Moving on . . .

I feel like I just got rejected by a guy I really liked! Haha.  The realtor called back this evening and said that the seller made a counter offer on the other person's offer...and that a third person was making an offer tonight!  Even she was surprised that this house has been sitting on the market for months and then all of a sudden, three people make offers.  I guess I was more attached to it than I thought I was because I didn't think I would be upset if we didn't get it.  But, after I hung up the phone I seriously felt like I had been dumped! After talking to Ray about it though, he reminded me that we will end up being in the house we were meant to be in.  So, what do you do when you get dumped? You move on!

We are going to see if the realtor can take us back to our "second choice" house sometime this week.  We--I, especially--really liked it, but we liked the location of House #1 better.  This one is also a foreclosure, and unlike the other, someone has actually lived in it.  That's also what makes us a little apprehensive.  House #1 was brand new, never lived in.  It had all of the appliances.  House #2 only has a dishwasher (no stove, no fridge).  But, it's all hardwood floors, and very traditional. It's beautiful inside!  Also, the list price is considerably lower than the list price on House #1, so that's always a plus.  Here's a picture of House #2.  We haven't made an offer or anything, but I just thought I'd go ahead and share!

Also, there is a wide open pasture behind it!  We're not sure if there are cows or horses, but it's a great view.  The negative to that is that there is also barbed wire in our backyard, so if we had kids in that house we'd definitely have to put up some kind of fence to create a barrier for the wire.  

And don't worry, Mama and Daddy, I'm not really getting too attached!  We are putting a lot of thought into it and making sure it's the best decision for us right now.  It takes a lot for Ray to be able to make a decision as big as this. 

House Update

On Saturday, our realtor called and told us that the listing agent let her know that someone else had made an offer on the house.  As of that point, the seller (a firm that buys foreclosed houses) had not looked at the offers yet, but the listing agent said that our numbers were far apart.  Basically, the other people had offered quite a bit more and we had to give our best price.  We decided on a price that was a little under our max, but still a good amount more than our initial offer.

Our realtor finally called this afternoon.  Okay, it's only been a couple days, but it feels like forever!  She said she didn't really have any news, but just wanted to call to let us know that a decision had not been made.  However, she did say that the listing agent told her that the two offers were now very close to each other and that the seller was reviewing the financial backing and considering offers.  We hope to hear back early tomorrow if not later today.  We just want to know so we can start planning! I'll keep y'all posted.  :)

Snow snow go away...

And don't come back another day!

Don't get me wrong, unexpected days off are a nice surprise every once in awhile, but when the make-up days get closer and closer to going into our Spring Break, it's just annoying!  I would much rather have a day off when it is hot, then when it's freezing cold.

So far, they have had to add days on to the end of the year (which I will gladly accept over Spring Break days), Memorial Day is now a regular school day, and because of today's "snow" day we had to give up our Teacher Workday this Thursday and also have school this Saturday.

................................
WEATHER UPDATE
Monday, Jan 24
SCHOOL CLOSED 

That's right, this morning I woke up and there was a dusting of snow on the ground.  I thought we wouldn't even have a delay.  But, around 5:45 I got the text message: 3-hour delay. So, I went in at my regular time (8:00) and then 30 minutes later another text message went out: CLOSED.  So, the assistant principal came on the overhead and said that everyone needed to go home and announced the make-up days.  As far as pay, it doesn't really affect me because now I get to work on Thursday--I wouldn't have if it had been a teacher workday since I am hourly.  It might even be a better deal for me if I get to work Saturday as well!  We'll see!  The only negative is that it is our 2 year anniversary weekend.  We haven't really made any plans yet, but we definitely didn't expect for me to be at work!  

But wait... there's more!  This is from the Asheville Citizen-Times: 

According to the National Weather Service, the city could get 2-3 inches of snow Tuesday and Wednesday as a storm system moves up from the Gulf and collides with cold air over the mountains. Higher elevations to the north and west of Asheville could get 3-7 inches.

Actual snow days are more of a pain then days like today, because at least today I can get out and get things done! Today I've already gone to the Y and I've run some errands.  So, here's to hoping for no more snow this week! (or this winter!) 

Jobs, House, Etc.

Life is good. great. wonderful!

I just finished up an interim kindergarten teaching position at a great elementary school, and now they have hired me full-time as a 4th grade tutor.  I will be working with a few students at a time in different classrooms.  I am already loving it - I started yesterday.  Hours are 8-3 every school day, which means I actually have time to work out in the mornings - I better start taking advantage of that! I have really been blessed with how everything has turned out as far as a job.  I did my student teaching in the fall, the teacher went out for surgery and I took over her class, and now this. What makes it even better is that I LOVE the school!

Ray's job is also going well.  A position change/promotion is in the works and he will be spending a month in Spartanburg to train for that.  They are putting him in a hotel, but I'm sure we will meet for dinner once during the week and see each other on the weekends.  (Asheville-Spartanburg is just a 45 minute drive.)  Also, my grandparents are in Spartanburg so we'll definitely be spending more time with them.

Ray and I have been living in the same apartment complex since before we were engaged.  I moved in with my best friend, Molly, in Dec. 2007.  When Ray was transferred up here (from Hickory), he moved into the complex.  And when we got married, I moved into his apartment and we've been in it ever since!

Carson's Creek Apartments

Well, with Ray's promotion we know that we will be here for at least another 18 months, so we decided that if we found a good deal on a house, we'd go for it.  With a realtor, we looked in Hendersonville (about 20 minutes from Ray's store and my school) because there are houses with more land and taxes are less.  We found the perfect "starter" house in a new, gated development.  It's a foreclosure (but no one has lived in it) so it is as good of a deal as we could find, given how expensive it is to live in this area!  After much consideration, and some input from the parents, we made an OFFER on Thursday.  WHAT?! Are we seriously buying a house??  If and only if the price is right. It's just a waiting game now.  It's giving us plenty of time to pray about it and we're excited to see what God has planned for us.

The house we love! 

ordinary people

'Cause ordinary people have extraordinary love

A million little miracles far beneath the stars above

The greatest gift that I could ever wish for you and me

Is a life as ordinary as can be

[clay walker]