About 2 years ago, our little man finally received the diagnosis that would change our lives. We had known 5 hours before he was born that he would have dwarfism. It took another 3 years to figure out which of the 350+ types he actually had. The diagnosis explained his pain he had, had since 18 months old. In addition, we began to realize that our house was not going to work for him once he moved onto using a scooter etc. Besides he didn't have a bedroom with a door or a closet (converted study)
SO, in my typical fashion, I began to search for a new house, our dream house, with gusto. I probably reviewed hundreds of homes between online and in person over the next year. Nothing was great.
Then last May (2010) I took a new road by my sons school. I saw a house that was for sale by owner. As I went up the street to turn around I saw the most spectacular home, with a white picket fence. I distinctly remember thinking "God, I would love to live in a house like that!" Of course I laughed when I saw the price on the flyer!!
The next month I drove up there again just to see if anything else was up for sale. I noticed that the beautiful home was under contract. I thought LUCKY!! We left the next week, for three weeks on the East Coast to see little man's Dr's at AI Dupont as well as spend some time in New York.
We got back the beginning of July, and I once again went to that neighborhood looking for anything for sale. My favorite house no longer had the under contract sign but they also didn't have any flyers. I immediately called our realtor friend and got an appointment to see the house along with some others.
The kids came with me and they of course made comments about each house. Until we walked into the beautiful house. Little Man stood in the doorway and said, MOM . . . smell that, it's like home ?!?! THey ran from room to room and were basically moved in before we had toured the whole place. Of course we had to convince daddy. The price had been dropped dramatically but was still expensive. We finally figured out our bottom dollar and sent in the contract. The owner never countered, nothing, he agreed on the spot.
THe house is not the ranch style we had anticipated but has a main level office and walk out basement which would need minor additions to make wheelchair accessible. The halls are wide, it is on 5 acres and still easy access to daddies work. The kids now all go to school together (K-12). The front yard is completely fenced (like an entire acre) with half being gorgeous green grass and a huge playset.
Although God blessed us immensely with this house, we also were in a good position. We have lived by Dave Ramsey's teachings for years. Our current home was paid off about 2 years ago, so we had the luxury (with some creative financing!) to be able to buy the beautiful house before selling our current home. And let me tell you this was a HUGE stumbling block for my husband. The house was paid off, and we were going to die in it according to him. I however, didn't believe we should keep a house that made little man's life any harder than necessary.
We have now lived in the beautiful home for a year. We absolutely love everything about it, ok minus the mice, coyotes and snakes that come with living in the country! We finally did sell the old house on April 1st LOL! It was a hard having two homes at once, but I can't even imagine two house payments as I know some have had to do. Mid winter of last year, it finally dawned on me that perhaps God's perfect timing had nothing to do with us but just perhaps it had to do with the buyers. Sure enough, the buyers had lost all of heir equity in the house they had sold in another state and we had jsut lowered the price. We sold the house for less than we had initially thought we would but walked away happy.
In God's perfect timing not mine.
