaming just because of her poor gums but just fusses some and wants me to get her out and hold her. I've done that sitting in the back strapped in, but it makes me really nervous... I can't imagine back in the day when kids didn't have car seats or even seat belts. Although I'm sure they weren't driving as fast as we do now. Not that it would matter I guess.

The ride was absolutely beautiful too. We drove for about 4 hrs through the Shenandoah Valley and it was amazing. It was incredibly green and lush and so many of the trees are in bloom with bright purple flowers. In Jersey it is just barely beginning to show any signs of spring with just the tiniest bit of buds and color, so the ride was beautiful. I also thought it would be mostly flat but was quite hilly. We even saw some "mountains", well at least what people in the East would call mountains :)

It was fun to call out and tell the kids that we just went from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, to Maryland, to West Virginia to Virginia. Of course only Ethan really gets what we are talking about and none of them really care, but for us it's fun to think about all the places we are getting to at least say we have been too.

We have stopped for the night in southern Virginia about 30 minutes out from North Carolina. Tomorrow we should only have 4 hrs or so until we reach our destination. It is feeling more real, and yet still surreal what we are about to do. I'm very excited to see what will soon be our home and I don't mean the actual house but our surrounding community and state. Although the house part is exciting too, just a tad more nerve wracking.

The kids are excited to stay in a hotel and have jumped on the beds a bit which normally I don't like, but truthfully after doing so well in the car I think it's ok to get a few wiggles out. They thought it was fun to flip through the channels and watch "real" TV since we just have netflix at home. Ethan and Anna are sharing a bed tonight and they were having a hard time settling in saying "Stop pulling on the covers... You have more than me!" I finally realized that I don't know that any of them have actually ever shared a bed before! A room yes, but not a bed. Gone are the days of 5 kids all sleeping together.

I'm hoping tomorrow goes as smoothly as it did today.

Mixed Emotions

Tomorrow we will be on our way to Georgia! My emotions are many as you can imagine, excitement tinged with a little worry and anxiety. I'm hoping that the 14 hrs in the car goes smoothly and all will be well. I'm praying we not only find a home in a great neighborhood but that the owner will be willing to let us close in at least 60 days. I have faith that things will work out for us.

Also this week our little Jane will turn 1. Can you believe it? I can't, and with that big event also comes mixed emotions. The time has passed quickly that's for sure. Jane is suddenly becoming a big girl waving and saying "hi" and is now even crawling all over the place. It's really fun to see her change and develop.

I'm also feeling sad and a little helpless as there is a man our our street and a member of our church, who is basically being kicked out of the room he has been renting in a home here. In fact for the past several months he has not even had heat in his little room. We have tried to do the little we can to help him. He keeps coming by today offering us things he has since he has no where to go and nowhere to put it. I feel so helpless and wish I knew what we could do. It makes me feel guilty and yet very grateful for the situation we are in. Here we are on our way to buy a new home, while this poor man by tomorrow is basically homeless. That is one thing I have learned while living here. So many people go without so much. We are so incredibly blessed. There are rich and poor all over the world but I have never seen such a stark contrast so vividly before. I watch mothers on our street with day old infants walking their children to school in a snow storm because they don't own a car. This man on our street just came and gave us a frozen turkey that someone gave him at Christmas time but he had no way to cook, and now has nowhere to keep it, and yet we who are blessed with so much now have his turkey sitting in our freezer!?! I told him that when we come back from out trip I will cook it and have him come to dinner. I'm grateful that the things we see and experience here give our children a chance to see the difference opportunity, education, and many other life experiences make. I hope it will make them a little kinder, a little more tolerant, and a much less judge mental of people and their circumstances. I know I could do better myself. At times I feel guilty for the comforts of life that we not only have right now, but will be blessed with in Georgia.

Like I said, mixed emotions...wish us luck!

Our Little Artist

Kate is quite the little artist at out house. I hate to label the kids already, but so far it seems that Anna has a love and talent for dance, and Kate for art. Kate is pleased as punch to be given a tiny little notepad and pencil to draw with. We love the style of her drawings, Always cute little people. I can't wait to see how her art will evolve over time.

Being a parent of these little people is so much fun. Well, most of the time :)

Pretty girl

The other night it was time to give Jane a little hair cut. I like to cut the back to give the sides some time to grow. Then after her bath, I did what any mother of girls would do, I round brushed her hair and added a barrette. She looked so nice and fresh and her little hair do looks pretty cute too.

I can't believe it is just a matter of weeks and she will be 1 year old. We will be in Atlanta at the time with my parents so will have to do it up big. Jane has just suddenly become more active and busy. She scoots around now and crawls backwards a little and is trying a little more to go forward. She loves to wave now and say "hi". She is definitely doing things according to her own time line and I'm just thanking my lucky stars she is so laid back. Only problem is she will probably be at the worst crawling, pulling everything out of everywhere stage right as we are trying to pack up the house. Thankfully I'm too busy to focus on how sad I'm feeling to have my baby turn 1.

Scrub a dub dub

This baby needs a tub!

Jane is definitely in the phase of "dirty baby" She will not keep a bib on, and for some time now will not eat unless she feeds herself. Needless to say she often looks like she could use a bath and her clothes a good washing. Good thing she's cute and we love her whether she's clean or dirty. Although I have to say it definitely would not be Randall taking her out of her chair looking like this!
(if you click on the picture once or twice you can see the images larger)

So you want details?

If you didn't read our moving announcement read HERE first. Here's the delio. When we moved to New Jersey we felt really strongly that we should come and things fell completely into place for us to come. So...why would we be moving just one year later? Have we accomplished whatever it was we came here to do? I struggled initially with those questions when we were deciding whether to make this next move. In fact, at first I pretty much told Randall I wasn't ready to go yet. So since this is my "journal" of sorts I will explain.

This move is not exactly because of a job change. Randall is still working for Adobe and loves his job. He did change positions and the specific responsibilities of his job did change in November. At that time his boss told him he could now live anywhere as long as it was still in the Eastern time zone. At first we didn't give moving much thought because we had just come here and were feeling settled so why make a change? Then Winter hit and it was one of the worst documented winters of all time. Now winter alone is certainly not going to make us move elsewhere, we aren't that wimpy. But, the associated costs that came along with this Winter became ridiculous. Bordering on TMI, we were paying 600$ a month to heat our home on top of our already outrageous rent. The mere cost of living expenses kind of out weighs the charm and nifty factor of living here. NYC is a great land of opportunity in regard to business, and fun things to do for that matter, but Randall's job is thankfully secure and the company continues to thrive, despite the economy so hanging around just in case we need a different work opportunity isn't necessary.

If we wanted to buy a home we would have to pay at LEAST 500K and it would be a very old house that would need gutting and redoing. We are not handy people. I'm sure we could learn if we wanted or had to, but we don't want to. If we bought a home we would have to move anyway from our current city because the 3 bedroom homes where our kids go to school literally cost 850K . That would never be an option. Is this now all starting to make sense? So when it came down to it, it was choosing to move and buy something here that we can't really afford and spend even more money to fix it up, or move and buy a home we can afford and would have the space we need as well as a garage and yard etc. So, quality of life for us would go WAY up.

Admittedly I like living somewhere "cool". It's fun that Rand works in Times Square, and people actually want to come see us. Truthfully it's my pride that makes it difficult to move away from all of this. But I'm learning that life is life no matter where you live. Whether it's Paris, London, or NYC, I'm a wife and mother of 4 and my day to day life is just that...day to day, with laundry and car pool and all the normal stuff. Our initial thoughts of living it up and constantly being in the city don't coincide with the busyness of real life with church callings, basketball games, birthday parties, business trips and everything else that keep us from doing the fun things we want to do. We have been able to do some really great things while we have been here and plan to do and see more before we leave. Just seeing the Macy's Day Parade was a dream come true for me, and I admittedly LOVE every time I do get to go in the city. but when it comes down to it, we have decided that we want to live in a place where day to day it is the best place for our family.

So, why Atlanta of all the places? Rand still wanted to be in a great place for business, or a "tech hub" as he calls it, so our options were Boston, which is also very expensive, or Atlanta. Atlanta has some of the most affordable real estate, similar to Texas, has a nice climate with moderate seasons, and is close to Disney world. (ok, so that wasn't really a factor but it certainly doesn't hurt) Oh and the real estate is affordable, have I mentioned that? Actually the cost of living on a whole is a lot less so we can live much more comfortably and get out debt which is our overall goal.

All in all it makes "logical" sense. When people in our ward find out we are leaving they first say they are sad to see us go, and then tell us they are jealous that we are "getting out". Even though it makes logical sense, I still didn't want to move until I felt like it was the right thing to do. That part of the equation has taken some more time. I can truthfully say that this will be a good move for us and our family. I actually wouldn't trade any of the places we have moved and people we have met along the way. Though cliche, our family has been blessed with many rich adventures and our children have been blessed to learn to make friends easily, and to just go with the flow. They adapt well to change and I hope that our "adventures" will serve them well in the future. The hardest part is that for whatever reason our kids have done very well here. Ethan especially has loved his school and friends. It's interesting to me that even though we have no yard, and live on a busy, crazy street, he has just loved it. As usual though, once we explained to him why we are leaving and the things we will have in the way of a yard and a family type neighborhood he has had a really good attitude. He has even been praying that we can find a "big, wide house".

Whether we accomplished everything we came here to do...I don't know the answer to that. I do know we've done a lot, and that I don't regret for a minute coming here. We have a learned a lot, have served and participated heavily in our ward, made good friends in and out of the church, shared the gospel, and been blessed professionally. We have also made some changes within our own family that have been good for us. In less than a years time that's not too shabby.