Moving Adventures. Part Tres.

So, we got the keys to our new house on Friday. Saturday morning began the process of packing up the cars and driving over a few trunk loads. The house had been for sale for five months and also vacant. Not that it wasn't a clean house, but not clean to my specifications and we all know that as the new residents we would clean differently than someone else.

Like I had stated before, the owner of the house has been amazing. We're actually working with a property management company that has also been great about allowing us what we need to get the house up to snuff. The owner was also willing to give us a substantial credit to do the work ourselves -- clean up the place top to bottom, paint a few rooms, mow the back yard, which I'll add was almost tall enough to reach Leo's hip. That sorta thing.

By mid-morning I was up to my elbows in rubber gloves and scrubbing the kitchen down when I noticed an older gentleman in the garage speaking to Leo. No introduction, no extension of his hand, simply the statement that this neighborhood doesn't "allow" renters, followed by the words "don't get too comfortable here." Something about HOA by-laws and people who got grandfathered in and him wanting to know who leased us the house, on and on. Come to find out, this guy was a "neighbor" who had gotten wind of us being renters.

Stunned, I just stood there. My head spinning, not sure if I should yell at the guy to get out of our garage or just break down and cry, as he said all this in front of three of our kids, who just stood there with blank looks on their faces, wondering what was going on.

I promptly went in to the house to call the property management company and thankfully, got our agent on the first try. The owner, a very smart man, which I had never doubted, retained a variance from the HOA the week before they listed the property for lease, getting approval for him to lease his property.

Approximately five minutes later the man returned to the front door to tell us "we were safe." In five minutes time he had phoned the president of the neighborhood HOA and our property management company, then I watched him walk over to the neighbors across the street, which I suspect was to fill them in on our situation. I mean, talk about a nice, big, warm welcome to the neighborhood. It was unreal. It still sorta leaves a nauseous feeling in my stomach.

As I type this I can almost hear my mother saying to me, don't let it take up rent in your brain, which I don't plan to do. I'm going to take the whole situation and use it for something better. May be my children are just what that neighborhood needs, a little joy. I will try and hold my tongue and be kind. I will work on thinking before I speak. I will ask the Lord for the patience and guidance I need, cause Lord knows, I think I'm gonna need it.