Home again, home again

Oh, where to begin.

We sold our house. But then we didn't. This is a long story.

On a Thursday afternoon I showed the house to a nice couple who made a point of telling me twice that they had cash and were in a hurry to find a place. On Friday night around 10:00 PM we got an offer. We countered, they countered back - Saturday the deal was in place. They weren't kidding when they said they were in a hurry because they wanted to close the following Friday. Like, in six days.

So we made the mad dash to find a place to buy quickly or rent. We started trying to make new plans for the future. I cried some because I love this place, but then I came to terms with the change and got excited about making those new plans. Tim handled everything.

On Thursday afternoon they told us they would be ready to close the next day, so we started packing. We had it in the contract that we got 48 hours after closing to move out, but what could a head start of a few hours hurt? On Friday morning we moved most of our furniture and several tupperwares of things we use only seasonally into the fully-enclosed trailer that we bought for the move. About two hours into moving stuff, the title company called to say that the buyers couldn't close until the following Wednesday.

Well, nope, not OK. We told them if they were going to amend the contract then they were going to give us more than $100 earnest money (guys, always get more earnest money up-front, that was our mistake) and we would make a few other changes. A few hours later they were ready to close.

So we closed! We signed the papers! Signed, sealed.....

Then they never paid us. Every day for the next week it was, "First thing in the morning." "Today by 3:00." (Here we packed the kids stuff and kitchen stuff and moved the furniture into a storage unit) "First thing tomorrow morning." "Today by 3:00." No one ever seemed to know what was going on. It was so secretive and confusing. Finally, on Friday, a WEEK after we closed, they said "Oh sorry, we didn't really have cash and our hard lender won't give us enough money to buy your house." We tried to work out a last minute deal to lend them the difference but they never called back and in the end it all fell through.

We moved back into our house over the weekend and I think today I am finished unpacking. It is our new house again! Other than a very stressful two weeks of weird deals (and furloughs) everything turned out just fine. Neither of us were exactly happy to leave, so we are happy to stay. For a little while longer, if nothing else.

In between we have had three perfectly adorable kids, as usual. Mason is still asking when we are moving and where the new people are going to put all their stuff. What a confusing deal for a four-year-old. He started preschool last month and he just loves it. Brielle really wants to join him for "pittyschool" but she gets to hang out with me instead and I like that.

Ava has been taking a few steps here and there for several weeks, but in the last couple of days she has really just buckled down and learned to walk. It is so wonderful and terrifying to watch. She is so proud of herself every time she stands up on her own and takes a few steps. I love the look on her pleased little face.

Here are a bunch of pictures of my kids because they never get old to me.