Just out of our reach . .

Since our last post we have closed on both our homes - selling the one in SLC and purchasing the one here in St Petersburg and the kids have started school.

Oh how we would love to say we are settling in, making new friends and enjoying our new home . . .

As many of you know, the home tested positive for mold and had some water damage before we purchased it so we had arranged to have some money put in escrow from the seller and had contracted with a certified mold remediation company before we closed.

Work began on the house immediately after closing - we have had the heat pump and all the a/c venting replaced. We have also had all the old electrical updated and had the roof repaired (multiple times actually). We had new gutters installed around the majority of the home and had them tied into a french drain and had the yard graded to prevent water from running underneath the house. We also had a vapor barrier put underneath the crawl space and insulation sprayed underneath the house to seal the home from any further moisture damage or mold spores coming up from the ground underneath through the floors. We also had several (8+) HUGE weed trees taken down (along with the old fence that was "leaning" on them) which drop massive amounts of pollen and seeds 3-4 times a year.  The city has threatened to give us a plaque as they are so grateful to have them gone. =)

After all that was done, the mold remediation company (BRC) came in and took down all the old wallpaper, cut out portions of the ceilings and walls in rooms that had any signs of water damage, removed all the carpet and scrubbed the entire house from top to bottom to remove any signs of mold.
Dehumidifiers were brought in to absorb any excess moisture from the leaks then 3 large air scrubbing machines have been running in the house for nearly 5 days.

This past Tuesday, the inspector was given clearance to return to the home and take air samples - one in the house and one outside. He was thrilled with how clean the house was and confident they had done a great job, all we had to do was wait for test results.  Last night we got the test results and to everyone's surprise - the house is still testing positive for one type of mold, the toxic kind of course, in pretty much the same amount as was found initially.  The other, less dangerous types of mold are gone.

So - the inspector is coming back tonight to go through the home with a fine tooth comb and see if they can figure out where this colony of mold might be hiding.  So far, the amount of mold they are finding isn't excessively high, but it is high enough that it isn't safe to ignore.

Needless to say, we are really disappointed at the situation but grateful BRC and the inspector are coming back to give it another go around and especially grateful Tom's boss has been so patient and willing to let us invade her home while we wait for ours.

Our kids have been troopers - starting school again in limbo (this feels so familiar), sharing beds and sleeping on mattresses on the floor - but it is starting to take its toll. Tember has been sick this week and it looks like everyone else isn't doing well trying not to catch it from her.  Ben is really struggling with school, I have spoken with the school several times and have a meeting with the teacher finally next week, everyone is just really tired. Probably both physically and emotionally - it is hard to have some semblance of permanence or end to this craziness constantly out of reach. We are trying to remember we are lucky to have each other, but oh how we ache to settle down and feel like we belong somewhere again.

As soon as we know more, we will let you know - but as for now, we are still in limbo, still praying that the mold will show itself and we can get things taken care of and somehow, someday, settle in again.

Hopefully next time we will have access to the house and pictures too. We are well aware that there are many deserving of your prayers, but if you have the chance to throw us in there again, we would be so grateful. Take care - we miss you all
T&S & Fam