So many posts, so little time...

It's pretty sad when you have a list of things on a sticky note that you want to post to your blog stuck on the bottom of your computer keyboard. Lately, I've spent so much time at the doctor's office, that I'm about to check the whole family into a hospital room- it's just been one thing after another! Yesterday, I had Allie at the doctor because she fainted last week and has been feeling light-headed and sick for a couple of weeks. She's also had terrible headaches for some time now. So, they're running lots of labs on her, and we're waiting...Then there's Emily- her nosebleeds have been awful! And with everything else she has going on, we think it's time to see a specialist (an ENT). So, lots more appts. to come, but that's what I LIVE for!!!

As you can see, my blog has a new look! I keep messing with it and may still change it again. I'm such a perfectionist that I have a hard time changing my blog because it takes me a long time to get it just the way I want it. I'm using one of my sister's backgrounds this time- she has some really cute ones, and they're so different than the others that you find out there. Be sure to check out her website at: www.blogaroozer.com
She also helped me out big time this week when I messed up my layout so that everything in my sidebar ended up at the bottom of my blog under all my posts! She was able to figure out what I did and told me how to fix it! I was so thankful because, let me tell you, I was in panic-mode! Thanks Kate:)

Oh, and Angel Ava and Kaden's mommy had her baby yesterday! Baby Brody was born weighing over 11lbs and was 23inches long- woa! He was delivered via c-section, and it sounds like things are going well for them! They are the family that got me started on my "special baby" section- I was just so taken with their story, and I am so happy that they have a new, very healthy baby to add to their family! Congrats to them! If you want to visit their website, it's on my sidebar in the "special baby" section.

And YAY! My counter has gone over 1000! It's been about 3 weeks since I added it to my blog, and I love watching it go up- I like to think that others enjoy my blog and all my efforts are not completely in vain! I added one to Matthew's blog at the same time, and I don't think it's even hit 200 yet, which is a shame because that's really the more fun and unique blog of the two. I have so much fun with the actual writing of that one. I hope it will eventually catch on, cuz I certainly have lots more "Matthew" stories to tell!

And finally, in the spirit of be careful what you ask for cuz you just might get it, I want to ask for everyone's help with something. We were absolutely positive that we were purchasing the "house of our dreams" when we bought this house. It was and had everything we could EVER want in a house, and it was also at the very top end of our price range, and we almost didn't get it. Our initial offer was rejected, and then there was another offer on it, and we thought we had lost it- we would have been better off... Unfortunately, that offer fell through and the builder of this house wanted us to come back and make an offer again. We ended up going up another 10k just to get it and thought we were the luckiest people on earth- as I said be careful what you ask for...
Since buying our "dream house," Zack has changed jobs and the economy has taken a turn for the worst- not to mention we have Obama as our president (but that's ANOTHER story)! While we can still "afford" our house, we have realized that it is not very responsible of us to stay in this house when we could spend 200k less and have just as nice a house and still put our kids through college. We are at the point where we want to be completely debt-free (to include the mortgage at some point down the road!). So. with that said, we now have to sell this house in one of the worst markets ever! We put the house on the market last August and have had only a handful of showings since that time. Although we live in a gorgeous neighborhood and on a cul-de-sac lot, we do back up to a major road. Also, our house is considered high-end and is not in the price-range that most people are looking in these days.

We have come a LONG way to make this decision to move. We have realized that we don't need the biggest and best house that we can qualify for:) We have also made other significant changes in our budget: we went from eating out 2-3x per week to 1-2x per month (that includes take-out pizza!), I (the Queen of Target- yes, I know there are lots of us, and I'm willing to start a recovery group!) do not go to the store more than once per week, unless it's an emergency (and what a difference that has made!), we do not dryclean Zack's shirts anymore, we go to the beauty school for cheap haircuts (and have regretted it a couple of times, but it does grow back!), we put off buying things until we can AFFORD them, and most importantly, we DO NOT use credit cards! So, I think we're finally at the point in our lives where we are ready to do the hard work and make the right decisions about our finances- it was a LONG road to get here! We have finally realized that it is not our money, but God's, and we are ready to spend it HIS way.

That brings me back to needing everyone's help! We know that the ONLY way this house will sell in THIS market with THIS economy is through an act of God himself! We need a miracle here! We could struggle with this by ourselves, but we realize that there is power in numbers and power in prayer. So, we are asking you to add us to your prayer list! Pray that God will bring us a buyer and will provide a better house for us at the same time! Thanks for helping us out- we'll keep you "posted!"