Hope instead of Fear

As most of you probably know by now, Dave and i are expecting a little baby in November.

We were a) surprised at the speed we conceived, since Dave had only been home from deployment for nine days, b) really really excited and c) really really scared. Some of the fear is normal - waiting to get to 12 weeks before telling people - but for us that was compounded by our fear of losing another baby. But after a few days of this in between emotion we realized that it's all in God's hands. God has a plan for us, and we don't know what it is, but we have to trust in him.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

 We just had to let go and let God.

After that mini revelation we are feeling better. Additionally, we were seeing a really awesome doctor at the Navy Hospital, who has obviously left.... whomp whomp. Dr. Poole gave us an extra ultrasound, and recommended us for a 12-week nuchal translucency ultrasound in Fresno. The NT tests for Trisomies by measuring the width or length of the neck. Plus, it was an extra ultrasound, which is always nice. The ultrasound techs said that everything looked good, but they have to send the images out to be officially tested. They could also tell that the neural tube in the spine had closed, so we are not anticipating any neural tube defects. God is good!

Knowing that God has placed us with good doctors, great, supportive friends and family, and a wonderful church support, we are feeling hopeful instead of fearful.

We choose hope instead of fear. 



Some FAQs:

1. We are due November 24th, or 28th. Thanksgiving!
2. We will find out if it is a boy or a girl ASAP.
3. Thank you for your prayers! 

Getting Gussied Up

Dave's new squadron had a dining-out this past weekend. Since both of our cameras are broken, this is the only photo of the night. But we look nice I think. Unlike dining-outs with the Golden Dragons where we knew everyone there, this time both Dave and I only knew a few people (me less than Dave). But we enjoyed the evening with our table-mates who were mutual friends with the Conklins. 

Busting out the Nerdiness

Dave and I decided to be social and throw a party. Not just any party: A STAR WARS party. We had it on May the 4th, because it is Star Wars day since it sounds like "May the force.." With Star Wars costumes, themed food, and a trivia contest, i think we out-nerded some of our friends, and came out as nerds to others. 

I'd like to say this was all Dave's idea... but really, I was the driving force. Dave asked me, "If you were to go back to 20-year-old Annie and tell her about this party, what would she say?" I probably would have just looked confused. I definitely didn't think this is what I'd be doing...hah!

Here are some photos of our nerd-fest. 

The House Hunt

So we've been on the house hunt since February.

We've had zero luck. It's awful. It sucks!!!!!!!! What makes it harder is watching friends in places put an offer on the house and get it. I don't know all the details of thier home purchase, of course, but I feel like their purchase process has been easier than ours has been.

Here's our history. Keep in mind, these are only the houses we've put an offer on. We've looked at probably 18-20 houses. (We looked at 12 houses within the first week Dave was home from deployment.)

Mid-February: Hanford Dream-House - $265k
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, bonus room in basement, pool
I found my dream house. And it's in HANFORD. Who knew?! Priced at the very top of our budget, this house had it all. Located walking distance to Downtown (Superior Dairy, Thursday Night Markets), built in 1911, purchased from second owner in 2000, the house was rebuilt from the studs up in the keeping with the original design of the time period. There were even some old original doors with original glass doorknobs. GLASS DOORKNOBS! It was on a half-acre with a fenced off garden, pool, covered patio. A single car detached garage - which may have been part of the original NAS Lemoore barracks). The only house I will love in Hanford. Since Dave was still deployed, I inserted a contingency that the approval of the house was based on Dave seeing it within 15 days.

......Le sigh.......

Not accepted. Contingency and VA loan were stated as reasons.

Late February: Conklin Approved - $235k
4 bedrooms (one without a closet), 2 full baths, open floor plan, pool
This foreclosure had the Conklin's approval since it was one block away. Needed some TLC, but in general good repair. A good easily rentable investment.

Outbid, possibly a cash offer.


Early March: The Random One - $225
4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, pool
A Short Sale. This one was not in the neighborhoods we'd been looking in, but it met all the other prequalifications. A nice house that needed some work on the back yard (who puts gravel throughout one-fourth of the backyard?). We put in an offer (total low-ball offer), went to Hawaii, three days in the vacay, we get a counter offer with notification that the seller's have received another offer that was higher than the counter offer they offered. UGH. We decided to significantly - when I say significantly, I mean SIG-NIF-I-CANT-LY - increase our offer.

Outbid. Currently the back-up offer.


Early April: Superb Rentablity with Conklin Approval - $220
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, pool, hot-tub, open floor plan
So this one is an interesting one. Another Short Sale. By a CDR/squadron CO. They were only $40k underwater, so we were confused as to why it was a short sale to begin with. It also was priced low for the neighborhood/amenities to create a mulitple offers situation. Well, congrats, jerks. You did. The house was listed on Friday, seen by four potential sellers. By Monday there were three offers. The buyer countered all offers asking for "H&B," highest and best offers. I'm not gonna lie. We offered a significant amount of the asking price and included all closing costs. We thought we had a strong offer. And it was. But who can compete with an all cash offer. UGH. FOR SERIOUSLY!?

Outbid by all cash offer.


So that's our story. I know that "normal" length of time it takes to find a house is six months. And we aren't there yet. But I am sooooo flippin' tired of getting outbid. On every house we've been one of at least three offers! Seriously!! I have to remind myself that Hanford, because of its proximity to NAS Lemoore, is not representational of the rest of the market. I feel like nowhere else are people fighting to get a house. This market feels more like 2007 than post-crash 2012.

That's the rational side of me.

The emotional side of me is more like this: Is our realtor actually doing her job? Is she representing us well? We are a NO-RISK LOAN. Really - the loan agent double ran our credit because she hadn't seen anything that high in a while. And we were the first offers on each of these houses. How is that fair? That people who are Johnny-come-lately get the house that we saw first? It's not fair. Also, I think that most realors as skeezeballs.

Additional worries include the spring-summer bump. Housing prices go up. Poopface.