We are in our new home!

It was a crazy, crazy few days around here.  We were supposed to close on Thursday, April 29th and at 3pm the day before, we assumed we were all ready to go.  Then at 5pm, I got an email from our realtor asking if we'd seen the email sent by our lender that we would not be closing the next morning.  What?!  We were shocked and annoyed.  After a few heated phone calls, we knew it would not be Thursday morning.  We then hoped for Thursday afternoon, but that was not to be, either.  Our loan officer had failed to do a few details that she said she had done, so we really could do nothing about it.  Michael was pretty mad because his schedule is such that he has to really plan weeks in advance when to take off.  He had Thursday morning all blocked off, and he ended up just staying home and he and I did some last minute packing.  Friday morning, the 30th of April we were to meet at 9am at the title company. 

We had to rush to the bank at 8am because were were told the lobby opened at 7:30, but that was not true, either.  I called the lady at the Title company (Marisa--we became tight by the end of the day) apologizing that we would be there soon, but the bank opened at 9, and she only told us the night before what numbers to make the cashiers check out for.  She said, "oh, its ok if you are late, because your lender, Jenna, had me re-do some things and we have to wait for new papers to sign."  Ooo, we were fuming.  Michael had cancelled his 9am patients, hoping he would be at work just after 10.  So many things hinged on this.  We had to close to get our keys from the builder, they would not give us our keys until they saw the money in their banks, which we heard was several hours after closing. Without keys, we couldn't have our wood delivered (set for Friday the 30th) and the big move was the next day.  If we didn't "fund" by 5pm on Friday, we'd have to scramble and cancel everything.  We were a bit stressed to say the least.

To make a long story short, Cali, Michael, and I spent 3 and a half hours in a room with Marisa (who was SO nice) and were back and forth on the phone with Jenna and Nancy (our loan agents) and Michael was yelling.  Well, Michael doesn't yell much, but he was speaking very angrily on the phone to these ladies telling them how their incompetance was costing his business money.  He felt really bad cancelling patients.   

By him canceling patients, they don't make money.  He had dealt with their sloppiness for weeks before this day, so it was building steam for him.  He and Marisa both talked to them on the phone and they made several mistakes.  One big mistake was getting the tax percentage wrong.  We are supposed to pay 2.38% tax, but they had on all the big forms that we were to pay 2.78% tax.  It was simple math that they messed up.  That meant about $130 a month more on our monthly payments.  Well, in the end it will be ok because we would get it back at the end of the year from the state, but Michael was ticked because that is a lot of money!  The answer from Jenna was, "I live in that same zip code and I pay 2.78%."  Which is funny b/c we didn't change zip codes, but we do change percentages.  All neighborhoods and even sections pay different taxes. We wanted them to fix it that day, but I told Michael if we waited for that, we wouldn't "fund" and then we wouldn't get keys.  I convinced him it would be ok to wait and figure out the problem later.

We did end up convincing these loan ladies that they needed to refund us their money, and we are getting $350 refunded from them.  Not much, but something showing they realize they did wrong.
We left Marisa's office at 12:30, Michael rushing to work, and Cali and I went and got ourselves some cookies.  Gratefully, she took a nap on my shoulder at the offices and they had snacks, and she was a happy baby. 

Alyssa was at her friend Erin's house, and I am glad she was occupied. 

For the next 5 hours, we waited.  I got a call from the guy with all my wood saying he was ready to drop it at 3pm.  Agh, NO KEYS! 

 I called Greg, the sales guy for our home, and asked him in a very very nice voice if we could please put the wood in the garage (it wasn't ours yet, we hadn't funded) and he very hesitantly agreed. He said he wasn't responsible if something happened and to make sure I locked all the doors. I met the wood guy and he was able to drop it in the garage.  Major relief.

I hung out in the house with the girls, just passing time, and taking some pictures.

  Luckily, the boys were already going home with my friend Stacy, so I didn't have to rush back to get them at 3.   After a while, I dropped Alyssa off at Stacy's, and Cali was ready for a nap.  I laid Cali down, then got a call from Marisa saying there were more forms to sign, but she could email them to me and I could scan/email them back.  Since Michael and I were at different places, he signed/faxed and I signed/scanned/emailed the same forms to Marisa.  She said that was ok. Michael was leaving work at 3 and headed to pick up the Budget truck we were renting for all our stuff (still hoping we would fund by the end of the day and move the next day).  I then heard from Marisa again and they lenders were not happy with us signing 2 forms, it had to be together. I called Michael who was lost trying to find this Budget place and said he had to come home now to sign these forms or we wouldn't fund.  He raced home (for the locals, he was near the Lakeline Mall) and I stood in the doorway with papers and pen, he signed, then ran back out the door to get to the truck place by 5.  I called to make sure they would stay open for him because he got lost.  They said they would.  I then re-scanned and emailed the forms to Marisa.  I waited in silence at home. 

About 30 minutes later (5:15pm on Friday) Marisa called saying we were funded and could get the keys--hooray!!!  As I spoke to her, I saw Greg calling on the other line and clicked over to him telling me to come get the keys (it was his day off, so he was taking my calls all day with that).  Holy moly and hooray! 

I called Michael to excitedly tell him, but he was driving the monsterous Budget truck and could barely hear me.  He heard happiness, so figured we were good.  Hallelujah.  He and I loaded up the truck with misc. stuff like the trampoline and bikes.  He knew it wouldn't all fit the next day with all our other stuff, so this was a preliminary run.  After odds end ends were loaded, we got the big kids at Stacy's (were she fed them pizza and fruit and saved some for us, too) and we headed to our new home!

I had Tyler snap shots of me getting the keys from a mailbox and opening the house.  It was very exciting after a long and exhausting day.

It was fun to drop off some of our stuff, it definitely made it more real to see it in the home. 

Check out the garage--painted AND baseboards. Interesting, eh?

My canvas' on the mantel--home.

Our neighbor Simon (whom we'd met several times before) offered to help and we carried the trampoline poles to the backyard together. 

We headed back to Manx for our last night there.  Michael and I feverishly packed everything else. My good friend, Tamiel came over and helped me with the rest of the daunting task of my kitchen.  She and my friend Stacy did most of the kitchen packing, which I was so grateful for.  Tamiel and I were up til midnight until the job was done. 

Michael and I got up just after 6 on Saturday morning.  This was the big day.  He had been anxious and planning the big move, as it was his territory.  I had ordered breakfast tacos and my friend Liz said she'd pick them up--so glad for friends! 

We had a good 10-12 guys show up Saturday, May 1st at 8am to help us move out.

There was a little lag time when they were close to full on the truck.  It was near full at this  point and look at all the stuff still in the garage.

I pulled out the breakfast tacos and gatorade and water...

Time to closer her up...

Some guys headed out and then someone said, "can we throw some stuff in the back of your van?"  Oh yeah!  Lets do!  We also had borrowed a truck from The Aikens (see blue to the right) and we threw a bunch of boxes back there.  We filled up the van, then Dan Light offered his car for misc. stuff.  We filled it up.  Then Dave Dyches came late after a Saturday morning church meeting and we filled up the back of his truck.  Michael figured we were done in just over an hour loading up.  Then we decided to drive it all to the new place.  It was funny to watch the caravan take off down the road.  Michael leading in our mini van full of stuff,

Then Dave in his truck, Dan in his car, and Andy Jarnagin practically begged to drive the Budget truck saying he used to be a truck driver and he missed it.  Tyler went with Andy (and his son) in the truck (luckily the girls were with my friend Jessica). 

Matthew and I were closing up the house when our friend Chris Brough showed up (he and his wife had the girls).  He was late b/c he was called (just the night before) in to meet with the Stake President that morning right during our move.  He and his wife took our girls with them to meeting.  He has been Michael's first counselor in EQ for 3 years.  Found out later, he was called as the new EQP.  He pulled as Matthew and I were leaving and I told him to follow us.

Dan, Michael, Andy, and Chris chat in our new garage. 

Matthew and Alyssa play with Ryan Switzer on the pillows.

Jessica Brough--my dear friend who had the girls that morning and picked them up and brought them to me.  Love her!

Guys from our new ward meeting us at the new house at 11 to unload.  We got about 5 guys and Chris stayed to help the whole time.

They had a tough time getting our big cube cubbies up the stairs, but eventually they got it with only minor scuffs no the wall.

Michael left the girls and I at home around 1pm to head back to Manx to get one more load.  He took the boys.  I had to wait b/c the cable guy was coming and Sears was delivering our new fridge.  The girls and I unpacked the games into the closet upstairs.

And played a bit...

Then Greg (sales with the builder) brought us a gift basket and Simon and his family (neighbor who helped with the trampoline) brought us cookies as a welcome gift.

That night, MaryAnn Switzer and Jenny Cummings brought us dinner.  They are sisters and both in my new ward.  I've known Jenny for years, they used to be in the Brushy Creek Ward with me and we did preschool.  They both helped me with the home building process so much!  MaryAnn built just down the street from us (she was in another ward and I met her at girls camp 5 years ago).  They have been life savers for me.  Here are the troops tired and hungry.

The kids ended up playing late with neighborhood kids.  This is directly across the street.  Tyler and Cameron have shot baskets on the driveway nearly every day the past week.  They all played Nerf Wars with a pack of kids that night.  First just staring and watching them play (sorta awkwardly until they got invited) and now its more natural.

The girls tried out our new bath--so fancy.

That night I got completely ill and was up all night.  Tyler also got sick, too and we both ended up staying home from church and slept.  Michael took the girls and Matthew to our old ward for the last time and he officially got released from his calling.  I was sorta glad to not have to go and endure goodbyes. 

Sunday we tried to  unpack, but I slept a lot.  I got these cute pics, though.

Carpet in the kitchen.

Then Monday I had guys here all day pulling up the carpet and laying down the wood.  It was chaotic.

Fun to watch the process

Here is our family room thus far.  Love my green armoire and the blue couches look nice in there, too.

Cali loves the stairs and that bench is the perfect size to block her from it:)  The wood is beautiful, I'm so happy that all of my fears about it (echo, clicking, shoe moulding) are dispelled.  I had them put caulking instead of shoe mould b/c I like the clean look. 

Anyway...we have been in a full week and feeling pretty settled.  We hand over the keys to Manx tonight.  It is all clean and ready to pass off.  7 good years there.