MOVING DAY!

I can't believe it is here!! I am happy, sad, excited, nervous, and stressed all at the same time. We picked up the moving truck (the largest they have) yesterday, and have started putting all "non essential" items in (i.e. I had to beg Josh to leave the bed and fridge off for now, since we aren't leaving for at least another 24 hours!). My inlaws (bless their hearts) are coming down today to help us load everything, and then tomorrow we will make the move. I can't believe I will be spending my last night in this house! I love this house so much! We have had so many memories and so many good times here! I know this is the right thing to do, but it certainly is difficult.
Since Josh will probably pack the computer as soon as I put it down and turn my back, I won't be on for a while!
Keep us in your prayers! And thanks in advance to everyone who has volunteered to help us move, here and in north Alabama. Yall are awesome!

Mel

A loop hole

Ok, so I was flipping out, thinking that I was going to be homeless in a few short days, if this deal in Mobile doesn't close soon (which it appears is NOT going to happen). But, thanks to an awesome idea by my Mom, and our great real estate agent's help, we are going to be able to rent the new house from the sellers until closing! That makes me feel so much better! I did not want to have to move our stuff from this house to a storage unit, only to turn around and move it from the storage unit to our new house in a few days. Looks like we won't be homeless after all! Yea!

Feeling better,

Mel

Delays

Ok, so even though we have an accepted offer on our house here, and they have approval for their loan, apparently there are like 1000 other things that have to fall into place before this can close, and time is getting short! After this deal closes, we still have to close on the house in Boaz, and all of this needs to happen before the 26th, or Josh and I will be homeless!!
On another note, I can not believe how much stuff we have accumulated in the four years we have been here! I don't think there is any way that two people need this much stuff! Every time I think I am getting somewhere with the packing, I find a whole new mess to deal with! I am running out of boxes and patience!!!!

Can you tell I am stressed?

Mel

Houston, I have a job!!

Well, I finally made a decision!!!! I know...it's about time, right? I am taking the home health job. I can't believe I am doing it, but let's just say it was an offer I couldn't turn down! ($$) I am susposed to start work May 26, and Josh's first day of class is that day also. We also have an accepted contract on our house here, which is awesome, since we didn't even list it, ANYWHERE! God is just too awesome for words sometimes!!
Well, I have a lot to do....packing, paperwork....Fun!
More to come as I know.

Mel

Accepted!!

We put an offer in on the house that we love, and after some "haggling" back and forth, we have an accepted offer!! Now, if I could just make a decision on the job...
I think I know what I am going to do, but I really am dreading calling the other company and turning down that position! I wonder if an email or text is an option?

Later!

Mel

Interviews and House Hunting

So, since we have decided we are moving, and Josh is going back to school, we still have a few minor details to work out. We need a house, and I need a job, to pay for said house. We met with a real estate agent (who is great by the way-Rebecca Grave, ReMax of Albertville) who showed us some houses that really weren't what we are looking for, or where we wanted to be, and then one house that we absolutely love!! It is a new construction, in a new subdivision in Boaz, and is is gorgeous!! The only thing that I don't like about it, is that it doesn't have granite counter tops. For those that don't know, just before we decided we were moving, I had some gorgeous granite counter tops installed, and now I have to leave them (I checked..it is some where in the real estate handbook!). Oh well! I also had 2 job interviews this weekend. One was with a nursing home/short term rehab, and it went well. The second was with a home health company, and they offered me the job on the spot (the rehab place called me while I was interviewing with the home health company and offered the job also.) So now I have a decision to make...and those of you who know me know how that goes!! Pro/con lists and sleepless nights, here I come! However, I will say that I know things could be worse...at least I have two really good offers to consider....a few weeks ago, I was wondering if I would ever find a job. God really works things out....

Mel

New Furniture, Art, and New Experiences

We have been talking about buying a cocktail ottoman for a very long time. Last weekend, we decided to take the plunge. We chose an ottoman at Rooms to Go (NEVER buy anything from there), and then paid an additional fee to have it delivered in 2 days (instead of having to wait more than a week and pick it up). The catch was, they couldn't (or wouldn't) tell us what time of day they would be bringing the furniture, so we had to make arrangements for one of us to be here all day long. Josh, being the selfless person he is, volunteered to take the first shift and sleep late, while waiting on the delivery. Lunchtime came, and the delivery had still not arrived, so I left work, and came home to relieve Josh. About an hour after I got home, Josh called me and said that he had gotten a phone call, informing us that our furniture would not be delivered that day after all. As it turns out, the ottoman was out of stock, and wouldn't be available until the next week (1 week after the original promised date). We were FURIOUS! As soon as Josh got home from work, we went back to Rooms to Go, got a refund on the ottoman (rush fee included). Then, we went back on the hunt. After several unsuccessful stops, we hit pay dirt. At J and J Furniture, we found a wonderful deal on a beautiful coffee table, and 2 end tables. Not only did we save more than $100 on what we had paid for the ottoman, we were able to pick up the furniture, fully assembled, the next day! So on Wednesday, when we got home from work, we spent our night arranging and rearranging the furniture in the living room. We are loving our new furniture, and the new arrangement. Then today, we stopped by a Starving Artist Sale, and found an amazing oil painting of 2 elephants, which fits in great with our "safari" themed living room. Of course, after all of this shopping, I have put myself on restriction, at least until next payday!! I will try to post some pictures soon.
On a totally unrelated note, at this time next week, I will have lost my camping virginity. That's right, I have made it almost 27 years without having to sleep on the ground, but all of that is about to change. Josh who is a seasoned camper, has caught the camping bug, and along with some friends of ours, has planned a trip for next weekend. When I had originally agreed to try camping with Josh, he promised me the luxury of a toilet, and that we would go when the temperatures were going to be above 50 degrees F. So, when we go this weekend, we will be a mile walk from running water, and the temperatures are supposed to be in the 40's. We will see....
Mel