Saturday, August 4, 2012

We had quite an interesting day yesterday. Jeremy and I headed to Chicago yesterday morning. Our first stop was at a medical clinic downtown so I could do my drug screening for CPS. I drank a big bottle of water on our way up to the city so I made sure I could go once I got to the clinic. When Jeremy went a few weeks ago we were in and out in about 15 minutes. Well, wouldn't you know it I had to wait forever! Well it seemed like forever when you have to go to the bathroom so bad you are starting to question if you have another set of clothes in the car!:) I finally heard my name called and I could finally go to the bathroom. After the drug screening Jeremy and I set on our exciting day of apartment hunting. I have to admit, I was totally in the honeymoon state of mind and I thought this was going to be so much fun! I was going to see all these wonderful places and it was going to be the greatest day ever(Smile). We went to the first apartment building and we met the lady who was showing the apartment and the landlady. We walked up three flights of very smelly and dirty carpeted stairs to the apartment we would be seeing. The landlady knocked on the door several times and nobody answered. We could hear a baby screaming in the apartment and lots of commotion so we knew someone was home. It was in that moment my gut told me we should just walk away, but the door opened and a young lady opened the door and said, "We not showing the apartment today." The landlady then told her that she did not have a choice. I believe this family was a Refugee family and they would be out of the apartment by Sunday. We stepped in the apartment filled with the screams of a young child and 5 or 6 other people scurrying around, It was not the mess, the people, or the screaming baby that threw me for a loop. The smell was the worst thing I have ever smelt in my entire life!!! I tried to smile and hold my breath but at one point we were in the hallway and I started to heave and the room started to spin and I knew what was about to happen, I was on the verge of throwing up! I hated to be rude but I had to hold my nose. I guess at some point Jeremy nudged me and told me to stop holding my nose but I was so focused on not losing my breakfast on the already sticky floor (yes, our shoes stuck to the floor as we walked) I do not even remember him talking to me. We left that apartment and I was a little depressed. Not at all the way I thought our day would go. We went to McDonald's and took a shower in hand sanitizer and somehow managed to eat after that experience. The second place we went was so nice! I really liked it. The price was pretty good and the move in fees were minimal. It was on the 3rd floor and the neighborhood was not exactly the safest. The building was well secured and it was a terrible neighborhood, but not the best. The third place we went to was a two flat house where the owner's brother lives on the first floor and the second floor was being rented. Jeremy found this apartment on Craigslist. The price was good but there were no pictures so we were not sure of what we were getting into. The owner told Jeremy that he was pretty picky about who he rented his house to and that he usually only shows it to 1 out of 10 people who call about the ad. Jeremy and I both had a good feeling about this place. We met the owner at the house and I knew I would like this man since he was Korean. We went into the house and it has a lot of Chicago charm to it. The living room has beautiful windows and a wood burning fireplace. Then the down side. The bathrooms are pretty outdated, the bedroom are really small, and the kitchen counters were pretty terrible. The owner's brother was working in the apartment so it was hard to judge the condition because all the cabinets were open and so forth. The owner was so nice and actually said he was glad he showed it to us because we would be perfect tenants for him. He was understanding of our situation and was willing to work with us in the security deposit and so forth. We left this house and we wanted to like it more than we did, but it was not anything like the 2nd one that I really liked. We went on to see four more places. Three of the four were nice and we narrowed down our apartments to the three we liked the best. The house did not make the list, but we both could not shake the connection we made with the owner of the house. We got back to my parent's house and we contacted the lady that showed us the 2nd apartment that I really liked and she sent us the application. The owner of the house told us when we left to please contact him to let us know either way on the apartment. Jeremy called him and told him the rooms were just too small and that we would be picking another place. He then surprised Jeremy by saying, "What can I do to get you to change your mind?" So, Jeremy requested to lower the monthly payment, extra storage for our stuff, and to get new kitchen counters. The owner said that he would do it. So, we are going Thursday to sign all the papers and put down our first payment. Our kids might have to learn to sleep sitting up:) but we feel like God has opened this door for us. We have to remember that God is not calling us to Chicago to live in a nice apartment. He called us to make relationships so we can share His love. When we go Thursday we are taking the kids with us so you never what kind of changes he will make to the apartment once he meets them:) We also have someone moving into our house on August 21st. They will be doing a lease-to-own option. We are thankful that it will not sit empty and that we will not be making two house payments.We are excited to see what God is going to do!

Today Jeremy and my dad took the kids fishing while my mom and I went shopping. The kids have to wear uniforms this year to school and it is pretty crazy. The boys can only wear navy shorts or pants and can only wear white or navy shirts. The girls can only wear navy pants, shorts, skirts, or dresses and only white or navy shirts. We will be seeing a lot of navy and white this year! It will be easy to get the kids dressed each morning, "Go get something navy and white and get dressed." I am very thankful because my mom bought them clothes for school this year. It was going to be pretty pricey since the kids really do not own anything navy and since they will be wearing them every day we wanted to get clothes that would last. So, we went and got them some clothes and then to the grocery store. It was good day with my mom and without the kids begging for everything. I only got one picture so far of the kids, so here it is.