Update about your fearless leader :)

[ChfBrianB]

Ok...  Here's the deal.  Lisa and I have been working hard, learning to deal with daily life again, and to some degree isolating from the things that we were dealing with in the past.  One of the things that has had me the most troubled is the loss of the CVX-20.  As many of you know, we sold that boat to get something more family friendly.  Now, family friendly is sort of an insult with the circumstances as they are.  It's been a bit depressing to realize that last year I had an awesome cvx, and now, I have a pile of parts in need of major restoration that is associated with negative memories.

I was doing pretty good for a few months.  Then, this last month, things started to get tough again.  I've been experiencing a bunch of negative emotions surrounding the adoption failure that have been rather unexpected.  I'm working on dealing with all of that.

Lisa and I lost a bucket of money in the process.  That's gone, but there isn't anything we can do about that.

We've decided that we would like to put our house up for sale.  We want to find a place with fresh potential and no baggage.  This house has been with us thru 4 failed pregnancies, and 2 failed adoptions. We are ready to be somewhere else.

Our problem (along with most everyone else) is that we are 40K underwater in our mortgage.  We've been doing everything that we can to bridge the gap so that we can put this great little house on the market.  It's a big challenge and our fun budget has gone way down.  At least I'm not paying for the gas in the 460.  

Anyway...  Everything is going to be ok.  I'm pretty humbled that you all have been concerned about me!  Thank you to everyone that has been thinking about us!

The August meet is ON!  It's going to be great!  I'm going to be asking for your assistance in some of the aspects of the planning and hospitality as I know that you ar all willing to step up!  Thanks for that!

There is the basics.  One day at a time as they say!  Feel free to shoot me an e-mail if you want to catch up!

Thanks again for your love and suport!

B&L

[OleRed]

Brian, you know you and Lisa have a Lot of support here, me and the Fox included, you and Lisa are, and have been special to us, and as for me, you been there for me when I needed a friend, and all of us have been there for you two in our prayers, and other means as well,  we share similar experience's ya know, we lost a daughter too, but just an hour after birth. the Fox will kill me if she knew I let that out, not something she want's to reflect on.  I probably should share this with you in private message, but here it is, we got to move on brother, leave the past in the past, don't let the past keep you from experiencing a productive future, you and Lisa are young, you got a good job,  a Dynamic couple, take care of business as means require, things will come together in God's plan, and just Think ... after 42 or 43 years you guy's will look as good as me and the Fox, have a pretty boat, be able to save up enough money to make a meet or two, meet people like you and Lisa, and many others, people like you and Lisa made some of that possible for us ... suck it up buddy, you know we love you two, come on down to Rathbun, you don't need a boat, you and Lisa can take mine out for a spin, and probably anyone else there will make the same offer.

[dorelse]

Brian/Lisa - Thanks so much for sharing.

You guys will get through this.  On the house.  I did read how the TC's were hit hard.  I'm with you about moving on and wanting a fresh start, so good luck!

Get that schedule posted for May!

[Jason]

Thanks for sharing Brian. Sorry for all the bad news. Red pretty much summed it up....... Keep looking forward, forget about the past, and start enjoying life again. You can't change the past. It is what it is. Just make the future better. I can see why you want to move too. Hard to forget the past when it keeps reminding itself for you.


Sounds like you need a boat ride! Wanna hit up a river tomorrow?

[WetRaider]

Brian -

My sympathies are with you.  Part of our reason in our moving from Texas was to free us from some "baggage" as well.  I can't imagine the hardships you're going through.  I wish you peace, for sure.

In regards to your house ... have you considered a short sale?  Basically, you ask the bank to "let you off the hook" for the deficiency when the house sells - the caveat is that they get to approve or reject the offers, not you. 

When we moved, we had to do it before our house sold.  It was on the market, and vacant.  We owed about $13,000 more than it was appraised for, thanks to a large handful of neighborhood foreclosures.  One day I got a call from an old neighbor telling me that someone just parked a car in our garage.  I called the San Antonio police and asked them to check it out ... turns out we had squatters.  Someone in the neighborhood was given their foreclosure and eviction notice and knew of ours being vacant.  They kicked in the back door, purchased new locks for the door, sold all our appliances, bathroom vanities, and some furnishings on Craigslist (we left the house sparsely furnished... things that wouldn't fit in the truck to make our move).  The house was littered with wine bottles and fast food wrappers - a total wreck.  Had the couple arrested and pulled out.  Our old church gathered up some volunteers to clean it up while we sat 1,000 miles away.  When all was done, we owed $38,000 more than the new appraisal ($25,000 hit because of the squatters).  We asked the bank for a short sale knowing we'd never be able to come up with the cash at closing.  They agreed and the house sold and closed 6 months after we moved.

We don't use credit for anything, except to purchase the house.  We were scared about being able to buy again with a short sale within the past year.  I was up-front with a local bank, we were willing and able to put some money down, they listened to the circumstances about the short sale and gave us our new loan.  We wound up with 4.75%, when we might have gotten lower without the short sale, but I'm not going to complain. 

[Jason]

Interesting story.

yea, banks are way better off selling the house while you still live there. Worth a lot more...

Doesn't hurt to call the bank and see what they say.

There are also government and private programs to help you out: http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx

[Hotwired]

My sympathies Brian and Lisa.  Times are anything but ideal.  I have had my own short falls this past year and am happy to have a nice home to live in and good friends to make me smile!  A fleet of boats (that sits on their trailers) to tinker with and enough of an income to keep food in the fridge.  I look around everyday and find there is a lot more good in this world than there is bad.  Unfortunately the bad is what stands out and makes the news!!

Hang in there my friends, It's Friday the 13th     Things will get better from here!