Good News...

We received some very good news this past Sunday. Our landlord and her hub paid us a visit. (Little background on my landlord...she is living over in London with her hub for the last year and her hub was offered a job in a church there. They only had one year visas so they had to apply for another one and leave London when their first visa was up. So, they are in the states right now staying with her parents.)

We knew they had gotten their visas thru an e-mail prior to their visit but what we weren't expecting and so overjoyed with is that they got 3-year visas!! OMG...we were so shocked because this means we are welcome to stay that long in our rental which in turn will help us get into our own home in the end. We need to wait 2 years so that E has verified income from his business in order for us to include his income on the mortgage application. With his income we would be approved for at least $50,000 more than just with mine. We so badly want to get a "decent" looking and size home that isn't a foreclosure or short sale situation with tons of work. We, of course, gladly accepted the one year lease we were given on Sunday with no rent increase (yes!) and were told by our landlords they would love for us to stay on for as long as we choose.

I am already starting to make a book with all kinds of ideas of furniture and accessories (from Pottery Barn) I want for our new home, plus an outline of our "must haves" (ex. 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2-2 baths, finished basement, 2-car garage and land between neighbors) and "would be nice to have" (ex, heated 3 season sunroom, fireplace or woodstove and a hottub) in our new home. Some of these things have always been in my mind, but I really didn't push for them when we purchased our first home in PA. We had little money left after purchasing that home and we struggling at times just to make the mortgage payments. This time around it is going to be different for a number of reasons:

1. We can afford nicer - my salary has increased over $20,000 since leaving PA - 5 years ago.

2. We no longer have to think in terms of the "what if we have a child" financially speaking.

3. I put my previous job first before anything else. No more...I am in a stress free job that doesn't affect my health. I have a good career/life balance now!

4. Lastly, we deserve this kind of happiness (for a change).

I truly believe that this is part of God's plan for E and I. He has seen all we have been through in our 11 years together - the heartaches and struggles and now we are starting to see the "signs" of the blessed life he has in store for us.