From Miracle to Miracle; The Story Of My House

God's miracles never cease to amaze me.  They say hindsight is 20/20.   Even in hindsight, a miracle makes no sense.  There is no explaining this one, it just happened, because that is the way God wanted it.

The last swim at Sycamore Hill

In 2012 Jeff and I sold our big house - 4500 square feet, pool, spa, built in bbq, in an exclusive gated community.   It was time to move on.  The house payment was huge, and we needed another car.  We were upside down - meaning we owed more than it was worth.   We had been there 10 years, and it was time for some typical repairs and updates.


We worked for almost two years to sell that house.  We had to do a "short - sale" because we owed more than it was worth.  We sold it 3 times, and the bank would not accept our offers.  It was horrendously stressful.  Finally, the bank said, "well we just don't see that you need a short sale because you've never missed a payment." ??????

Memories of the boys growing up

Well of course not, we vowed to make the payments, we keep our word.  So, we skipped a payment.  Oh the stress.  The bank called us 3 times a day everyday.  I changed our phone number, it was harassment.  We were only doing what we were told to do.

The bank took an offer - it was a great offer from a Realtor who worked for Jeff.  She was great to work with.  She didn't care that there were some cracked tiles, or the carpet was dirty, she was going to rip it out anyway.  Thank God for her!  She gave us 2 extra months to find a place to move.

Every day I checked the lists of houses for sale and houses for rent - nothing seemed to work.  It was Thanksgiving day when I checked the list that morning there it was, this house that I knew.  It was for sale.  I loved that house.  We had some time that morning before family was to arrive and so Jeff grabbed his lockbox key and we went to look at it.  As I walked in I knew this was my house.  There came over me a peace that I knew this was it.  I was so thrilled to find this house.

White Haven

We got our finances together and submitted an offer to the Realtor.   The Realtor came back with the answer that the sellers didn't like our terms.  We submitted a different offer, still rejected by the sellers.  I could not believe that I would have such an overwhelming "this is it" and then we would be left disappointed.

As I was packing I realized I did not know where I was going.  I am a hoarder and I had to downsize, but downsize what? Where was I going to end up?  Could my parents buy a house and we would rent it?  Would I put half of my stuff in storage and we would rent a small house?  We went through the holidays knowing they would be the last in the house.  We didn't even have a Christmas tree.  I had started using the living room as a staging area for ready to go boxes, so I put one couch straight up on its side.   Wendy, my niece decided to make it a "Christmas couch"  so she decorated it.

The Christmas Couch

Going through the holidays was tough.  What did I buy, what did I not buy?  Where was I going?  January came and we had 31 days.  We looked at every available rental and sale option in our area.  I still had no idea what and how to pack.  I was so confused.  We had assured Ethan that if all else failed, we could put everything but our clothes and beds in storage and move into my parents' house - all four of us, a cat, a dog, and an aquarium in my dad's "pool" room.

Memories, my mom playing accordian

While having lunch with my friend, April.  She sparked an idea in my head.  She too had been in a similar situation a few years ago, and she had sent letters to house owners.  Hmmmm ... why didn't I do that?  The house that I loved was just sitting empty, maybe they would rent it to us.

I used every tool the internet could offer me to find the owners of the house.  I did not use the Realtor's tool, because it could be mistaken as a conflict of interest.  So I hunted.  I knew the house was owned by three adult children whose father had passed away.  I knew the father's name because his name was on the front door.  I researched and found 4 names.  I sent 4 letters - it was the middle of January.

Three days later I received a phone call, "Kristi? this is ____ and I own the house ... we would like to explore the thought of renting the house to you."   I felt like a spinning top went off in my brain.  It took a few days to get things ironed out with his siblings and he and Jeff to come to the rental fee.  

Ten days before I was to move, I found out where I was moving to.  I now had 10 days to prepare 3,000 square feet of my house to move or store, and that left 1400 square feet of my house to get rid of.  My brain was full and wanted to shut down.  I had ten years of memories and clutter and hoarding to sort through.  So many details, so little time.

On January 31, 2013 we moved from Sycamore Hill Drive to White Haven Lane.  It was homecoming at school, and I missed everything, except for the opportunity to buy Jarrod his first suit, and see him wear it on his first date.  So many emotions.  So many great friends, Brianna Haines, Jennifer Heldoorn, Randy and Deanne Forsyth, Michelle Ayres, April Martinez, and of course, Aaron Girard who moved with us.

Homecoming Dance 

Our lease was for one year with the option of buying the house during or at the end of that year. So we moved.  I will never forget Jarrod's basketball jersey - we were still moving after the homecoming game, so he came home and helped in his uniform.  It started out white.  By the time the night was over it was brown.  I think we finished moving at midnight.  Ben and Eileen Chambers (It's On It's Way Movers) and their team had been working since 8:00 a.m.  It was a huge job.

We walked in the door and sat everything down.   Although I knew this house was for me, I decided to not unpack anything that I didn't need until we actually owned the house.  We took what little money we had from the sale of the Sycamore Hill house and bought a car.  Thank God we got it in time for the school dance teams to take all of our cars to the Las Vegas Nationals.  We were able to pay all of Jarrod's application fees for the universities he wanted to attend.  We were able to pay for Jarrod's most expensive year of High School.

Sheila taking pics of girls at Prom

I think my favorite memory of this house will be that we were honored to host the 2013 Prom for Bethel Christian High School.  The back yard was decorated and gorgeous, the kids were phenomenal, and I got to dance with my husband.

Prom Decorations

We've had several parties at this house, an all inclusive 2013 graduation party, the Middle School girls volleyball team, 4th of July with the kids, and of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We've had a great year.  I've had such joy in this house, a joy I hadn't experienced for many years.

4th of July at White Haven

Our year is up.  It appears we won't be buying this house today.  Instead an opportunity just blocks away has opened up.   I get to downsize, again, 800 more square feet.  But if that is where God is moving us to, then we will go.  I know He will give me joy wherever I go, and that He will open the doors that I am to go through and slam shut the wrong doors.

I'm in a holding pattern again but I know God gives us miracles everyday.  I know this house was a miracle.  I know so many things this year were miracles.  I know that I'm living everyday from miracle to miracle.  I'm gonna go where God takes me.

K