Finally!

We finally have a place to live in London! Sorry for the lack of posting but we have been busy looking for a place and the lack of a home was getting my down such that I didn't feel up to posting (they would have been depressing anyway so you wouldn't have wanted to read them). But now we have a place so I am happy again and ready to tell you all about it.

It turns out that our budget really limited our options. Add to that the fact that we really do need two bedrooms and we are looking for a place for only three months and would like it to be accessible by public transportation and the list just got smaller. A lot of places were listed with agents but they would only do a 6-month lease or more. Then it seemed like anything we found that looked good turned out to be a scam.

Then on Sunday (my birthday, Happy Birthday to me!) we looked at two places. One was just south of the river Thames and the other one was way out in the south east. The first one, the owner picked us up and drove us there then took us home. He was a nice Irish guy and the place was great. It's a basement flat but there's lots of light with a private garden. We loved it.

The second one was hard to get to. The best way is by the National Rail Line but unfortunately we started going the long way of getting there then the trains weren't running because they were doing construction on the line (they're doing that a lot on all of the lines here) so we had to take the bus. But then we missed our stop so we had to get off, cross the street and take the bus back. We finally made it after traveling for an hour and a half. As we were walking up to the place from the bus stop I mentioned that we shouldn't let the horrid journey influence our opinion of the place itself. It is also very nice. The area doesn't feel like the city at all (probably because it isn't really in the city) and it too has a garden although it's more like a paved area with a shed but the gardens around it are lovely.

As we were returning home, we were trying to decide which one we wanted. Before we left India, Jason gave me a blessing and in it he said that I would know the place that would be right for us. I thought about that a lot as we were looking at the two places and I didn't really know. Then as we were on the bus I started thinking about the places and their neighborhoods and decided on the one closer to the city. That one really seemed like the right place for us. So that night we called the guy and said we wanted it and then emailed the girl about the other one and said no.

On Monday, we went to meet the guy to sign the lease and as we were looking at it, the rent was higher than we were expecting or could afford. Apparently we had misunderstood him on the phone when we asked how much it was. Plus, while we were able to talk him into the short lease, we would have had to pay for four months even though we were only going to be there for three. With the fourth month, we were only barely going to be able to afford it at the lower amount. Sadly, we had to walk away.

The walk back to where we are staying was so sad. While I was sad to loose the flat that seemed so perfect, mostly I was sad because I had apparently mis-read the promptings of the Spirit. While we were at church the day before (we went to church and although we arrived late and left early it was wonderful) I realized how I had drifted away from the Lord while we were in India. Sure we had church on our own and kept up with our scripture reading and prayers but even so, I had drifted.

So while we were thinking what to do next I carefully re-examined how I felt while I was in the two flats. While we were looking at the one that was too expensive, I remembered thinking it was very nice but was worried about the cost. Then in the second one, I remembered thinking it too was nice and I liked it but wasn't sure because the other one was so nice. It wasn't until we were on the bus that I had chosen. So with those thoughts and no other leads, we contacted the girl again and said we wanted it after all. She was really great about it and we moved ahead. So now we are set up to sign the lease and pay the deposite tomorrow and we can move in tomorrow at 5 (she did suggest waiting until Saturday but we said no).

Again I feel so happy that we have a more permanent place to be and am excited to move in and make it feel like home. Jason is a little apprehensive about the commute but I think it will be ok, he'll just get into a rhythm. Plus, I think we all need for Anna to have her own room again so we can all sleep better.