Thankful Thursday

1.  My mother-in-law, Pam, whose birthday is today.  She's always there to lend a helping hand or a listening ear, but never in a "so helpful it's unhelpful" way.  With all the mother-in-laws jokes and stories I've heard over the years, I realize how very, very blessed I am to have such a great one!

2.  Strong grandparents.  My grandfather fell ill again and was put back in the hospital and then rehab a couple of weeks ago.  Yesterday, he was well enough to be sent home.  David's Grandmother has also had major health issues the past week.  Yesterday she underwent open heart surgery that entailed two valve replacements and a by-pass.  The doctors said it was quite a complicated surgery, especially for someone her age.  She has a long road of recovery ahead of her, but so far, she's doing well all things considered.  Pray both of them continue to heal well!

3.  A new contract.  After nearly a month and over a dozen showings, we're under contract again on our house.  What's more, our prospect house is still available!  By the end of the weekend, we hope to be under contract on it.  We are feeling every emotion you can imagine about this situation:  skeptical, hesitant, hopeful, excited, nervous, etc.  I will say that without a doubt, though, we realize that no matter what happens this go-round, we are going to be just fine.  Our prayer is for God's will to be done and for His best for us to take precedent, whatever that may be.  Stay tuned!

4.  David being home.  He was in Norway last week and Wyoming the first part of this week.  It's the first he's traveled since June, so we're thankful for that, but boy are back-to-back weeks tough.  I lined up plenty of help and play dates and we mustered through, but I am extremely grateful he's home with nothing else on his itinerary at the moment!

5.  Family movie nights.  For the past month or so, we've started a little tradition on Sunday afternoons. After nap time, we hit the pool with the kids, then come home to bathe them, order pizza, and watch a movie together.  (Or at least, David and I trade off watching a movie with Audrey while the other plays or walks around with Luke.)  Her first movie was Cinderella, then we watched Winnie-the-Pooh, Curious George, Toy Story, and It's a Bug's Life (she only made it through about half of that one.)  We've had to fast forward through several "scary" parts in each one and I think we're going to dial it back to Veggie Tales for the next couple of weeks, because the last two have been a bit too mature for her.  But, we have really enjoyed having the time together and it certainly ends the weekend on a fun note. 

Prayers for our house situation, a restful Labor Day weekend, and a great first day of preschool for AJ, please!!!  More updates to follow on all that and more, plus a recap of August and new pics coming soon, so check back next week.  


    

Happy 6 Months, Baby Boy!

Today is Luke's 6 month "birthday".  How on earth is he already six months old?  I am thrilled that he's growing like a weed and doing so well, but part of me is also really, really sad because I know he's my last baby and it's gone/going by so quickly.  

Here's a little peek at what our big boy is into these days:

• He started rice cereal at four months and then this past weekend we began feeding him baby food.  His first was sweet potatoes and then he had peas.  He likes them both and didn't even make a face at the taste of the peas!

• He is sitting up on his own, but still props on his belly a good bit when he does.  

• He can roll over both ways, but hardly ever does (as in, I think he's done it a grand total of about 5 times.)  I'm a little concerned about this and will bring it up at his next check-up in few weeks, but I think he's honestly just content to lay on his back or tummy or to sit up.

• His hand coordination is getting really good.  And, as is the standard for babies his age, what goes into his hands immediately goes into his mouth.  We have frequent talks with Audrey about things we need to make sure are out of his reach!

• He is an incredibly content baby.  Of course he fusses when he's tired or wants to be held, but 99% of the time, he'll stop as soon as I pick up him.  He rarely ever cries if he's in my arms and just loves sitting there taking the world in.

• He is still on his reflux medicine, but it seems the past week or so the spit-up has finally started to decrease.  We may try to wean him off of it after this round and see if he's finally outgrowing it now that we've started solid foods.

• No teeth yet, but I can tell he's working on them!  Lots of drool and gumming things.  

• He still loves his pacifier.  I try to put him down without it at night, but at some point (usually at several points) he wakes up and I have to go pop it in his mouth.  Not sure how to fix this issues. I guess the solution would be letting him cry it out until he can learn to either find it himself or use his thumb.  Right now I'm just not willing to do that for fear of him waking Audrey, so for the time being, I get up between 1 and 4 times a night just to reinsert a paci and then once to feed him.  

• He loves peek-a-boo and being tickled, both of which produce the most adorable giggles and grin you've ever heard and seen.  

• He wears size 4 diapers and is in 9 - 12 month clothes.  I haven't weighed him lately, but I think he has to be at least 20lbs by now and will be moving into a bigger car sear in the very near future!

• He adores his sister and the feeling is mutual.  It melts me to watch her love on him or see him grin at her.  I pray they have a wonderful relationship as they grow up together!  

And here's a look at his schedule these days:

Sometimes between 4:00am - 5:00am - Wakes to eat and goes back to sleep

Sometime between 6:45am - 7:15am - Wakes and nurses

7:45am - has 3 tablespoons of rice cereal mixed w/ breastmilk (soon to be mixed with fruit)

8:30am - 9:15am -I shower while he's in his bouncy seat, then playtime.  We usually read and/or he plays in the exersaucer

9:15am - 10:30am - Morning nap.  I finish getting myself and Audrey dressed, do laundry, and get the house ready in case of a showing.

10:30am - Nurses and I get him dressed

11:00am - 1:00pm - Play date or errands, us girls eat lunch

1:00pm - Nurses while Audrey plays

1:30 - 3:30 - Afternoon naps for both kids. (AJ goes down around 1:45 or 2 until 3:30)

3:30 - Nurses while Audrey eats a snack and I read to her

4:00 - 6:00 - play time, errands, chores, cook dinner, etc.

6:00 - Nurses, then eats a veggie and 3 tablespoons of rice cereal.  Dinner for all of us around 6:30

7:00 - 8:00 - play time, bath time.

8:15 - family bedtime story, devotion, and prayers.  Nurses then goes down for the night.

So that's Little Man's schedule these days.  Of course, it varies and we're flexible (waaaay more so than we were with AJ!)  At least two days a week, we head out around 9:30 to meet for a play date somewhere and he naps for 20-30 minutes in the car then. And occasionally he'll catnap here and there, especially if we're at home around 5:30.  He enjoys a good 15-20 minute pre-dinner snooze in my arms and frankly, I love it too.  I plan on dropping a nursing session in the next week or two and restructuring his eating times a bit, but just haven't had the time or patience to mix up anything in our world right now!

I love seeing his laid-back, sweet-as-pie personality develop.  He gets dragged around by two strong-willed females all day and just goes with the flow.  Guess he thinks we're worth putting up with, just like his Daddy does.  It'll only be by the grace of God if I don't make this kid a complete Mama's boy.  :)

Happy 6 months, Lukey.  We love you!

Thankful Thursday and a House Update

Boy, has it been a week.  To sum up what has been an extremely heartbreaking ordeal, here is the email I sent to family and friends on Tuesday night:

Hey Y'all,

Welp, the worst thing that can happen to a home seller happened today - just days away from the closing table we learned that our buyer failed to qualify for the loan.  Apparently there is a semi-new rule that has to do with tax returns and reaching qualified income level for several years in a row, and in 2011 our buyer claimed an $18,000 loss on an internet start-up, which dropped him well below where he needed to be.  Though he pre-qualified and was pre-approved, some of this stuff just doesn't get flushed out until the final underwriting stage, which is why we got this far thinking everything was going to go smoothly.  Their agent has been working feverishly all day trying to come up with an alternative either through that lender or another.  Apparently there isn't a solution to be found.  

So, back to square one we go.  The house will be listed again by Friday.

Devastated seems too strong a word, but disappointed is too weak.  We realize this is not life or death, of course.  We have our health, David has a job, we are not desperate to get Audrey out of a horrible school (yet).  BUT, we also had 2/3 of our stuff packed in boxes.  We've lost the peak season.  And, let's not forget that we're under contract on a home we love and the clock is ticking there.  We could lose it if we don't find a buyer soon.  Not to mention we have no idea what to do about Audrey's preschool and where to start her now.

On top of all that, we have to get this place ready to show again...and fast.  Instead of packing the final things, I spent today hauling boxes to the garage to try and make the place presentable again.  Tonight, I rehung pictures in the kitchen in an attempt to add some life and ambiance back.  Not at all what I expected to be doing and incredibly frustrating to say the least.    

Do we know God has a plan?  Yes.  Do we trust He wants the best for us?  Yes.  Do we understand why we've had nothing but smooth sailing and green lights and door after door opened only to have it all fall apart here at the very end?  NOT AT ALL.  But, one of my favorite quotes by Max Lucado sums it up very well:  "God owes no one anything. No reasons. No explanations. Nothing. If He gave them, we couldn't understand them. God is God. He knows what He is doing. When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." - Max Lucado

So tonight, we're trusting His heart.  Crying and moping and pitching a holy fit (all three of which I've done quite a bit of today) isn't going to get us anywhere.  We're gonna pick up and move on and, hopefully, have a new offer by next week.  :)

Thank you for your support and prayers up to this point and we ask that you please continue them.  We'll keep you posted.

Love,

David and Heather (and Audrey and Luke)

So there you have it.  I've heard all the cliches:  "It's all gonna work out", "When God closes one door, He opens a window", etc.  Truly, the best thing I've heard from several friends and family is something to the effect of:  "Hey, that really sucks.  I'm so sorry and I'm praying for you."  

The house is on the market again and we have been crazy busy trying to get it show-ready.  Now all we need is a qualified buyer to make a great offer within the next two weeks, at most.  No problem, right?

Really, we're doing okay today.  As I said in the email, moping and crying and pitching fits isn't going to help a thing, so we're moving on.  In an effort to focus on the blessings in our life instead of this crazy fiasco, here is a TT list (first one in quite a while!):

1.  A visit from my Mom.  She's been in Maryland taking care of her parents since the end of June, but came over today.  We had a great time and a delicious lunch and it was great to see her.

2.  Our realtor.  He's a christian guy who has years of experience and it's wonderful to have him in our corner, especially this last week.  If you're in our area and in need of an agent, please let me know.  

3.  The show The Closer.  David and I have watched it for years and its series finale is next Monday.  We'll miss Chief Deputy Brenda Lee Johnson! 

4.  Cooler temps.  We played outside before AND after dinner tonight.  Thank the Lord and hurry up, Fall!

5.  Good customer service.  In this case, I'm referring to a recent trip to Kohl's where I bought a rug.  It rang up the wrong price and when I told the lady, she said, "No problem!" and simply put in the price I told her the sign said.  Then, shooting for the moon, I asked if I could use a coupon that expired the day before.  Her reply was "Absolutely!"  Wow.  Now if they would just quit being so pushy about their credit cards, they'd be perfect!   

Have a great weekend and keep praying for us, please!  We'll keep you posted.

Picasa Gallery Updated

As promised, new pictures are up - and lots of them!  Check out the Picasa Gallery for new albums from June, Audrey's birthday party, 4th of July, and July.

Enjoy!

June/July/LIFE Lately Recap

Wow, it's been almost a month since I've updated.  I'm pretty sure that's a record.  The truth is, it's not because I've been busy.  I mean, I have.  What with two kids and a move and all.  But not busy enough to warrant a month away.  The truth is that I just haven't felt like writing.  Because by writing, that would mean I would have to formulate my feelings into thoughts and put those thoughts into words.  And frankly, I've just been too jumbled up to do that.  Good or bad, the thing about two kids and a move is that you stay just busy and distracted enough to not have to process stuff.


But, that "stuff" eventually catches up to you.  So, before I snap on somebody like I did two weeks ago with the gutter cleaning man and last week with the Comcast rep, or like I shamefully find myself doing entirely too frequently with my three year old, I thought it best to take some time and sort through the past two...or three...or four...or five months.


Our life has been a whirlwind since Luke was born:  his birth, Easter, co-hosting a bridal shower, my dad getting married, illness, Mother's Day, a 5K, David's birthday, day trips, a beach trip, another family wedding, listing our house for sale and the million subsequent showings, Father's Day, shopping for a new house, Audrey's birthday and party, swim lessons, David's trip to Norway, our anniversary, doctor's appointments, play dates, my grandfather falling ill, and on and on it has seemed to go.


Some days I feel like I'm falling apart.  But you don't get to do that when you're a mom.  There is no time to fall apart with little ones depending on you.  Especially not when you also have a house to keep spotless for showings, and then later, begin packing for moving.  I tell myself I will schedule a nervous breakdown for late August 2017, after both kids are in school full time...if only I can make it that long.  At times, especially right now when we have no idea when we're moving or where we're moving (more on that later), it's doubtful I'll make it through the end of this year without someone hauling me off in a straight jacket.  Isolation and a room with padded walls sounds kinda nice right now.  I bet it's soooooo quiet.


So, how DO I feel about what our life has entailed since February?  Mostly great.  90% of everything we've undergone have been good, God-given blessings.  But it's still a lot of change for this Type A personality.  If I had my way, most of the events would've been spread out over a matter of years so we could have just focused on getting used to parenting two kids.  Instead, I find myself doing double-takes at Luke and thinking, "when did you get here?"  Then he grins his dimpled grin and my heart melts and I am so very glad he is here and that he is who he is:  a laid-back, sweet, precious baby who doesn't ask for much besides milk (and lots of it) and a snuggle.


The best way I've learned to cope is just to keep doing the next right thing. Whether that means playing with the kids or packing a box or cooking dinner.  I just have to try hard not to accidentally cook the kids or pack up dinner.  It's a minute-by-minute tactic, but it works.  As does praying.  A lot.  My kids are healthy, my husband loves me, and my God is still God.  He is on His throne and overseeing every hectic detail of my life and working it out for my best.  Oh, how that relieves me.  Until the next wave of "overwhelmedness" hits me.  Vicious cycle, isn't it?


Even though I've already recapped a lot of the past two months a few paragraphs above, I'll go ahead and try to list out a couple of highlights here for June and July.  


Of course the biggest two things that took place in June were our trip to Florida for Katie and Cameron's wedding and then Audrey's third birthday and party (see separate posts for more details on those events.)  Audrey also began swim lessons with her friend Audrey and was coached by my sweet friend Kara.  It was such a neat thing to watch as she conquered her fears and gained confidence and skill in something in such a short amount of time.  Though we obviously don't let her go in the water alone at her age, she is swimming quite well and loves it so much!  During that same time, we got a contract on our home and celebrated Father's Day by driving around and looking for houses.  We closed the month with a great doctor's appointment for both kids.  At four months, Luke was 18lbs 9oz and 26.5" long, which put him in the 89th percentile for height and 95th for weight.  To keep up with those fat rolls, he started rice cereal two days shy of 4 months on Audrey's birthday.  Audrey also got a great doctor's report and of course kept them all entertained with her chattiness and vocabulary.  


We started off July celebrating the 4th at my Dad's with my brothers and their families.  It was nice to see everyone without having to "share" them with other birthday party guests, as we've had to do at the last couple of gatherings.  On the 4th we went to David's Great Aunt Joy's for his annual family reunion.  Audrey showed off her new swimming skills and Luke had everyone going mushy over him.  That same week, I weaned Luke down from two night feedings to one (finally!) and he rolled over from his stomach to his back once (and only once more since.)  Later that month, David had his first out-of-town trip (Norway) since Luke was born.  It was a tough week, but I lined up a ton of help and play dates, especially in the evenings.  Though we missed him terribly, we survived with the help of friends and family.  We also endured the never-ending barrage of paperwork, phone calls, inspections, repairs, etc. that come with selling and buying a home.  (Again, I'll delve into that in a separate post.)  We had several fun play dates with friends, visited David's Granny Joy and swam in her pool, met up with dear friends for lunch, and took a meal to another set of sweet friends and got to meet their new twins.  Then, the last week of the month, David had to work like a dog with customers in town and put in nearly 75 hours in 6 days.  Suddenly it was the 31st, and we were celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary.  It was normal day without much fanfare since we'd gone on a lunch date the weekend before, but we did celebrate with the four of us eating at Waffle House that night.


So, that's a very brief synopsis of what has been a very busy two months.  I'm not sure I did much in the way of processing and putting feelings onto "paper" about all that's been going on, but sometimes just writing it all out helps me tremendously.  I'll try to catch up on the photo gallery later this weekend and will post an update when I do.  Also, as mentioned, I really want to get the house selling details down soon, so check back for that as well.  Hopefully I'll be more on top of writing now that I feel a bit caught up - literally and emotionally.  Of course, if you don't hear from me again for awhile it means we're either in the throws of a move or that you need to come visit me in the local asylum.  Just be sure to bring some chocolate chip cookies when you come and help me out of the straight jacket so I can enjoy them, would ya?  :)