Life's Blessings

Back in March 2007 Brian and I got notice that he was being charged with an issue that resulted from an arrest that was made back in September. As you all know Brian has fought a pretty bad addiction and we've had a lot of ups and downs. This last 4 1/2 years was probably the best he has done and he relapsed back in September. These charges were supposed to be dropped. We hired an attorney but things just got worse. He and I both couldn't handle the pressure or the thought of him going to prison again and all we did was fight. We were not following God's word or plan. He was taken into custody August 8th and a month later almost sentenced to 6.5 years. At last minute a new prosecutor was assigned the day of the plea and I just so happened to know the prosecutor and he cut the time to 3.5 years (Coincidence? I think not!).

I had to figure out a game plan for me and the kids. Brian was leaving and I knew the hard facts that I had to face. Sell the house in a virtually dead market. Find a job other than what I had done for 6 years in the lending industry since the Mortgage Boom finally blew up. Figure out what I was going to do about the kids school situation. And find help to move a house full of furniture. Things were looking pretty bad. I got on my knees and prayed. I prayed with my kids and I cried out to the Lord for help. "Make a way Lord, where I see that there isn't"

I put my house for sell by owner and I told everyone I knew that I was selling. My brother-in-law knew someone who was ready to buy and after much consideration they said they wanted my house! I knew that I was going to have to do a short sell but had no idea how or where to start. My next door neighbors knew of my situation and they happened to mention it to a friend of there's in their church (our church now). Their friend Paula was a realtor and was learning about foreclosures and short sales (coincidence? I think not!) All I needed was a listing and an advocate to help me though the process. Paula, who became my realtor, brought along her partner Sara (who is now a great friend of mine) she is a loss mitigation (short sale) specialist! (co-incidence? I think not!) They put together the entire deal, we had all the paperwork to sell the house in about a week from the time we put the listing on the MLS. Of course thanks to my sisters husband I had a buyer! My second mortgage company agreed to settle and thanks to Sara I didn't owe them a dime or have to pay taxes on the loss.

In the mean time I had signed Justin up for Pop Warner Football. During a practice I met a wonderful lady named Kristi, a construction company owner. I told her my situation about having to move and she offered to let me borrow her crew on what ever day I needed at her generous expense. Justin only did about 18 hours of practice and decided football just wasn't his game so he quit. I realize now it was meant for me to meet Kristi. Now where was I going to move, now that I had sold my house?? The kids were getting ready to go back to school and I knew I needed to figure out where they were going to go. I had pretty much ruled out the kids staying in their current school Zaharis since I knew I couldn't afford anything with in the boundaries. And since they already had a boundary exception to go to Zaharis I wouldn't have Brian's usual daily help to drive the kids to school. The bus seemed like the only solution for me as a working mom. At this point my house hadn't even closed escrow but I felt like I needed a plan. I went ahead a decided that I would go and enroll the kids at Kids Corner for after school care and what ever school had it available I would enroll them at that school and find a house in that district. Kids Corner is the most affordable after school program out there. So my decision was based on that. Salk was the only one with open spots. So I figured that's where they will go. Period. Deep down I hated this and I wanted so badly for them to stay at the school they loved and had friends they knew. It broke my heart that they had to face another huge change.

I was still on the search for a job. I decided to go to the job fair in Phoenix since I wasn't getting anywhere on line. A few hours of talking to recruiters and walking in 3 inch heels I was ready to go. I still hadn't found anything worth while. Although, Police recruit looked pretty decent if only the hours weren't so crummy. As I was walking towards the exit, exhausted and discouraged I saw a man with red hair and freckles and he smiled at me and I smiled back (we redheads have an understanding with each other!) I walked over to his booth and I scheduled an interview with him for the next day. The only interview I had scheduled that entire day. Insurance seemed like a great idea, at least that's something everyone needs and the market isn't going to drive me out of business. Our interview went very well and I liked the company a lot. Once the background check came back clear I knew I had a job. I felt confident that I would be starting work by September 1st.

My Real Estate Agent Paula had given me a copy of "The Secret" on CD to listen in my car a few weeks after our meeting and I had been applying the principles to my life and I could really see some instant results. My mom and I were wanting to get away for the afternoon to have lunch so we decided to take a quick drive up to Payson. We were going to take the route down by the Salt River through to the Bee Line Highway and as we were almost to Saguaro Lake I said "Hey, Mom we should've brought my "Secret" CD's to listen to!"
She said "Yeah, let's go back and get them...there's a reason why we need to go back anyway."
She's always saying weird things like that... and boy is she right!! As we were driving back down Ellsworth to my house I saw a "FOR RENT" sign.
I said "Can we go look real quick?"
And she said "Sure!".
At this point I had probably looked at a dozen houses and apartments and nothing was in my budget or if it was, it wasn't big enough. It's a tough thing to do when you have to downsize. I called the number and the owner picked up... "Hello?"
"Hi, I'm here in front of your house for rent and I'm wondering if I can take a look at it?"
"Did you just call me?"
"No."
"Oh, well a lady just called me and she was going to meet my husband there and probably rent it from us but I can't find what I did with her number to call her back and let her know he's on his way to meet her now."
"Well, I'm here...can he come and show it to me?"
"Sure, I'll call him right now."
"Thanks!"
(coincidence? I think not!) My mom and I waited only a few minutes and Dave showed up. We both were amazed at the floor plan and the space. It was perfect. B-b-b-but how much?? I didn't want to seem too excited, but I wanted him to know I was serious. I had some money in reserves for first and last months rent and I also had my side business to use as a job qualifier. We worked out a sweet deal for both of us, pending Dave's wife's decision! My mom and I went back to my house grabbed "The Secret" CD's and started back out of town.
"Oh my Gosh Mom, you know what I just realized??!!!?? This house is in the Zaharis school district where the kids have been going to school!!"
(coincidence? I think not!) I realized that what I wanted and what I had asked for, but always seemed to settled for something less, was actually becoming a real possibility!

As we were just about to get to the entrance of Saguaro Lake I decided to test the law of attraction that "The Secret" teaches. I said all of this out loud to my mom as we were driving.
"I'm going to see if I can manifest a red napkin!!"
I saw it in my mind, I asked for it, I received it in my mind and I thanked God for it. The whole way up to Payson I did this. We got into the restaurant and on the table was a white napkin. We ate and I didn't think much of it after that. We decided to drive home since I was anticipating hearing from the owners of that house. As we were getting close to home I wondered if I would even get my red napkin today. But I kept picturing it in my pocket, like it was already mine. We were again approaching the entrance of Saguaro Lake and up high in a Verde Tree was this red fabric. "Did you see that!" My mom said... "Hurry up and turn around!"
I pulled over and ran across the highway. I was expecting a red handkerchief or red work rag but as I got closer and closer I realized it was, sure enough, a RED LINEN NAPKIN high up in a Verde Tree. I pulled it out of the tree and was in amazement!! My mom and I were speechless...well, that's impossible with me and my mom....we were freaking out!!
"You know mom if I would have turned around right when I asked for the red napkin I probably would've seen it right then!!"
Stupid, stupid, stupid I should've asked for a million bucks!!

The next day I met with Rhonda and Dave the owners of the house and we signed a lease agreement!! The kids had gone one day to Salk and the next day I took them back to Zaharis. Boy were they happy! Now, about the Kids Corner after school care issue, remember Zaharis had no openings for any more kids only Salk had openings. But because we moved from one district to another by default they got to stay in the program because we were already enrolled and approved in the previous district.(coincidence? I think not!)

At this point my house had still not closed escrow and I technically didn't have a full time job yet!! Man was I relying on faith or what!! I drove the kids to school everyday until I could get their stuff moved into the new house. The owners of the house were kind enough to let me move in two weeks earlier than the date of my lease move in. Remember my friend Kristi...well her crew got me all moved in in one day! Five houses West of my new place is the kids bus stop! The kids already knew quite a few friends in this neighbor hood since most of them go to Zaharis. Cool thing is, is that there are a ton of first grade girls and a ton of third grade boys. Ashley my girl is in first grade and Justin my boy in third. (Coincidence? I think not)

As I have settled into my new house I have met some amazing friends along the way, new neighbors who I don't know how I could do without. The job situation did finally work out, not as soon as I had hoped! But as I am looking back in retrospect I can see now that it's all in God's timing and there is a reason why I wasn't working for all those months. There is no way I could've handled all of this and held a full time job. I am unpacked and I even had all my pictures hung on the walls. My kids are settled and happy, I had the time to take all my licensing classes and was able to pass on the first try. I am truly blessed beyond my understanding I am loved more than I think I'll ever deserve and I am most of all happy under all the circumstances and trials that I have faced. I'm not saying that it's been easy, but sure does make me realize that with God in Control I don't have to be fearful or alone. Everything has a purpose and a plan it's just up to us to find it.