After 5 moves we decided to sell our 5th house and build! I was excited about the thought of building and truly thought that would never have been an option because Ben really didn't have an appetite for it. I understood why and just felt resolved to the fact that we wouldn't go down that road. Well long story very short we found a lot during a builders fair outing, did our due diligence, realized that wasn't our lot, found another lot in a better neighborhood, bought the lot and in the process had begun interviewing builders.
PAUSE - It was super important to me for Cash to stay at Rawlinson. I was very hung up on this. Most moms would understand my reasoning for this so I don't regret my feeling about it but realize that my focus was misguided a bit to the "plan".
After what I will say was a very excruciating year of interviews we did in fact find a builder that we became comfortable with. I use the word comfortable lightly as we were still over budget (although where we were was probably very realistic and we started to realize that), we were still uncertain of the process and had an even harder time trusting that it would be what the builder said it would be. That is a combination of who we are and all of the crooked builders we interviewed. I will say this though....I would recommend the builder we almost signed with as I do believe they would have built us a beautiful home and would have worked very hard with us to stay within the "new" budget.
After selling our home in the Dominion (after putting in a brand new pool) we moved into an apartment. Yep an apartment. I thought that we could do it. I did! I thought the four of us definitely like our space but we could do anything together for a year. I still believe that if it had been under different circumstances. The stress we were under was just becoming unbearable and neither of us were turning that stress and fear over to God. We were drowning in it which became very scary. Ben and I were not on the same page, the kids (well Cash) were seeing that...feeling that, and we didn't know what direction we were going.
So one evening, after emotions had come to a head, we slept on the outcome, and must have almost without knowing it turned our stress/fear over to God. Ben had shown me this house in Boerne the next evening. Prior to that I would have blown it off, I probably did a little, but was somewhat intrigued at the same time. We had been looking all along while still looking at builders. It just seemed next to impossible to find a house that met at least 90% of what we wanted in a home. So I was becoming very negative about even looking at anything else. The next morning we were supposed to meet the builder we had chosen to not only look at a house they had built but sign the contract with them to move forward. The builders wife texted me sharing that the owners of the house we were supposed to see forgot and needed to reschedule for the weekend.
ENTER GOD'S PLAN....again.
I felt that it was a slap you in the face sign! A sign so big that I didn't think a thing of it when I pushed aside my phone to then bring up that house in Boerne that Ben had shown me the night before. I called the agent who happened to be an agent 1) that had shown us a house in Cordillera and 2) we really liked. Mark Phillips answered the phone and when realizing the connection offered to show us the house within a couple of hours. Of course we discussed the house, where it was, schools, circumstance of seller, and I went through every picture multiple times.
Ben came to the apartment and we all loaded up to go see this house! We drove by way of Ralph Fair Rd, turned on Ammann and couldn't believe we were entering the neighborhood we had actually looked at when they still had the developers trailer in the front of the neighborhood. It was just a beautiful area with acre or larger lots, not too big, and Boerne schools! (remember how hung up I was on schools?). We pulled into the driveway and I knew WE WERE HOME!
I was SO excited! Ben was a little excited as well but leary at the same time. He was very scared that I would be settling. Not because of the house but by not building. He knew I wanted to build a home we designed ourselves but what I wanted him to understand first and foremost is that I want our family to be happy. The road we were going down by building was not leading to happiness and I started to wonder how hard God was going to slap us before we figured that out. That said God makes plans not problems. He provides for us! He doesn't promise a smooth and pain free road but he does promise a road. He doesn't promise it to be long or give the timeline for it but he does promise to love us, hold us close, shield us in the manner he thinks is necessary and expects us to turn to him in all times. The road God was taking us on is planned so perfectly it scares me at times...as much as it gives me peace. Every single step we had taken led us to this house, to this moment and to our life as it is today! (I knew this already but I was reminded just how true this is in a recent Bible Study session) Our Faith gives us strength beyond comprehension.
We walked the house several times, asked questions of Mark, talked separately and then made the decision that this is our house! The house we would make our home, the house our kids would finish their youth in and the house we will become empty nesters in. (unless God has another plan and he may)
In an instant a lot changed!! I had 3 business days to get the kids registered for school in BISD as they start 2.5 weeks before NISD. I had already purchased school supplies for Rawlinson, Leon Springs Elem and McAndrew since we didn't know where E would end up. It was go time! We had to figure out how we were going to get out of our lease, change our financing route, set up moving AGAIN and start the process of selling our lot.
ENTER GOD'S PLAN....again.
Typically lots in Anaqua Springs sit for quite some time so we were prepared for that. We had put out some feelers with a builder or two that we were going to sell the lot just in case they had a client the lot would be a fit for. That said we were in the process of putting it on the market within that next few weeks. Two days (TWO DAYS) after we made an offer on our home Ben drove over to Anaqua to check the mail. Binkan, a realtor we know well, texted Ben asking him to call him. Ben figured he would call him later and didn't respond. He was going to drive by the lot one last time when Binkan texted him again. Still Ben thought he would get back to him later until he saw Binkan with another couple standing at the edge of our lot. Ben had an idea that's why he wanted to talk to him but didn't have a true understanding of what would happen next. God is so good!!!! One of the builders I engaged with about building for us and then about us selling the lot had a client that was not only looking to build with them but also had Binkan as their realtor. The couple loved our lot, wanted to build, loved the neighborhood, and made an offer that evening. We closed a couple of weeks later I believe. Done...lot sold and off our proverbial plate.
The kids started school mid August, and we moved into our new home at the end of August. We did a few things before moving in like painting, having it cleaned, trees trimmed etc. I was so excited!!!! I was shock I think that any of this was happening. We found this beautiful home (that I might add doesn't look so different from what we were building), on an acre of usable land, with great privacy, great neighbors, great schools, in Boerne and we were out of that building a home nightmare!!!!
My lesson...our lesson...
God wasn't slapping us in the face. We were on his path. It wasn't pain free or stress free but what he wanted us to do was to turn that fear and stress over to him and BELIEVE in his power. The power to lead us through anything. He did as he is a Faithful God! I am so incredibly blessed and grateful for where we are today. Our kids are happy, thriving, resilient, have great friends and love our home! Ben and I know we are where we are meant to be...with no regret and have such a respect for the experience we had that led us here. I love him for attempting that road for me and though he would have seen it through at the end of the day its me and him. It doesn't matter what house, where it is or what it looks like...its the people inside of it. The rest is geography.
