Home Sweet Home?

I don't remember when we started looking to move to a new home, but it happened around the same time we felt we were being led to foster...I'm thinking August or September of 2015.

I decided, if I was going to do this, I "needed" a larger home. Of course, this new home "needed" to be completely updated, have high ceilings, AND a pool. Eventually, we found one that fit the bill and we put in an offer. It was accepted and we began the process of inspections. 

This home was absolutely beautiful and had everything (and more) we thought we "needed" in a new home. Long story short, from that point on, neither myself or my husband could sleep at night. We tossed and turned and were not at peace about anything. We were literally making ourselves sick over it all. We were praying hard for God to lead us in the right direction and to make the right decisions and He was...Problem was, we were not listening :/  

We had our minds made up as to what WE needed and what direction WE needed to move in. We were trying hard to make OUR will God's will instead of the other way around. 

The entire time, I kept hearing God say, but you already HAVE what you NEED. Yes, we could have gone through with the home purchase and eventually become comfortable with it all, and yes, God would still have been with us...but in the end, that's not the best He had for us. We were settling for something other than His best for us. 

We convinced ourselves that it was just that house...that there must be something better God has for us...so we continued to look. "God, please guide us to the right home", I prayed over and over. "Seriously, God, send me some sort of sign or burning bush guiding us in the right direction." 

Problem was, he had, but I refused to see it. 

Focus on what you have, not what you 'could' have...

We live on just a little over 2 acres. We've lived here for about 12 years now and we love it here. A little bit of country in the middle of a growing little town it just about how I'd describe it. 

One thing we have always wished and hoped for since the day we moved in was to have more land. When you live where we live with neighborhoods all around you and the price for a tiny lot is sky high, those chances of getting anymore land (let alone acreage!) are pretty slim.

However, there is a 4.5 acre plot directly behind us (mostly wooded) like our 2 acres, which is pretty rare in this town. A few years ago, the lady who owned it passed away. Fast forward to now and that land is up for grabs. This lady's daughter approached us and our neighbor about purchasing the land at a decent price. I know $17,000 an acre is a whole lot of money, but considering acreage around here goes for $20-25,000, it wasn't bad ;)

Wow! A dream come true for both of us!

We were busy looking into land loans, checking out the status of the land (as far as taxes, liens, clear titles, etc), discussing property lines with our neighbor, estimating the costs of hauling off about 100 years of junk the previous owners had collected, as well as the costs for the tear down of a house with asbestos siding as well as some likely asbestos ceiling tiles and wiring. Arg! Lots to be done!

Fast forward another month or 2 and our neighbors decided they would not be able to purchase part of the land. That' ok though. We still wanted to purchase the part directly behind us...about 2.5 acres. We contacted the lady back and brought her up to speed. Problem was, she wanted the land sold all at once AND she already had another buyer. End of discussion. 

I was mad! I felt kind of duped or played. To go though all of this and that's it, end of discussion?!? Lots of crazy thoughts went through my head. Had she had someone in her back pocket the whole time? Were we part of some bidding war we didn't know about? Had we wasted our time even bothering looking into all of this in the first place?

My husband had to bring me back down to reality. We had prayed, since day 1, for God's will to be done in this matter. When our neighbors wanted the other half, we were so SURE about everything. When the neighbors backed out, we were kind of on the fence about the land. We just wanted clarity. If things weren't meant to be, we prayed for God to work things out that way. He did and I overlooked His answer.

I prayed for peace and contentment and God gave it to me.

The whole land thing didn't happen, but it will be ok :)

We started to focus on what we already had. We've lived here for 12 years now and haven't done much with the 2 acres, so why not focus on that? Over this past year, my husband and the kids have made a few trails through the back acre for walking and go-cart riding. We've made some improvements to our garden area.

 

This should keep those pesky, but cute little rabbits from eating up all out hard work ;)

 

 

We built the kids a "fort" that is yet to be named in the woods. It turned out pretty awesome!

 

 

If the kids ever actually want to enjoy this fort then mosquito screening is a MUST in these parts!!!

 

Trees growing through the fort...how cool is that?!?!

 

Skylighting...lol!

 





View from the top level...

 

We spent the night in the fort when it was all complete. Not the most comfortable for mom and dad...oh, the sacrifices we make for our kids...lol! They had fun and that was the whole idea :) 

 

 

They want to do school out here some days too. I can work with that ;)

 

 

We would love to redo our old fence and put up a more aesthetically pleasing one, plant more fruit and nut trees, get better at gardening, and the list goes on.

 

 

 

Sometimes you just need to refocus...not on what could have been, but what already is.