Email #2

Not long ago I copied an email that I sent to our family and friends while right after we returned from San Francisco...here is the second in the series.

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Hello Family & Friends

God is awesome! Wanted to share what has happened over the past couple of days...

House update:
We sold the house, finally! We couldn't understand why it took so long, but it is easy to see when we look back now. Here is the story of how God worked in it all...

The Designer's Dad works with a man who knows of two different people that have babies with Spina Bifida. The man gave him the name and number of one lady who had the inutero surgery so that I could contact her (this was prior to us going to San Francisco). I tried calling her several times, but always to no avail. I had to leave messages. It was the night before we left for CA and I was desperate to speak to her so I called one last time. Although her answering machine picked up, she cut in and finally we were able to speak. I quickly learned that she did NOT have the inutero surgery and was a bit disappointed at first because I had already spoken to people who did not have the fetal surgery. I was hoping for info from the other.

Ironically she lives in Holland, MI (for those that are here in CO, that is the neighboring city of where I grew up). She was telling me about her adorable 7 month old son and how well he is doing with his advancements. When I told her I was calling from Denver, she was amazed that I had her number. She had no idea how I could have gotten it. She then went on to say that her brother was getting married at the end of June and the two of them were moving out to Denver in July or August. Jokingly I suggested they buy our house. The conversation went on for a while and then we hung up.

About 15 minutes later her brother called and we talked for a long time. I gave him some advice on living in Denver and places to go and so on. He asked about the house, I gave him the website and MLS# and the call was ended. (Side note: The reason they were moving to Denver was so his so-to-be wife could attend CU for an architectural degree, which is the degree The Designer had just graduated from there with- small world!)

The next morning we were off to San Francisco. We were in the taxi and I called The Designer's mom for info on something and I told her about my conversation with the guy moving to Denver. She suggested that if we stayed in CA (remember, we weren't sure if we would be staying or leaving!), she should invite this man and his fiance to drive out with them to move the rest of our stuff and then they could see the house. She called him to suggest it and he said he had already been in contact with his bank because he really liked what he saw on the website.

On Friday we were walking down the halls to our appointment to learn if we would have fetal surgery or post natal surgery and me cell rang. It was the guys' dad calling me. He said that the son was too busy with the wedding and wanted to know if it would be ok for him to fly out to see the house on Wed. or Thurs. This man is the father of the lady I originally spoke with, so he knew exactly what we were going through with our baby and was very compassionate and understanding. I told him that was fine, he could come to see our house, and we would let him know whether we would be there or if he would have to let himself in using the lock box.

Fast forward to Thursday morning. This man flew in Wed. night and was at our house Thurs. morning to see it. He was very excited about the house, the neighborhood, and the possibility of his children living here. He asked me lots of relative questions, looked the house over thoroughly and then took video to show the family. He was here for about an hour. He said he would talk to us by the weekend probably.

Fast forward to Sunday. I was taking a nap on the couch and the do started barking and the doorbell rang. I got up and there was a realtor standing on the front step. She had clients she wanted to take through the house (has she never heard of a phone before???) I told her the house was not completely cleaned and that I would need a few minutes to get the dog outside. She was ok with that. The people loved the house and wanted to make an offer contingent on the sale of their home. I told the realtor I would have to speak with The Designer (who has been Chicago for a conference this entire time!) and let her know back by the evening or early the next morning.

I called the people in Michigan and told them that I was not rushing the, but that there was another offer on the table and I wanted to give them an opportunity before I even considered the other offer. They were just about ready to talk about the house as a family. I received a call back about an hour later and they said they wanted the house definitely!!! So, we are in the process of getting it official. They want to move in Aug. 1 and I was planning to move on July 21, so that works perfectly. God is so in control!

The Designer's Job:
Quick update here...The Designer was made an offer at *** Architectural Firm. That is the firm that he really liked best of all of the firms he interviewed at. They didn't really have a position for him, but they created one and want to work with him in the area that he is interested, which is educational facilities. They have excellent benefits, which include 100% insurance for the entire family starting on the first day of employment. God is so awesome!

Baby:
I went to the dr. on Friday just for a regular checkup (as if I didn't have enough last week in CA!) She is measuring fine and moving all around. I think she knows when I am excited because she moves around a lot more too! We are tentatively scheduled for a flight to CA on Sept. 6 with a possible c-section on Tuesday, Sept. 7. They have to do an amnio to check her lungs and if she is ready, they will take her that afternoon. If her lungs aren't ready, they will wait for a week and then take her. I think it is going to feel like a long summer waiting on her arrival!!! Regardless of the day she is born, she will have her back surgery the next day. They will have to watch the hydrocephalus (fluid on her brain) for a few days to see if that drains naturally, and if not, they will then insert a shunt. There is a high chance that she will need a shunt, but we are praying that she will not!

Prayer requests:
1) Continued good news about the baby at dr.'s visits. Healthy delivery. Easy surgery. No shunt.
2) The Designer will make a solid decision about his job opportunity. He has a couple of other possible opportunities that he is waiting on for a few days before he makes his final decision about *** firm.
3) That the house sale goes smooth.

Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers. I am sure you can see how your (and our) prayers have been answered over the past few days after reading this letter. We know that miracles can happen and if we all continue to pray we could have even more amazement (and miracles) when our baby is born.

Love to you all- The Designer & The Professor

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I wanted to add that at the time I wrote this letter, we didn't know one more interesting fact. The people that ended up buying our house actually are The Designer's shirttail relatives. His biological father's wife is the aunt to the guy that bought our house. Actually, The Designer and the guy who bought our house used to play when they were children! Small world, indeed.