Hi, umm, could we please buy your farmhouse?

I mentioned it a few months ago in this post about our amazing realtor, but as many of you know, Josh and I are sort of always in 'house hunting mode.'

Last week marked the third time we've offered on a house in 2017. It was also the third time our precious offer has been straight up rejected.

Let me tell you...we are not good at this. It is just too much of an emotional roller coaster. One minute I'm calling our plumber to talk about septic systems and discussing our budget and fixtures and a possible farm sink install (DYING) and the next minute those farmhouse dreams are crushed with a small text from Tami that says, 'They rejected, I'll call you in a minute.'

 I'll be honest...it's always very hard to keep my thoughts all 'business' when we're in this process. I see white board and batten siding and our Christmas tree in the front window and matching rockers on the front porch and I'm done for. I'VE LIVED FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS WITH THIS CURSE. Josh starts talking about our renovation budget and dollar signs and paint colors race through my head as I work from the basement organizing how we will store our totes, all the way through the house until I'm up in the attic planning the cutest bunk room you can imagine. It will obviously be all white shiplap. There will also be a cowhide rug.

All we want is a beautiful farmhouse to raise our babies and grow our business and entertain the crap out of our friends and fam. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!

 We went 2/2 on offering and buying our Ames house and our first rental acreage. When we offered on a cute farmhouse this spring, it literally didn't even occur to us that the owners might say no. We figured there would be some negotiating, but all signs and circumstances pointed to this being our new place!

Until it wasn't.

And I wrote the sweetest letters to all of these sellers in hopes that our precious dreams would translate into an overly-emotional response on their part...causing them to sign our initial offer through tear-filled eyes, giving us everything we asked for because they were suddenly in love with a family they didn't even know. I know I'm being irrational and insane, I KNOW OK.

You now know that 3/3 times I've written a beautiful letter like this, it obviously didn't work. But I am so proud of the writing in these letters,  I just felt like sharing them.

Here's the first one, written on February 22nd, and promptly rejected the following day (we actually know these sellers, hence the references to our shared belief in God directing these plans/decisions...just so you know I wasn't totally weirding them out).


Thanks so much for letting us take a look at your home months before officially listing it for sale. I doubt any of us believe in 'coincidences' and while navigating this process we have felt nothing but open doors. The perfect location and school district...a timeline we all agree on...significantly closer to our connection group and Josh's family...a price range we believe is responsible...just a great second home for us and our growing family. Not to mention it's the charming farmhouse I've spent the past seven years only dreaming about.

We've felt 'stuck' in our current house for a little while, but were unsure what our next right step should be...your acreage sort of just found us! That's been the theme for both of our home purchases up to this point and it's one of the ways we believe God directs us in decisions like this. Truth be told, Josh and I have looked at acreages off and on for the past three years and while we've struggled to find true contentment at our Ames house, we've also really struggled to agree on anything that we feel is the perfect fit for our business AND our babies. I think God has taught us a lot about patience and how to grow in contentment for the many things he has blessed us with, thought that hasn't meant living on an acreage up to this point.

I can't tell you how many times we've driven down HWY 69 and dreamt about living on one of the pretty acreages that line the road between Ames and Ankeny...and your home has been at the top of the list of homes we've point to time after time. This is just another way we believe God has directed us, even while endlessly researching acreages and trusting Him with our dreams over the past seven years.

I see subway tile for the kitchen backsplash...buffalo plaid twin beds for Maverick's sleepovers in the attic upstairs...and a dining room filled with friends and family at Thanksgiving. We want to use this home to bless others with our hospitality, as we've used our home in Ames. We need a place to take that next step as we grow our family and grow our business...and we believe your acreage is the perfect place for that.

Josh and Mollie (and Maverick) Boersma

Maybe I'll share the other two letters I wrote, maybe I won't? What I can tell you is that they are equal parts dramatic + shameless and as I already said...they didn't work. It's kind of like pouring salt in the wounds here, but it's fine, we're fine, EVERYTHING IS FINE.

MmB