We're MOVING!

Greetings friends and family,

I struggle with the overuse of exclamation marks in today's FaceBook society. However, the news of our latest develop deserves a whole paragraph of exclamation marks. Please excuse my blatant disregard for grammatically correct punctuation as I share the excitement.

What a month so far for the 4Webbs... 7 weeks of travel followed by 2 weeks of Kendra's Mom (thank God), then Kendra's knee surgery and my Mom staying a week (Thank God). The very next week we expected things to level out into the normal, hum-drum life. Not a chance.

The 4Webbs are buying a home! After 4.5 years of renting, saving, researching, and praying the time has come for us to step back into home ownership. I would stay out for another 2+ years because Ben Bernanke is destroying our country like Satan's right hand man, but my Aunt Mary made us the offer of a lifetime in the exact week when interest rates are the lowest in 50 years.

Kendra and I described our dream house four years ago and we've been waiting patiently, prayerfully for the right timing and situation. This is what we asked God to provide:

Must have:
1 story
5 - 10 minutes from freeway
Built since 1990
2200+ sq. ft.
2+ bath
3+ car garage
4+ bedrooms
Not the most expensive or largest home in the subdivision.
Local fire department / schools
location in one of two zip codes

Desires:
Pool
Hot tub
Stucco with tile roof
Split floor plan
Large Patio
Desert landscaping
10 minutes or less to grocery store
less than 30 minutes to major airport
less than 15 minutes to work
Large tile or wood flooring (bedrooms can be carpet)
Automatic yard sprinkler system
Flat-top stove
Water softener or filter system
Storage space in garage
Backs to a green belt

Must NOT:
have A/C on roof
be located in flood zone or "health warning" areas
be close to railroad tracks or power lines
be close to or on a main road be close to stop sign
be within .25 miles of a freeway

I believe in being specific with requests especially when it comes to hopes and dreams. Here is a picture of Easton and Layla standing in front of our new home which matches every single one of our requests to the letter and then some.


and here is a picture of the back yard from the wonderful greenbelt behind it.


These pictures were taken 6 MONTHS ago! The house belongs to my Aunt Mary who is graciously selling it to us at a price we can afford. This isn't just "A" house. it is "THE" house.

This is the house where I lived after moving from Missouri to Phoenix when I graduated college. This is the house where I interviewed by my manager (Mary's neighbor) and was hired into the same company I still work for today.

This is the backyard where I spent summers lounging by the pool overlooking the greenbelt.


This is the hot tub where I decided to move to Phoenix. On a clear, warm March evening I sat comfortably in the hot tub with Mary and Dave looking up at the stars. At the same time I talked with my Mom back in Missouri where she described the bitter cold and snow falling on the frozen ground. That's the moment I knew I would move to Phoenix after graduation. This is also the backyard where I slow danced with Kendra and asked her to be my wife.


This is the kitchen where Mary and Dave watched through the blinds as I proposed and then celebrated with flowers and the cake after she said, "yes".


I even have a short video clip of that memorable night.



This is the living room where we spent many Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings with family.


This is the porch where we spent countless evenings watching flight patterns for the jets landing at the downtown airport.


This is the driveway where I carefully drove Uncle Dave's hot rod in and out of the garage for his weekly run to get groceries, medication, and acceleration thrills.


This is the master bedroom where I spent virtually every Tuesday talking with Uncle Dave before and after going out for tacos.


This is the living room where Mary and Dave held Easton and Layla two days after they were born.


This is the pool where the last picture of Uncle Dave was taken before he passed away. The last time he ever saw daylight he spent it with me helping label the pool pumps so I know how to run it when he's gone.


And now, this is the home where I will raise my children. As I said, this is not just a house... It's THE house because of the long, amazing history I shared with Kendra and Mary and Dave. Timing is everything! The events of the past few days prove God's faithfulness and Mary's compassion for a second chance. We are locked in for a 4.125% rate on a home we could never afford otherwise. The loan officer said my loan is the lowest home purchase 30-year fixed rate he's ever given in his 30 years as a loan officer.

One last video clip gives a nauseous tour of the house as I attempted to round up everyone for some adventure back in 2002.



Kendra has been so patient and supportive of my real estate decisions. She trusted me to buy our first home and agreed to buy it without ever even seeing it. She trusted me to sell our home and move across the street into the rental even when everyone else was making fun of us. She trusted me to sit tight and wait year after year while not decorating the house like she wanted. My Dad always taught me to wait and be patient before making a decision. Those lessons guide my daily life more all the time. Now Kendra trusts me to make the most expensive purchase in our lifetime.

I'm having a hard time accepting the reality that not only are we buying a home after watching real estate lose 54% of its value, but we are able to buy the perfect home in the perfect location without taking on more debt than we can handle.

We plan to close on the house in seven weeks. Our new house is .7 miles away from where we live today, but we still have to pack just like we were driving 500 miles away. Mid-October will be here before we know it especially since we'll be packing and planning every spare second we get. :)

See you soon!