This week definitely goes down in the record book for being one of the most stressful weeks in our lives to date! We successfully sold our house last week after over 20 showings and doing it For Sale By Owner (great, but still stressful) and we close in just 4 weeks (July 9th). We find out that the home under construction that we have a contingent contract on will not be complete for another 2-3 months. Then we learn to our SHOCK that we (cautiously)are expecting #3. YIKES! The realization of having 3 children under the age of 2 1/2 h
as not quite sunk in yet...I'm not even sure when the baby arrives that we will have accepted the idea. Not quite part of our master plan, but as Jason said, this little soul sure is in a hurry to get here! Sometimes our plans aren't God's plans.
We decided that we were going to look at other "completed" and "less expensive" homes rather than be homeless for 2-3 months and in consideration of surprise #3. After spending multiple afternoons and evenings this past week with our GREAT Reece and Nichols realtor, we found a home...one that had been reduced 20K after being on the market for over 250 days. It was perfect. We make an offer and wouldn't you know it, someone made an offer right before us! Devastated, the hunt continued. Now mind you, we are getting nervous about the idea of being homeless...almost sick about it, especially as we watch interest rates slowly rising. Finally we find a home that had only been on the market for 5 days...it's perfect. So we made a quick aggressive offer as the owners had multiple showings and second showings scheduled. We knew it wouldn't last long! Offer accepted. So we will be moving out of this house in 4 weeks and into the new one in 5 (homeless for one week...what can you do?). Looks like we'll be going to Clinton for the week.
Hindsight is always 20/20, right? Now we see the big picture. The home we bought is less expensive (great considering #3), it's on a great culdesac (less traffic, great for the kids), the lot is almost an acre (treed and private in the back...great for our soon to be little explorers).
Anyway...I had always heard that moving is one of the most stressful things in a marriage. I never understood that considering we moved every year of the first five years of our marriage including the cross country trek to NY and never dealt with any tension or stress as a result. That statement can be clearly defined to mean; "selling a house and moving to a new house" not apartment hopping. Children also add a new element. We aren't there yet! With the way this past week has gone, we are prepared for anything! Keep us in your prayers! :)
UPDATE: God's hand a work again...McBride Homes (the company constructing the home we had a contigent contract on) at first refused to let us out of our contract. They essentially said we had to move forward with the purchase and close on the home or pay 0.2% of the purchase price per day until we either closed or someone else purchased the home. After pleading our case and ultimatley contacting a real estate attorney..they had a change of heart and just released us! They are NOT known for being merciful. What a miracle! God is so good!
Playing in the rain on the deck prior to heading to Fouth of July festivities...we had a tough time getting him back inside!
All of the great grandchildren.
Great Grandpa Votaw & Nick
Great Grandma Votaw & Nick
Aunt Glenda, Nicholas and Snickers
Here are a few pics from the Lake of the Ozarks....we celebrated sister Katie's engagement to Mark Mueller at his lake house this past weekend. Mark comes from a VERY LARGE family and many flew in from all over the country(over 50 in attendance). They are all extremely nice people and we are SO excited for them both!
Jonathan & cousin Daniel
Jonathan & Daddy
The monkeys! 
"Yeah, don't expect me to stay seated for long!"
Little Nick's first trip to the zoo...he slept 90% of the time.
The elephants
Mommy & Nick...like I said, he slept 90% of the time.
as not quite sunk in yet...I'm not even sure when the baby arrives that we will have accepted the idea. Not quite part of our master plan, but as Jason said, this little soul sure is in a hurry to get here! Sometimes our plans aren't God's plans.
Jonathan and cousin Daniel are already having some summer fun. Can't keep these two inside!
Grandma (Gaga) and Aunt Katie came up for some shopping and spent a little time with Jonathan and Nicholas.
I turned my head for a moment to tend to Nicholas and I see that Jonathan has moved many of my kitchen utensils to the back deck! He is indeed an outdoor boy. He's already signed up for some gymnastics this summer so we hope we have some great afternoon naps coming our way.
Nicholas with his Aunt Katie!
Nicholas doing a little tummy time...which he clearly doesn't like. He was screaming just moments after this picture was taken!
Nicholas ...just loves to sit up and watch his big brother. He just had his 4 month appointment and he is a little guy for his age, just 12lbs. He's begun rice cereal and has really taken to it. His warm, sweet smile could melt the glaciers of the Arctic Circle! 
Not the best picture, but this was taken at Sydney's 2nd Birthday party last weekend. Jonathan was obsessed with the balloons...insisting he take his afternoon nap with them. 
May's First Friday crew at the Whaley's (which was a week early). The kids were entertained watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (Cosette, Jackson and Jonathan)
