Paperwork Paperwork...deliver me from thee

So here we are on the cusp of mortgage loan modification.

When Joe lost his job at Merrill Lynch in January 2009, we took a huge financial hit. He held a position as an analyst for seven years. We both had steady income, paid our bills, went places and did things. We were on the corporate ladder with nothing but the beautiful sky above us. Then the clouds rolled in and rained all over our parade. I was on the phone, within the hour of Joey losing his job, with our mortgage company. That's what you are supposed to do....right? No good. A complete exercise in futility. We were not delinquent on our loan so they saw no immediate need. I phoned and phoned and phoned and phoned doing what I could to divert the imminent crisis. As expected, the day came where we had to choose between lights, groceries on the table, and paying the mortgage. Lights and food win every month.

We had purchased our first home, just minutes, NO JOKE...MINUTES, before the economy tanked. We had just celebrated the first year in our home. Then property values plummeted, unemployment was rising, and we became a statistic. I thought owning a home was fun and I would be spending my first year or so buying new furniture, painting and erasing any signs of the previous owners. Instead, I am busy trying to keep our home. If you want to make God laugh..tell him your plans. (quote from a country song, can't remember which one)

We are buried in paperwork. How many times do they need to know our current financial picture? Like every other swimmer in the statistic pool, nothing much has changed. Like most households (I assume), I, the wife, manage our money. I'm used to Joey being here to bounce things off of him and having him available when I need him. Not the case when he is sequestered in training for deployment. This is on the very long list of things I've had to learn to handle by myself. I do not like managing money.

I have yet another set of financial paperwork to fill out and submit. They want it faxed and mailed. Are they trying to catch me in a lie? You know.....when you have a suspect in custody, you ask them the same question, over and over, just reword it each time, to see if they slip up. Yeah, I am familiar with it, I have kids. Being a former USMC MP has prepared me for motherhood, minus the side arm.

Now we have received a demand package from an attorney. Apparently this is the first step in foreclosure. We love this house, the neighborhood and my teen-ager finally has friends. I called the attorney and the worker on the other end did acknowledge the foreclosure is on hold. I guess that could be the silver lining. Another silver lining..as long as he is deployed and on an active status, we can not be evicted. The sailors and servicemans act. Get to know it.

I fill out another set of documents and fax, snail mail, and carrier pigeon over more data. However, this time our financial picture has improved. Maybe this is what they are hoping for. Maybe, this is the submission that will land us that modification package to sign. I feel giddy just thinking about it. Then I go to the mail box, and there's an envelope from Wells Fargo. I am excited with anticipation. I open the envelope and my hearts falls to the pavement in front of the mailbox. It's paperwork, but not the kind I want. They want more data.

As I navigate the waters of the loan modification ocean, I am doing what I can to keep my family afloat. I refuse to let us drown. I will prevail. The economy may take victims, but not us. We will win this one....I have faith.