Don't Be Homeless...

We've graduated.  

Now what?

Find a place to live.

The Tuesday after Memorial Day we packed up Blue Berry and drove to Houston with the intentions of meeting up with a landlord to look at one of her available homes.  After an hour into our drive, Benjamin called the lady to touch base and was told that the house was no longer available.  A few minutes of silence in the car, some prayers for guidance and we were mentally ready to start afresh in our search. 

Our search excluded anything on the North side of town because it would be a commute for Benjamin and we grew up on the North side.  We want to experience something different.  Our search ended when we found a cute home in Pearland.  Yup.  Pearland.  While some folks might have been put off by the bright yellow and turquoise walls in the pictures, we were drawn to it.  Without even seeing it yet, those photos reminded us of home!  We called the listing relator and drove down to see it the same day we stumbled across it.  

We were a little early for our appointment and Benjamin wanted to show me that Pearland wasn't the space of nothingness that I remember it being.  It was one of the places that I was not excited about possibly living.  However, less than 5 miles from the house that captured our attention is the Pearland Town Center.  The stores and restaurants remind me of what we have close to us here in Allen.  I think that Benjamin was trying to convince me with the nearby Which Wich, Freebirds, Macy's, Hallmark, Target, etc...

Walking through the house it seemed very familiar.  The layout is similar to what we have in Allen with the addition of an extra living or dining space.  Being new to the home leasing game, we learned that we couldn't just write a check and call it ours.  In the two days of the house being up to rent, 16 people had visited and there were a few applications already submitted.  We inquired about the application process and it seemed straight forward.  Expect for the part where they wanted proof of employment via pay stubs...  I resigned from PFS almost two months ago!  Benjamin and I decided to write a cover letter to accompany our application so that the owners knew that we weren't delinquents, that we were financially stable and that yes, I would be looking for employment once we were settled.  

The next day we went out with Jay the Relator to look at 11 more houses in the Pearland area.  In case we weren't the chosen ones we wanted to have another option or two.  Let me tell you we saw everything from the cute to the cruddy.  Some houses know how to keep up a lease property: fresh paint, good appliances, clean.  Others not so much: weird colored carpet, strange smells and mold.  Pass.  At the end of the morning we tried to put applications in on two other places but Jay insisted that we were the front runners on the house that captured our attention.  Fun fact: the cover letter was a hit!  We were told that the owners would be making a decision before the weekend.

And they did.

They chose us!  Praise Jesus!  Yesterday Benjamin and I were talking about how we are amazed at the perfect timing of our Lord.  I know that God wants us in Houston.  He has made that evident with placing Benjamin in the residency at UT Houston.  Our hearts desire to be used for His glory and we were open to where He wanted us to be. 

With "Don't Be Homeless" crossed off our list, we are now focusing on the next thing.  Doesn't there always seem to be a next thing?

cardboard house