Gratitude

House hunting has pretty much been the pits.  After finding out that the third application we turned in was competing with 13 others potential renters we entertained the idea of buying a home instead.  But buying doesn't seem to be the best financial decision for us right now. We have turned in 5 applications so far. For 2, we were the second applicant and the first took the house, 1 didn't want to rent to a self-employed guy, and 2 are still trying to choose a renter. So if we are renting from a property management company we just have to be the first to qualify, which happens REALLY quickly. And if we are renting from an individual we have to be the best applicant of many. A self-employed guy with 4 children just isn't on the top of that list.

So needless to say I have been a bit depressed. And obsessed with checking the listings online and driving around our desired neighborhoods and our less than desired neighborhoods looking for rental signs. We have looked at 15 homes just in the last 2 days. All of my obsession isn't really helping and is making me more depressed so I decided I need to focus on the good things in my life. 

Like this handsome boy that I get to wake up to in the morning. My girls are sleeping with their cousins but my boys are sharing a room with us in my brother's basement. We are getting lots of close family time. I am grateful that my children are handling all this upheaval really well. We have bounced back and forth from my Aunt and Uncle's home and my brother's home with minimal freak outs on the children's part. We have no routine but they are getting good at going with the flow. That is a blessing. 

I am going to focus on what I do have instead of what I don't. 

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." -Brian Tracy