Moving Debacle

Our condo was supposed to close December 15th. Things weren't ready by then, so our date was moved to December 31st and then to January 15th. Well, the documents we were waiting on were not ready until this morning. Today is the 16th.

We missed our closing date deadline by ONE DAY. 

Because we were buying a HUD home, there were pretty strict deadlines and a number of hoops to jump through. It has been incredibly stressful, but we were told everything would work out and we would close in time. Alas, that was not the case. Our loan officer was 12 hours too late. I cannot even believe it. After three months of planning and countless hours on the phone with our lender and realtor, our family is homeless. 

I'm trying to see that there could be something better for our family. The reality is that envisioning something better is pretty difficult. The condo was a steal, and it was a dream. Becca and Kyle live in the complex, I could see Eliza's future school from the window, and the neighborhood is quaint and friendly. It was everything I wanted. We've lost our earnest money and the money we spent on extension fees--but even worse than that, I feel like we have lost the perfect home. We are heartbroken. 

Of course, I know there are worse things that can happen in life. Nathan and I are still incredibly blessed. He has been living in Provo without us for the last two weeks (which has been a struggle of its own), and we just assumed he would move our possessions into the condo and come and get us. Thankfully, my friend Julie has been nice enough to let us park our trailer in her driveway and our wonderful realtor, Stephanie, is determined to find us a better home.

I'm sure in a few months, I will understand why this happened the way it did. Right now, though, I am really hurting. I miss Nathan, and I am sad that I don't have much to look forward to. Where do we go from here? 

Fortunately, my friends and family are supportive, positive, and encouraging. They know just what to say to lift me when I am feeling down. Some friends also know just what to bring over:

Thanks, Jason and Natalie!

Date Night!

Nathan and I made a New Year's Resolution to go on more dates. So far, we are doing a pretty good job about getting out of the house. This time, we did a date swap with Becca and Kyle. I feel completely comfortable leaving the kids with Becca, so I didn't feel stressed or worried while Nathan and I were out. We went to Olive Garden and had a great time!

I ordered a Shirley Temple and then was super awkward when the waitress looked at me like I was joking. I panicked and told her, "Yes, I'm seven." And this is probably part of the reason why Nathan and I don't go on many dates.

Christmas 2011 / Christmas 2012

To tell the truth, I hardly remember last Christmas. It's times like these that I am grateful that I keep a blog. I went back and read over the posts regarding Christmas and thought, "Oh yeah. THAT happened." The twins were less than four weeks old last year, and we had just entered their colicky phase.They have grown so much in 12 months, and my heart aches to think about how tiny they once were.

That being said, they are the cutest toddlers ever. I am so glad Nathan and I aren't waking up every two hours for feeding and that I actually will remember Christmas this year :) The pictures were a real reminder that a lot can change in a year.

Merry Christmas!

These past few weeks, I have been too anxious and busy to blog. Moving boxes, daily discussions with our loan officer, faxing documents daily, trying to work, preparing for Christmas, and mothering three children has kept me pretty busy. Today, though, it was easy to forget about all of those worries and simply enjoy my family.

I am so grateful for the Christmas season. I am blessed to have my family here and my family in the Carolinas. As I looked at my babies, it was easy to remember what Christmas is all about. It is about a precious child. I am thankful for Him, my Savior, and for His birth. 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come.

The Nutcracker

Tonight, we went to the local production of The Nutcracker. One of Eliza's cousins was dancing, and Cheryl and I thought she would enjoy the performance. For the first hour, Eliza hardly moved as she watched the ballerinas dance. She was absolutely mesmerized. (The second hour, she became somewhat delirious with fatigue because she was up way past her bedtime.)

She couldn't stop asking questions about the various costumes and dance moves. Her favorite parts were the Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Waltz of the Flowers.

Afterwards, we made sure to take a picture of Eliza and her cousin Isabelle. Eliza was starstruck.

 On the way home, she asked if we could build her a stage so she could perform a dance of her own. She said she needed ballerina shoes and a tutu immediately. I think we have a future ballerina on own hands...

Double Trouble-- Now Understood

Two toddlers.

It's crazy. You should see our house.

Now that Elliott is walking and Ezra is climbing into everything and opening any door he can find, I am constantly in motion. There are two sets of stairs in the house and only one baby gate, so I often find myself grabbing a giggling Elliott from the stairs and then rescuing Ezra when he gets to the second step and suddenly becomes terrified. The boys have learned how to escape the little barricade I made in our playroom, so I am scared to leave them for any amount of time (even if it is just to cycle the laundry). My arms ache from constantly lifting them and moving them to safety. Recently, their favorite antics include crawling behind the couch together, leaning on the bathroom door at the same time (this somehow causes the door to open), and opening the spice cabinet and taking out every single container (and no, this cabinet cannot be baby proofed). 

They are definitely a team. However, every partnership has disputes. Elliott is fascinated with eyelashes and tries to pull Ezra's anytime I am changing his diaper. I have to use a leg to keep Elliott away from Ezra's face and then try to wrestle Ezra from escaping at the same time. Both boys hate diaper changes because they would rather spend their time doing something interesting. 

When it comes to toys, Ezra can be fairly possessive. They have a hard time sharing certain toys, and I often break up baby fights. Elliott is fairly calm if Ezra steals a toy, but Ezra loses it if Elliott even looks at his toy. It's pretty funny. Ezra is particularly fond of the Camelbak water bottle we have. Nathan left it on the floor one day, and Ezra drank half the bottle. Fortunately, we have several bottles, so Ezra never has to part with his beloved blue Camelbak. He cries when anyone else has it.

Although our days can be pretty hectic, it is amazing to see how close the babies already are. They look at each other and burst into laughter, they reach out for one another when eating, playing, and taking baths, and they really are an inseparable pair. I love how they open doors together, play with the tupperware side by side, and take on any new obstacle (like figuring out how to steal Eliza's glasses off her face) as a team. 

They have a built in best friend.

It Happened!

One of our boys is a walker! For the past few days, Elliott has been standing without any assistance. We have been practicing walking and tonight, he took several steps on his own! It was pretty exciting. I can't wait for Ezra to start walking, so he doesn't feel left out. Walking or not, Ezra definitely keeps up with big brother. He is always busy and into something!

Elliott also learned how to wave today. Grandma was saying bye-bye and waved, and Elliott promptly returned the gesture. Two milestones in one day!