Feels good to be Home

This is a bit of a deep post because I am overwhelmed with gratitude and the inability to truly express it. President Henry B Eyring gave a talk in 2007 O Remember, Remember. --"Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today? As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that came because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened."
I have been writing things down, not as faithfully as President Eyring but over the course of the year I too, have seen the hand of God, and felt what president Eyring articulated so much better than I could. These moments have become very special to me and I don't share too many of them.
I want to humbly try to express what I feel is another miracle and we've been blessed with so many this year. Early in July we had made an offer on another home, it had been accepted, but when we looked through it again, it just wasn't right. I was again disappointed. We asked about the house we had looked at months before. Our realtor said, she would check but would be surprised if it was still available. Blessings amid disaster; in June the Shultz fire burned 15,000 acres in the flagstaff area, this fire limited access to the home listed.

We made an offer knowing it was a long shot, but convincing ourselves that the worst they could say was no, our realtor told us she would put it in, but reminded us that even in this economy homes were not going for 20% less than their appraised value. Even though our offer was significantly lower than the listing price we got an approved offer, we couldn't believe it. 1700 square foot home, four-bed, 2 bath on an acre, we were so excited; it was perfect. Then the thunder, a big rain storm on July 20^th, the day after the accepted offer. Monsoon Season hit with flooding and for a while I felt like we were living in Water Ward. The mud slides and floods were devastating. We drove to our would-be home, only to see the home across the street and the neighbor to the left with mud to their doors. I looked at the slope of our driveway leading to the garage, the mud that lined our would-be shed and I was sure that this house too, would enter our list of ones that just didn't work out. To my amazement the mud stopped 3 feet from our garage and the next closest spot was mud right to the flower bed at the corner of the house.
 

took this after it had dried and we drove on it

The flood had missed our home, I still can't explain how. Setting out to protect our investment, we borrowed a neighbor's truck and started clearing out the ditch and sandbagging, I was full of questions; what is this going to do to the property value?, Is it really going to work out?, How can we even afford these house payments? I still don't know the answers to these questions but I feel a great deal of peace. We looked up to see a double rainbow stretching across the sky and ending at our home. Not some YouTube video but true confirmation. Our Father in Heaven knows us, we know he wants us in Flagstaff and we are trying our best to stay in alignment with Him and he is truly opening the windows of heaven! God does keep His promises.

You can see Brant in the ditch

I still don't know how we can afford to live here in flagstaff, but I know it is where we are suppose to be and miraculously we have been making ends meet. We officially closed on our house September 10^th. The rains grew some amazingly tall weeds that will take some work but it feels so good to be home!

Brant left for Tucson for work on the 12^th, I set out to put the house in some sort of order while he was gone. Rianne got the flu; I had homework with my master's classes, and all the boxes! It was a stressful week but I have recognized His hand through the kindness of others, loading and unloading boxes, meals, encouragement etc. Two people who live to Go and Do! They are the ONLY way I survived the week. I don't know what I would have done without them. Annette came over, and got rid of my maroon wall! She taped, primed and painted.

Tera brought me boxes even when I thought I had enough but didn't and then after I emptied them took them to someone else. When I thought there is no way I would have done everything I wanted to before Brant came home, they came to my rescue again. Tera showed up with pitas for dinner and they moved furniture, got the house in the order just the way I wanted for Brant. Annette and Tera make my gratitude journal on a regular basis.

We are still not completely moved in, but Brant came home to a home cooked meal, a kitchen, pantry and bathroom in order and other things underway. He was extremely surprised and pleased with the newly painted wall; I was so excited his reaction was better than expected. I still had plenty of projects for him when he returned and the list will continue to grow. The blessings keep coming we have renters so we can get out of our rental agreement and Brant will be the assistant director of admissions over transfer credit, which will bring a nice raise and less travel (starting in November). It will still be tight, but I am incredibly grateful and humbled that He continues to bless us!