Today turned out to be a crazy day.
Russ woke up with a fever of about 101.8 and complaining of his neck hurting. We ate breakfast and dilly dallied around and he was still complaining. I usually don't worry about fevers or even complaining, but I know a sore neck and fever can be a sign of meningitis, so I called his doctor's office around 9. They had an opening at 9:40.
We rushed around, me washing my hair and such and the boys getting dressed. Russ was feeling achy and tired the whole time.
We got to the doctor's, got in and out quickly, and found out he has a sinus infection. From Russ' doctor's office, we went to Dr. Wright for my follow-up appointment. It was actually supposed to be yesterday, but when I got there (after leaving my kids with a friend), they had accidentally scheduled me for 9-21 of 09! I was about a year early... So we rescheduled to this morning.
We got there right on time and sat for about 30 minutes without my paper even being taken out of the slot where the nurses get it from. Russ was feeling terrible and at the end was starting to feel nauseated.
I got a call from a realtor that wanted to show the house at 11:30. At that time, it was 10:45 and when we rushed off for the doctor's, we had left the house in a bit of a mess. I went to the front desk to see how much longer and she said the doctor was with one patient and had one more in front of me. I told her I'd have to reschedule because I couldn't wait that long. Partly because Russ felt so terrible and partly because I needed to get home to pick up the house. And, besides, it had been their fault I was even there the second time (with kids this time, too) and I was going to have to wait another 30 minutes or so. Grrr.
So, I rescheduled for Monday, but I'm thinking I'm fine and I'm not going to go. My knee is fine, the culture came back showing no staff infection and I'm finishing up my antiobiotics. I'm also too irritated to return at this point. I know it wasn't intentional, just a serious of miscommunications, but still...
So, we rush home and I rush about like a mad woman picking up and making the kids' beds and such. About 5 minutes into my whirlwind cleaning, I hear Russ say, "I think I'm going to throw up..." We run him to the bathroom where he dry heaves because he hadn't had anything all day. Once we got some saltines and sprite into him, he felt tons better.
We got the house clean in record time, hopped back in the van and headed out about 10 minutes ahead of the time the realtor was scheduled for. Whew!
We went to get Russ' prescription and then headed to my mom's to let Russ rest before we had to go up to the church to get the new nursery/2's class ready for Promotion Sunday this Sunday.
Russ felt fine at this point and ate great. His fever also disappeared (without his medicine that I forgot and left at my mom's). We also had an extra one in tow because I had offered to watch Rebecca's little girl, Audrey, while she did some last minute packing and getting ready for their move tonight.
We got to the church around 1:15, put Audrey down for a nap and got the rooms all ready in about 2 hours.
On the way home, I stopped back at my mom's to get Russ' medicine and then we beat feet and boogied home where I collapsed on my oh, so clean livingroom floor.
Come to find out, the 2 hours that I was supposed to be out of the house were a waste of time because they didn't come until after those two hours. Luckily, I wasn't there anyway since we were at the church. But, still. Geez, what if I had been on my way home and had to turn around or something. Oh, well, maybe they'll like it enough to buy it. Then I won't be frustrated with them. :-)
Slade should be in the car, headed home right about now and that makes me very happy. We're going to take Audrey to get jammies and such and then bring her back here for bed until Matthew and Rebecca are at a stopping point and ready to come get her. She has been an absolute doll. She ate her dinner wonderfully, she's been playing with the boys perfectly and right now, they're all three on the couch, Russ reading a book to them.
Tomorrow, I plan on enjoying Slade being here, along with the pounding and banging of the workers putting our new roof on. :-) We also have someone coming to see the house around lunch time. I'm hoping one of these lookers decides to buy soon! :-)
Showing posts with label house hunt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house hunt. Show all posts
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
That bed's gonna feel so good...
Today was a busy day from start to finish.
I had a hair appointment at 8:00 (I discovered that 8:00 is a perfect time because I can shower and not do anything with my hair!). I just took the boys with me since it was so early and I figured no one else would probably even be there. I was right and the boys did wonderfully playing quietly with the cars they brought or just sitting and chatting with Kathryn and me. As always, Kathryn did a great job! She's a natural with hair.
Then we ran home to get Randall's breakfast (I had packed it to take to Kathryn's and then left it on the counter--oops!) and brush teeth before we went to the dentist for cleanings. Both boys did great and there were NO cavities this time! Yay!!!
Then we came home and hung out for a while, ate lunch, and packed up to go to Little Lion's. Mommy Lion had offered to watch Russ and Rand while I went looking at houses this afternoon with Wendy. I dropped them off at about 12:45 and headed off in her vehicle to meet our realtor. We traded vehicles because she and Daddy Lion took our kiddos to church tonight, where I picked them up and we traded back cars. Did you catch all that?
Wendy and I looked at about 7 houses, two of which were possibilities, one being a big possibility. In fact, one was a definite option, if Slade doesn't mind a farther drive to work. He's undecided... It was 4 bedroom and had a huge laundry room. Also a screened in back porch and woods beyond the fence. Slade'll go back with us and check it out and also time the route he'd take to work. So, we'll see.
I got home around 4 and threw Merrisa's Chicken Alfredo in the oven (saving her a trip home to cook it and a trip back to deliver it). Our small group was helping with dinner for a lady in our church that just lost her husband. A few people brought their food to me and I just took one trip to take it to her. While it was cooking, I listened to messages and there was a last-minute showing of our house planned for an hour and a half later and the timing worked out exactly perfectly. I took the Alfredo out of the oven, loaded up the car and headed out 10 minutes ahead of their appointment. And, the house smelled great for them. :-)
From there, I dropped off the food. Bettye's husband has been on our prayer list for quite a while with health issues, so her name was familiar, but I had never met her. She was very sweet and she and her family were very gracious and thankful for the food. God worked out the timing that I didn't even feel stressed with the extra stuff to do on an already busy day.
From there, I was headed to the church to help take care of the chilren of our children's church leaders so that they could have a meeting. That was a confusing sentence, wasn't it? But, I can't seem to reword it... Oh, well...
I had about half an hour until I needed to be there and I decided to head to Target. Then I reconsidered, since all I do at Target it spend money on unnecessary things, did a u-turn and decided to spend my money on something necessary instead--Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream. Ice cream tastes better when I can eat it in peace--without having to catch someone else's dribbles, remind someone to wipe their mouth on their napkin and not their shirt, or share a bite with anyone. It tasted delicious.
I got to church a few minutes early, helped with some set up and then the masses came. We had about 17-19 kids in the room with 3 workers. Mommy Lion arrived with my boys in tow and they joined the crowd. Everyone was very, very good; they were just loud. We took them outside to run off some energy and take up some time.
We got home around 9 and the kids were in bed around 9:15. They were both very tired. It was a busy day.
Tomorrow we have absolutely nothing planned. Aaaaahhh.
Thursday is Russ' Meet the Teacher, next Thursday is Randall's and next Monday, Russ starts 1st grade. I'm excited for him. I think it's going to be a great experience. I think pre-k will be a great experience for Randall, too. It's a little hard with Randall going because I catch myself worrying that the teachers will compare him to Russ (Randall will have the same teachers Russ did 2 years ago) and maybe not like him as much. Or maybe they'll compare them and like Rand better. Or maybe they'll be great teachers, not compare them or choose a favorite, and have a great year with Randall just like they did with Russ. I ought to focus on that more likely option, shouldn't I? :-)
And I will have Tuesdays and Thursdays all to myself. Oh, the luxury. I shall paint my toenails, eat bon bons, watch soap operas and hire someone to fan me all day long. Oh, the life of a mom with no children at home... Or I might be busy with MOPS, volunteering at Russ' school and filling in at Randall's school. Hopefully no one will notice the unpainted toenails...
Good night.
I had a hair appointment at 8:00 (I discovered that 8:00 is a perfect time because I can shower and not do anything with my hair!). I just took the boys with me since it was so early and I figured no one else would probably even be there. I was right and the boys did wonderfully playing quietly with the cars they brought or just sitting and chatting with Kathryn and me. As always, Kathryn did a great job! She's a natural with hair.
Then we ran home to get Randall's breakfast (I had packed it to take to Kathryn's and then left it on the counter--oops!) and brush teeth before we went to the dentist for cleanings. Both boys did great and there were NO cavities this time! Yay!!!
Then we came home and hung out for a while, ate lunch, and packed up to go to Little Lion's. Mommy Lion had offered to watch Russ and Rand while I went looking at houses this afternoon with Wendy. I dropped them off at about 12:45 and headed off in her vehicle to meet our realtor. We traded vehicles because she and Daddy Lion took our kiddos to church tonight, where I picked them up and we traded back cars. Did you catch all that?
Wendy and I looked at about 7 houses, two of which were possibilities, one being a big possibility. In fact, one was a definite option, if Slade doesn't mind a farther drive to work. He's undecided... It was 4 bedroom and had a huge laundry room. Also a screened in back porch and woods beyond the fence. Slade'll go back with us and check it out and also time the route he'd take to work. So, we'll see.
I got home around 4 and threw Merrisa's Chicken Alfredo in the oven (saving her a trip home to cook it and a trip back to deliver it). Our small group was helping with dinner for a lady in our church that just lost her husband. A few people brought their food to me and I just took one trip to take it to her. While it was cooking, I listened to messages and there was a last-minute showing of our house planned for an hour and a half later and the timing worked out exactly perfectly. I took the Alfredo out of the oven, loaded up the car and headed out 10 minutes ahead of their appointment. And, the house smelled great for them. :-)
From there, I dropped off the food. Bettye's husband has been on our prayer list for quite a while with health issues, so her name was familiar, but I had never met her. She was very sweet and she and her family were very gracious and thankful for the food. God worked out the timing that I didn't even feel stressed with the extra stuff to do on an already busy day.
From there, I was headed to the church to help take care of the chilren of our children's church leaders so that they could have a meeting. That was a confusing sentence, wasn't it? But, I can't seem to reword it... Oh, well...
I had about half an hour until I needed to be there and I decided to head to Target. Then I reconsidered, since all I do at Target it spend money on unnecessary things, did a u-turn and decided to spend my money on something necessary instead--Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream. Ice cream tastes better when I can eat it in peace--without having to catch someone else's dribbles, remind someone to wipe their mouth on their napkin and not their shirt, or share a bite with anyone. It tasted delicious.
I got to church a few minutes early, helped with some set up and then the masses came. We had about 17-19 kids in the room with 3 workers. Mommy Lion arrived with my boys in tow and they joined the crowd. Everyone was very, very good; they were just loud. We took them outside to run off some energy and take up some time.
We got home around 9 and the kids were in bed around 9:15. They were both very tired. It was a busy day.
Tomorrow we have absolutely nothing planned. Aaaaahhh.
Thursday is Russ' Meet the Teacher, next Thursday is Randall's and next Monday, Russ starts 1st grade. I'm excited for him. I think it's going to be a great experience. I think pre-k will be a great experience for Randall, too. It's a little hard with Randall going because I catch myself worrying that the teachers will compare him to Russ (Randall will have the same teachers Russ did 2 years ago) and maybe not like him as much. Or maybe they'll compare them and like Rand better. Or maybe they'll be great teachers, not compare them or choose a favorite, and have a great year with Randall just like they did with Russ. I ought to focus on that more likely option, shouldn't I? :-)
And I will have Tuesdays and Thursdays all to myself. Oh, the luxury. I shall paint my toenails, eat bon bons, watch soap operas and hire someone to fan me all day long. Oh, the life of a mom with no children at home... Or I might be busy with MOPS, volunteering at Russ' school and filling in at Randall's school. Hopefully no one will notice the unpainted toenails...
Good night.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
House Happenings
Well, Slade and I conferred over the phone last night, crunching numbers, and called our realtor this morning with a counter-offer.
Jerry (our realtor, it's a husband/wife team) called later and said that the other realtor hadn't informed him that the buyers weren't able to accept a counter-offer because that was the lowest they were able to go. Before I could even consider re-considering their offer, he was quick to say, "Don't even re-consider it. We'll get you a better price. Don't you worry."
He went on to say that out of all the listings he and Wendy currently have, our house is getting the most traffic from potential buyers. He said that there are a lot of people looking in the price range we're selling in and not to even consider going as low as they asked. He was very encouraging and helpful and I really appreciated it.
So, we keep waiting. It was nice to have an offer, even if it didn't work out. We had some people come by today, so maybe that'll go somewhere. If not, we'll just keep waiting.
We did get a call from the insurance adjustor that came out and looked at our roof and shed. He said that the insurance will cover the roof and the shed's roof, but not the patio. That's fine with us because we weren't planning on replacing the patio. We would've used that for something else--new tile in the Master Bath or something.
So, all we have to pay is our deductable, which is under $1000. And, with Slade being out of town, he gets paid a certain amount each day and it should just cover the amount of our deductable. Isn't God good?
If we don't sell, at least we'll have a nice, new roof. :-)
So, the waiting continues. As does the clean house. I will say it's nice to have it clean, it's just a pain to have to keep it clean when we're not here. But, we just never know when someone will want to come by when we're not there to pick up. The boys have continued to be huge helpers (often even without being asked) and have had great attitudes about the extra cleaning and picking up. They're good kids.
Okay, that's it for now.
Jerry (our realtor, it's a husband/wife team) called later and said that the other realtor hadn't informed him that the buyers weren't able to accept a counter-offer because that was the lowest they were able to go. Before I could even consider re-considering their offer, he was quick to say, "Don't even re-consider it. We'll get you a better price. Don't you worry."
He went on to say that out of all the listings he and Wendy currently have, our house is getting the most traffic from potential buyers. He said that there are a lot of people looking in the price range we're selling in and not to even consider going as low as they asked. He was very encouraging and helpful and I really appreciated it.
So, we keep waiting. It was nice to have an offer, even if it didn't work out. We had some people come by today, so maybe that'll go somewhere. If not, we'll just keep waiting.
We did get a call from the insurance adjustor that came out and looked at our roof and shed. He said that the insurance will cover the roof and the shed's roof, but not the patio. That's fine with us because we weren't planning on replacing the patio. We would've used that for something else--new tile in the Master Bath or something.
So, all we have to pay is our deductable, which is under $1000. And, with Slade being out of town, he gets paid a certain amount each day and it should just cover the amount of our deductable. Isn't God good?
If we don't sell, at least we'll have a nice, new roof. :-)
So, the waiting continues. As does the clean house. I will say it's nice to have it clean, it's just a pain to have to keep it clean when we're not here. But, we just never know when someone will want to come by when we're not there to pick up. The boys have continued to be huge helpers (often even without being asked) and have had great attitudes about the extra cleaning and picking up. They're good kids.
Okay, that's it for now.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Busy Bees!
Today was a busy day! We've had a few slow, quiet (boring) days, so today was quite welcome.
We had a swim party to celebrate the birthday of our missionary friends' daughter, Elise. The kids had a blast playing outside in small pools and jumping on the trampoline and then enjoyed a lunch of hotdogs, fruit and chips. Oh, yeah, and cake and ice cream. Everyone seemed to have fun.
From there, we headed to another friend's house so she and I could work on MOPS details (we start on September 9th!) and the kids could play. We were there for the whole afternoon and Russell, Randall and Little Lion played so, so well together the whole time! They wrestled, they played puppies, they played outside. They played.
Then Daddy and Mommy Lion had pity on me and invited us to stay for dinner. The kids were more than happy to continue the fun and I was happy to not have to cook. :-)
After that, we *were* going to head home, but the ice cream truck came through. I haven't gotten ice cream or snow cones from the ice cream man in years! The boys were so excited running down the driveway to greet him. Russell got a Ninja Turtle sherbet on a stick and Randall got the same in Pink Panther. Little Lion and Little Pumpkin got snow cones.
The weather was perfect and Christy and I chatted while the kids ate their desserts and drove around on the miniature riding lawnmower with trailer. They had a blast! They got hot, sweaty and then sticky. Life is good, right? :-)
In other news...
We got an offer on our house! Yay! Unfortunately, they offered $8K below our asking price. So, we'll counter-offer tomorrow and see if we move forward or not. It's a little scary waiting and wondering if we're losing our one and only offer... But, we know what we can accept and we just have to trust that God will either bring someone that wants to pay that or that it is in His will for us to stay here. Slade and I ran numbers (over the phone) tonight and came up with what we can afford to counter-offer. So, I'll update on that as I know more. It's exciting.
In more random news...
Tomorrow the kids and I were planning to go swimming (where has the summer gone?!), but instead I'll be heading to the doctor. I have a bite of some kind (I'm thinking spider) on my knee that I've had since at least last Friday and it's gotten so bad that today it is pretty miserable. At Christy's today, she was (wonderfully and I do appreciate it) bossy and called our friend's husband who is an ER doctor here in town. She e-mailed a picture of my knee to M (who I believe is a pharmacist) and F. F said it's not like I need to go to the ER tonight or anything, but I should definitely get to the doctor. And, Christy said she would call me to make sure I go tomorrow, so I'm going. My mom offered to watch the kids so I could go and was just as bossy as Christy. In all seriousness, I do appreciate their concern and encouragement (read--kick in the pants) to get to the doctor.
So, first thing tomorrow morning (after I let the bug people in), I'll be heading to the doctor. I'm a little nervous. When I was young, I had a tick bite that got infected and I had to have it lanced (drained). I remember it hurting badly and just crying. It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it. Hopefully, it will just be a case of taking antiobiotics. I can do that without crying. :-)
So, it's been a full day. I'm missing Slade and wishing he were here in case our counter-offer *is* accepted. And in case the bite on my knee ends up being a big deal. I don't think it is, but I don't want to underestimate the possibility of getting an infection in my blood. Slade and I chatted on the phone and that helped. And, I haven't felt jittery or jumpy in the evenings while he's been gone this time, so that's good. :-)
And, now, I'm tired. I'm off to read a few blogs and then head to bed. Happy Wednesday to all and to all a good night!
We had a swim party to celebrate the birthday of our missionary friends' daughter, Elise. The kids had a blast playing outside in small pools and jumping on the trampoline and then enjoyed a lunch of hotdogs, fruit and chips. Oh, yeah, and cake and ice cream. Everyone seemed to have fun.
From there, we headed to another friend's house so she and I could work on MOPS details (we start on September 9th!) and the kids could play. We were there for the whole afternoon and Russell, Randall and Little Lion played so, so well together the whole time! They wrestled, they played puppies, they played outside. They played.
Then Daddy and Mommy Lion had pity on me and invited us to stay for dinner. The kids were more than happy to continue the fun and I was happy to not have to cook. :-)
After that, we *were* going to head home, but the ice cream truck came through. I haven't gotten ice cream or snow cones from the ice cream man in years! The boys were so excited running down the driveway to greet him. Russell got a Ninja Turtle sherbet on a stick and Randall got the same in Pink Panther. Little Lion and Little Pumpkin got snow cones.
The weather was perfect and Christy and I chatted while the kids ate their desserts and drove around on the miniature riding lawnmower with trailer. They had a blast! They got hot, sweaty and then sticky. Life is good, right? :-)
In other news...
We got an offer on our house! Yay! Unfortunately, they offered $8K below our asking price. So, we'll counter-offer tomorrow and see if we move forward or not. It's a little scary waiting and wondering if we're losing our one and only offer... But, we know what we can accept and we just have to trust that God will either bring someone that wants to pay that or that it is in His will for us to stay here. Slade and I ran numbers (over the phone) tonight and came up with what we can afford to counter-offer. So, I'll update on that as I know more. It's exciting.
In more random news...
Tomorrow the kids and I were planning to go swimming (where has the summer gone?!), but instead I'll be heading to the doctor. I have a bite of some kind (I'm thinking spider) on my knee that I've had since at least last Friday and it's gotten so bad that today it is pretty miserable. At Christy's today, she was (wonderfully and I do appreciate it) bossy and called our friend's husband who is an ER doctor here in town. She e-mailed a picture of my knee to M (who I believe is a pharmacist) and F. F said it's not like I need to go to the ER tonight or anything, but I should definitely get to the doctor. And, Christy said she would call me to make sure I go tomorrow, so I'm going. My mom offered to watch the kids so I could go and was just as bossy as Christy. In all seriousness, I do appreciate their concern and encouragement (read--kick in the pants) to get to the doctor.
So, first thing tomorrow morning (after I let the bug people in), I'll be heading to the doctor. I'm a little nervous. When I was young, I had a tick bite that got infected and I had to have it lanced (drained). I remember it hurting badly and just crying. It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it. Hopefully, it will just be a case of taking antiobiotics. I can do that without crying. :-)
So, it's been a full day. I'm missing Slade and wishing he were here in case our counter-offer *is* accepted. And in case the bite on my knee ends up being a big deal. I don't think it is, but I don't want to underestimate the possibility of getting an infection in my blood. Slade and I chatted on the phone and that helped. And, I haven't felt jittery or jumpy in the evenings while he's been gone this time, so that's good. :-)
And, now, I'm tired. I'm off to read a few blogs and then head to bed. Happy Wednesday to all and to all a good night!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
A Bummer and a Yippee
When my mom used to work with the youth group, they would have a prayer request and praise time and she said everyone had to share one Yippee (the praise) and one Bummer (the prayer request). So, I have a Yippee and a Bummer to share.
The Bummer is that the house we really, really liked (I was already placing furniture in my head) now has a contract on it. Boo. I am very bummed. I have this fear that we will have to now live in a dumpy fixer-upper in order to get something in the same price range. I know, I'm quite the optomist, aren't I? But, I remember something my mom once said when I was in high school. I was dating a guy that I was frustrated with, but we'd been together so long I guess I got comfortable and didn't want to break up. And, I remember worrying, "What if no one else ever wants to date me and I lose my one chance? Or what if only weirdos ask me out?" Remember, I was in high school and a little immature... My mom said, "God won't show you the best and ask you to settle." That has been so true. God brought Slade into my life and he is exactly perfect for me. I trust that the same will be true with a house. It might not have all the same things that we liked about the first favorite, but I can trust that God sees the big picture and that it will be perfect for us. And, even if it's a dumpy fixer-upper, I trust that even that will be part of God's perfect plan.
So, there's the Bummer. But, God is good and I trust that He will work everything out according to His perfect will. I just have to wait and see.
The Yippee is that we had some friends over for dinner last night and had a blast! The Osterloos are headed off (after over a year of training) to be missionaries in Papua (is that how you spell that?). Their oldest daughter, Isabelle, is Russ' age and they've been in Sunday School together for years. They were in pre-school for a few months before they moved off to begin training and support raising. They have three girls--Isabelle (6), Elise (almost 4) and Ava (2). Zach and Mandy are lots of fun to talk with and we enjoyed dinner last night.
After we ate, we went outside and the kids ran and played and got hot and sweaty. So, then they all ran through the sprinkler to cool off. The girls went home in some of our old t-shirts and looked so cute. The kids had a blast and played together great.
I didn't take any pictures. Rats. But, we had fun and we look forward to staying in touch while they're on the field. They are a neat couple and I know they will bless others and be blessed in the process. We will miss them, but I'm glad for a chance to get to know them better and make neat memories.
The Bummer is that the house we really, really liked (I was already placing furniture in my head) now has a contract on it. Boo. I am very bummed. I have this fear that we will have to now live in a dumpy fixer-upper in order to get something in the same price range. I know, I'm quite the optomist, aren't I? But, I remember something my mom once said when I was in high school. I was dating a guy that I was frustrated with, but we'd been together so long I guess I got comfortable and didn't want to break up. And, I remember worrying, "What if no one else ever wants to date me and I lose my one chance? Or what if only weirdos ask me out?" Remember, I was in high school and a little immature... My mom said, "God won't show you the best and ask you to settle." That has been so true. God brought Slade into my life and he is exactly perfect for me. I trust that the same will be true with a house. It might not have all the same things that we liked about the first favorite, but I can trust that God sees the big picture and that it will be perfect for us. And, even if it's a dumpy fixer-upper, I trust that even that will be part of God's perfect plan.
So, there's the Bummer. But, God is good and I trust that He will work everything out according to His perfect will. I just have to wait and see.
The Yippee is that we had some friends over for dinner last night and had a blast! The Osterloos are headed off (after over a year of training) to be missionaries in Papua (is that how you spell that?). Their oldest daughter, Isabelle, is Russ' age and they've been in Sunday School together for years. They were in pre-school for a few months before they moved off to begin training and support raising. They have three girls--Isabelle (6), Elise (almost 4) and Ava (2). Zach and Mandy are lots of fun to talk with and we enjoyed dinner last night.
After we ate, we went outside and the kids ran and played and got hot and sweaty. So, then they all ran through the sprinkler to cool off. The girls went home in some of our old t-shirts and looked so cute. The kids had a blast and played together great.
I didn't take any pictures. Rats. But, we had fun and we look forward to staying in touch while they're on the field. They are a neat couple and I know they will bless others and be blessed in the process. We will miss them, but I'm glad for a chance to get to know them better and make neat memories.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Busy Day
Well, yesterday, we drove to Dallas to visit Sharie, Coleman, Aleah and Drayk. It was a surprisingly quick and easy drive there and took about 2 hours.
They are staying in a hotel near the hospital as Drayk recovers from his 3rd round of chemo. He should go in next week sometime for his 4th round.
We had a good time and spent most of the day in the hotel pool. We're all a little pink and very tired! Swimming takes a lot out of you!
The boys had a blast and were surprisingly easy-going about the whole day. They travelled well, they didn't mind getting bonked in the head or back or face by anyone (mainly Drayk) in the small hotel room and were happy with all the food options for the day. It went well.
The drive home began on a frustrating note because we were stuck in traffic from 7:15 to about 8:30 and went only about 15 miles. Once we passed the busy exit (is that normal for Dallas or was something going on?) we sped up and were on our way. We stopped around 8:45 for blizzards and a potty stop and got home around 10:30.
I'm glad we were able to go and that the timing worked out with Sharie, too. I often forget that she's still going through such a difficult time. Since it doesn't directly affect me, I don't think about it. Shame on me. I wouldn't want others to forget about me after the initial shock and sympathy wore off. So, I'm committing myself to doing better at following up after someone's gone through a difficult time.
The kids didn't really sleep in and we have Small Group at our house so we can't put them to bed early. I'm sure they'll be fine, though. Well, I'm off to pick up. We have someone coming to see the house before lunch. So far, we've had at least one person come each day it's been listed, so that's good, but still no offers. The house we like still hasn't sold, either, though. That's good.
They are staying in a hotel near the hospital as Drayk recovers from his 3rd round of chemo. He should go in next week sometime for his 4th round.
We had a good time and spent most of the day in the hotel pool. We're all a little pink and very tired! Swimming takes a lot out of you!
The boys had a blast and were surprisingly easy-going about the whole day. They travelled well, they didn't mind getting bonked in the head or back or face by anyone (mainly Drayk) in the small hotel room and were happy with all the food options for the day. It went well.
The drive home began on a frustrating note because we were stuck in traffic from 7:15 to about 8:30 and went only about 15 miles. Once we passed the busy exit (is that normal for Dallas or was something going on?) we sped up and were on our way. We stopped around 8:45 for blizzards and a potty stop and got home around 10:30.
I'm glad we were able to go and that the timing worked out with Sharie, too. I often forget that she's still going through such a difficult time. Since it doesn't directly affect me, I don't think about it. Shame on me. I wouldn't want others to forget about me after the initial shock and sympathy wore off. So, I'm committing myself to doing better at following up after someone's gone through a difficult time.
The kids didn't really sleep in and we have Small Group at our house so we can't put them to bed early. I'm sure they'll be fine, though. Well, I'm off to pick up. We have someone coming to see the house before lunch. So far, we've had at least one person come each day it's been listed, so that's good, but still no offers. The house we like still hasn't sold, either, though. That's good.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
House Pictures
Here are house pictures. I want them to remember the house by. :-) We've done a lot to the house to make it fit our style and it's been fun (looking back, not always at the time...).
I forgot to take a front yard picture, so I "stole" the one Wendy had taken. The house was a primary blue when we moved in. It was dark enough that when we decided to repaint, our painter had to do at least 2 coats of Kilz. He might have done three. It made it look bigger when we repainted. We also got gutters installed to help with some of the foundation problems. They have helped tremendously.
The kitchen. I wanted the area above the cabinets red (same color as the front door and shutters). It's bright, but I really like it. I usually have coffee-themed wooden tiles around the wall, but I took them down to cut down on the clutter. We replaced the ceiling fan (it was white) and the light fixture.
Livingroom. It's huge!
My green wall.
We've had the board over the brick thingy for a while now and I finally sanded and painted it. I love how it looks! We considered getting a flat-screen TV and mounting it above. Then we could put our DVD player and what not on the board.
The Guest Bathroom. It had a built-in vanity all along the wall where the pedestal sink is. There was seafoam green tile along the wall, about halfway up. The bathtub was the same seafoam green, too. When we decided to redo this bathroom, we were going to just leave the tub in because it was crazy heavy, but the day Christy's husband, Kyle, was working to get the peel and stick tile off, my neighbor's father was in town. So, the three of them managed to get the heavy tub out (as well as the difficult to remove peel and stick tile).
The Master Bathroom. When we first moved in, I wanted to paint this bathroom, so I started pulling off the wallpaper. It came off way too easily. Turns out there was a water leak in the stand up shower that had caused the wood to rot and mold. We didn't have any extra money, so that bathroom was closed up and not even looked at for months and months. Finally, we had saved up enough to redo it. A handyman friend gutted it and totally re-did it. Our only regret--linoleum instead of tile. Tile would have looked so good.
Master bedroom. We finally got new furniture (matching!) and it's all together... just in time to take it all apart and move it. Oh, well.
Guest bedroom. This is my craft room and the closet has the clothes of mine that don't fit in our closet (dressy, winter, etc).
Boys room. The blue, cream and light blue (ceiling) were there already with a great border that was perfect for boys. But, as they got older, I decided to give their room a theme and I chose sports. I found this border on eBay (where else, right?) and it matched perfectly.
The backyard is huge! It was pretty much just used for the dogs of the couple that we bought it from, so it was overgrown. Over the years, we've just slowly removed the overgrowth. We haven't really done much else (obviously), but it gives us lots of play room.
The swingset stays. Slade said it was not easy to get it apart or together to get it here and he's not sure it would survive a move. So, I hope a family with children get to enjoy it.
I doubt I'll scrapbook these pictures, but I want to have them for the memories.
Randall asked today if we had to move. I said we didn't have to, but we wanted more room and to get that, we needed to move. He asked if we had to leave all our stuff here. I guess it makes sense that the idea of moving would be totally foreign to him. So, I tried to explain that we get to take everything! He said, "Even the garage doors?!" Silly guy.
I forgot to take a front yard picture, so I "stole" the one Wendy had taken. The house was a primary blue when we moved in. It was dark enough that when we decided to repaint, our painter had to do at least 2 coats of Kilz. He might have done three. It made it look bigger when we repainted. We also got gutters installed to help with some of the foundation problems. They have helped tremendously.
The kitchen. I wanted the area above the cabinets red (same color as the front door and shutters). It's bright, but I really like it. I usually have coffee-themed wooden tiles around the wall, but I took them down to cut down on the clutter. We replaced the ceiling fan (it was white) and the light fixture.
Livingroom. It's huge!
My green wall.
We've had the board over the brick thingy for a while now and I finally sanded and painted it. I love how it looks! We considered getting a flat-screen TV and mounting it above. Then we could put our DVD player and what not on the board.
The Guest Bathroom. It had a built-in vanity all along the wall where the pedestal sink is. There was seafoam green tile along the wall, about halfway up. The bathtub was the same seafoam green, too. When we decided to redo this bathroom, we were going to just leave the tub in because it was crazy heavy, but the day Christy's husband, Kyle, was working to get the peel and stick tile off, my neighbor's father was in town. So, the three of them managed to get the heavy tub out (as well as the difficult to remove peel and stick tile).
The Master Bathroom. When we first moved in, I wanted to paint this bathroom, so I started pulling off the wallpaper. It came off way too easily. Turns out there was a water leak in the stand up shower that had caused the wood to rot and mold. We didn't have any extra money, so that bathroom was closed up and not even looked at for months and months. Finally, we had saved up enough to redo it. A handyman friend gutted it and totally re-did it. Our only regret--linoleum instead of tile. Tile would have looked so good.
Master bedroom. We finally got new furniture (matching!) and it's all together... just in time to take it all apart and move it. Oh, well.
Guest bedroom. This is my craft room and the closet has the clothes of mine that don't fit in our closet (dressy, winter, etc).
Boys room. The blue, cream and light blue (ceiling) were there already with a great border that was perfect for boys. But, as they got older, I decided to give their room a theme and I chose sports. I found this border on eBay (where else, right?) and it matched perfectly.
The backyard is huge! It was pretty much just used for the dogs of the couple that we bought it from, so it was overgrown. Over the years, we've just slowly removed the overgrowth. We haven't really done much else (obviously), but it gives us lots of play room.
The swingset stays. Slade said it was not easy to get it apart or together to get it here and he's not sure it would survive a move. So, I hope a family with children get to enjoy it.
I doubt I'll scrapbook these pictures, but I want to have them for the memories.
Randall asked today if we had to move. I said we didn't have to, but we wanted more room and to get that, we needed to move. He asked if we had to leave all our stuff here. I guess it makes sense that the idea of moving would be totally foreign to him. So, I tried to explain that we get to take everything! He said, "Even the garage doors?!" Silly guy.
The big day
Okay, so it's not really the big day, as in the biggest day of our lives or anything, but it is a big day. Our house goes on the market today. I have been so busy getting the house ready and so excited about the possibility of more room that I haven't slowed down and really thought about moving. There are a lot of things I'll miss about this house.
It is our first house to buy and where Randall was born. We've been here five years, so I've potty-trained both boys here. (Don't worry, the carpet has been cleaned numerous times *grin*) We've painted and updated, gutted bathrooms (I loved that process--watching the old get torn off and the new put in!), arranged and re-arranged furniture. We moved here with very little furniture and we'll move out with a whole lot more... How'd that happen?
I could go on and on, but I know I'll just sound sentimental and I'm sure everyone feels this way when they move. I know we'll make new memories in our new house (wherever that might be) and that we'll form relationships with our new neighbors (although I don't think it'll ever be as perfect as it has been being next to Brad and Allison). We'll paint, update and change our new house to fit us, just like we did here and then my style will change and we'll have to do it again...
I'm actually looking forward to packing. It's a form of organizing and I love organizing! I'm even looking forward to unpacking. I'm not, however, looking forward to the mess created by both. But, it's inevitable, so I'll just have to suck it up. Anyone got boxes?
Our prayer is that this house will go to someone who will appreciate the work we've put into it, but maybe see areas where they can add their own touch and taste to it. Maybe someone with a boy since we have a sports-themed room. *smile* Maybe someone who will like my green wall that I have enjoyed so much (although it makes a weird color for indoor pictures...). Someone that will forgive the odd brick thingy that you first see when you walk in the front door and will appreciate the pretty board on top that replaced the fake plants that the owners before us had in it.
Someone that will see the laundry closet that is located in the livingroom as a good thing, as I've come to see it. Someone that will enjoy the huge backyard that was a tangled, jungle-of-a-mess when we moved in and is now clean and (mostly) leveled.
Someone that will appreciate the "FAMILY" letters that I'm leaving in the hallway because taking them down will leave ugly spots. (I used foam dots to adhere the wooden letters to the wall.) Yikes.
So, now we wait. Our realtor thinks we should sell quickly because it's a great price with lots of updates. That makes us feel good, but we don't want to get our hopes up. My Bible study this morning was all about how God's goal for us is to be molded by Him during the process of whatever we're going through. Our goal is usually to get to the end, but His is for the process. So, my prayer is that I will be aware of Him and His plan as we wait for this house to sell and for our next house to become ours. Patience isn't always my strong point, but since this process is part of God's will for me, I want to be molded during it.
God is good and I look forward to seeing how all of this will turn out.
Oh, and feel free to come by and see the house!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Too Busy.
We are too busy. The summer is flying by at lightning speed and I don't think I'm accomplishing anything. I feel like I'm treading water and I'm getting tired and losing energy and starting to get water in my nose. I hate getting water in my nose.
Today was a full day with 2 hours at the pool, lunch with my mom, looking at 3 houses with our realtor (2--yuck!, 1--Ooooh!), about an hour of watching my niece and nephew before taking them home, back to the Ooooh! house so Slade could see it after work, dinner on the go, LifeWay and Target (Slade wanted to get little gifts to take when we go visit his family in a few days), home, throw the kids in bed, sit down... and breathe. Whew. It wore me out more just remembering it and typing it out.
I did really like one of the houses we looked at and it's in our price range. It's in the heart of Longview (a big plus to Slade), but still has a little over an acre! Everything is newly remodeled and move-in ready. The downer... Slade doesn't like the layout between the formal dining or living room and the family room and smaller dining room. It is a little awkward, but no more than some of the things we disliked about this house when we first bought it. You get used to it and it works. But, he's not sure he wants to get used to it. Boo. I was so sure he'd like it like I did! And, it's still a maybe because there's NOTHING else, in our price range, that I even halfway like! We could build, but there are so many cons to that... Oh, well, anywho...
Tomorrow should be slow and we're not going swimming. I don't think. Although the kids sure do like it. We still need to sign up at the library for the summer reading program. Somehow we're going to fit the reading in... Maybe when I figure out a way to remember to fit the piano practice in, too... Grrr. I hate ending the day feeling like I forgot more than I remembered.
Tomorrow night, Slade has a Trustee meeting at church, Wednesday night, I have a ladies' night out at Josie's house (I don't really know what to expect at the ladies' night out (Josie and Valerie seem to be acting secretive...), but I know it'll be a blast because I like all the ladies going!) and then we leave Thursday evening for Colorado. Whew.
Now, if I could just get Aimee to skip out on walking so I didn't have to go, either, I'd be good to go... Aimee, aren't you feeling sick or something?!
Today was a full day with 2 hours at the pool, lunch with my mom, looking at 3 houses with our realtor (2--yuck!, 1--Ooooh!), about an hour of watching my niece and nephew before taking them home, back to the Ooooh! house so Slade could see it after work, dinner on the go, LifeWay and Target (Slade wanted to get little gifts to take when we go visit his family in a few days), home, throw the kids in bed, sit down... and breathe. Whew. It wore me out more just remembering it and typing it out.
I did really like one of the houses we looked at and it's in our price range. It's in the heart of Longview (a big plus to Slade), but still has a little over an acre! Everything is newly remodeled and move-in ready. The downer... Slade doesn't like the layout between the formal dining or living room and the family room and smaller dining room. It is a little awkward, but no more than some of the things we disliked about this house when we first bought it. You get used to it and it works. But, he's not sure he wants to get used to it. Boo. I was so sure he'd like it like I did! And, it's still a maybe because there's NOTHING else, in our price range, that I even halfway like! We could build, but there are so many cons to that... Oh, well, anywho...
Tomorrow should be slow and we're not going swimming. I don't think. Although the kids sure do like it. We still need to sign up at the library for the summer reading program. Somehow we're going to fit the reading in... Maybe when I figure out a way to remember to fit the piano practice in, too... Grrr. I hate ending the day feeling like I forgot more than I remembered.
Tomorrow night, Slade has a Trustee meeting at church, Wednesday night, I have a ladies' night out at Josie's house (I don't really know what to expect at the ladies' night out (Josie and Valerie seem to be acting secretive...), but I know it'll be a blast because I like all the ladies going!) and then we leave Thursday evening for Colorado. Whew.
Now, if I could just get Aimee to skip out on walking so I didn't have to go, either, I'd be good to go... Aimee, aren't you feeling sick or something?!
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