So I followed the manual recipe for white bread (used 1-1/2 cups of water) and added 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. It actually turned out really good!
In doing a little research online (I like to be prepared) it was suggested that when making an offer significantly below asking price, or making an offer that is "take it or leave it" (both such as our offer) that sometimes it can help to send a "letter to the seller" with the offer. So I wrote one up. Technically I had written one up several weeks ago, but then scrapped the idea. So I pulled up the document, reworded some, removed a few things, added some more stuff. What remains is a single page of heartfelt information on our family, why we love this property, and a few ideas we have for the property (gardening, photographing wildlife, setting up bird houses, feeders, and bat houses, and putting in a small orchard).
As of tomorrow morning when Tony signs the paperwork, all we have left to do is pray they accept the offer. It's been on the market for a long time, it does need repairs, but our best offer is still below market value, as well as below asking price. That said, with spring upon us, I'm worried there may be competing offers. Probably a silly fear since it's been on the market so long. In the meantime I will continue to pray hard, and work on packing our belongings into boxes.
To be honest, I really feel like crying. I can't say I've never wanted anything more; when you face a child in the hospital on the verge of death - buying a house fails in comparison. If you take the health and safety of my kids out of the equation, this is the single most important thing I've wanted in my life. It's heartbreaking that the reality of living the dream and being turned down comes down to financial ability and someone else's opinion of you when you've never met them before. I guess this is where people say "Let go and let God." I'm not overly religious, but in times of need, I do rely strongly on prayer and faith. I've done everything I can to tip the odds in my favor. I've written a letter to the seller, put my heart on my sleeve, we've worked hard to get our finances in order, and I'm trying to make the fundraiser work. Now I just need to sit back and wait for whatever happens to happen. Good or bad, I'm fully committed.