I'm up at 4am. Can't sleep. Too excited. Will blog more here. Going to see Pope Benedict XVI today!!!
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I'll be praying for you and all your intentions.
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We are so blessed.
April 20, 2008
My First Visit to NYC!
April 15, 2008
What would you do?
We saw a house on Sunday. Honestly, after we drove past on Saturday evening, we really were thinking it needed to blow our socks off inside when we saw it. It didn't knock our socks off, but there were definite positives. Perhaps you can tell me if we're making a good decision? Or just affirm us? OR just tell me I'm flippin' crazy and we should keep looking.
Pros__________________________________ Cons
~it's close enough that we ~~~~~~~~~~~~~It's on a city block
can walk places: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~cars parked on the street
library, post office, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~postage stamp size lawn
restaurants, even a friend's house~~~~~~~~have to cross a big road to get
~Old house, with great old features ~~~~~~~to where we want to go
hardwoods, woodburning fireplace ~~~~~~~~Not nearly as nice a
~attic bedroom for the girls - no ~~~~~~~~neighborhood as the one we're
looking at their mess - also, no need ~~~~~~in now (older/city block, as
for guests to see their mess ~~~~~~~~~~~~opposed to newish suburbia)
~cheaper rent, so maybe we could~~~~~~~~~basement is only partially
get out of debt?!? Plus, build a decent ~~~~~~~finished
savings account?!? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~can't park in the garage
~similar space for entertaining, though ~~~~guests would have to park on
the dining room is awesome, compared to ~~~street
now ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~really, not nearly as nice a
~space in basement rec room for drums, ~~~~house as where we are now
with additional space for tv, video games, ~~~mostly because age (88 yrs)
craft bar with storage cabinets, etc. ~~~~~~~~smallish kitchen
~possibly will be managed by our current ~~~~~small bedrooms
property manager, so no need to come up with
additional monies up front ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~some of our bedroom
~newly refinished kitchen and ~~~~~~~~~~~furniture may not go up the
downstairs bathroom ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~narrow stairs or fit in rooms
~no need to pay lawn service
~cute landscaping with flagstones, etc. ~~~~~not a lot of natural light in
~owners love the neighborhood and ~~~~~~~~~some of the rooms
plan to move back, plus there ~~~~~~~~~~~~~no master bath - all
seem to be kids nearby ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~bedrooms share one bath
~big closets, and lots of 'em
~office and sun porch/deck on same floor as bedrooms
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I guess in some ways, we are being a little snobby in thinking it's not such a great house. It is a fine house and the owners have clearly done some really nice things with it (it was built as upstairs/downstairs apartments). But, we have lived in some really really nice houses (this one and the last 2). This feels a little like a step backwards, but maybe we should have been saving more before and living in some lesser places before? I think in some ways, we both feel like our egos are going to take a hit by moving into the city.
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On the other hand, it will be nice to be able to walk places, as opposed to being belted into the car everywhere - maybe we'll save some money on gas? Plus, it seems like there's a neighborly spirit that doesn't exist in our part of suburbia - the owner said they intentionally park in the street to create pinch points so cars can't drive fast through the neighborhood, thus providing a little safety for the kids. Even though I thought it was annoying there were so many cars in the street, I really can see their point.
April 13, 2008
Whirlwind
This weekend has been joyously busy. We started with our usual time with Jesus on Friday evening from 5-6. Then, we headed to our young friends' current home for dinner and hanging out. They are fun - funny, smart and about exactly where we were 5 years ago. Their children are almost 2 and almost 6 months. We leave there thinking, how on earth do that deal with that every day? And then we realized we did that, too. It was just long enough in our past that we've completely glazed it over. Anyway, it was an enjoyable night filled with lots of wine.
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Saturday, a high school friend of my husband's came for lunch with her husband. (We've stayed in touch with her these past 9 or so years and visit with her if we all happen to be in Florida visiting our parents at the same time.) They live on the Virginia side outside of DC and since she has a high-powered job as a lobbyist and we are ridiculously busy, it's been hard to meet up since we moved here last year. It was a stunning day, so we enjoyed sitting on the deck and enjoying our lunch in the fresh air and sunshine.
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Also, we are suburbanites. We belong to a gourmet supper club that gets together once per month and that was Saturday evening. So, yay! More wine! Fantastic, really.
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And today, we began the long process that will hopefully result in a streamlined basement. Oh, and then we went to see a house before heading to evening church.
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The house? It's got pluses and minuses. We are at a stalemate - how do we make a decision when we are not on the same page? This is really the first time this has happened in more than 8 years. So, seriously, how do we solve this?
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I'll try to write more tomorrow about the house and list its pros and cons for you, perhaps you can offer some suggestions.
April 09, 2008
You have GOT to be kidding me
You know what happens when I open my mouth? Pretty much any time I say something with some amount of relief, I am knocked back on my heels. Remember me telling about the conversation with my brother and how lucky we've been not to get sick this year? And then within two days, I had a vomiting kid and then a week later, I was sick with a fever and then it hit my husband....
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Well, I was marveling to a friend the other day that at the end of this month, we will have been in this home for longer than we've been anywhere in the past 5 years. 15 months. In one home. It's something we took for granted before, but man, it's been really nice not to move in the past year. And we were looking at the prospect of not even moving for at least another year from now. Which, frankly, would be awesome.
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And yesterday, I got a call from our property manager.
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And we have to move this summer. The homeowners are returning to the States and will be moving back into their house. That means we are in a pickle. Should my husband apply for the job in Orlando? Initially, we'd dismissed that idea since we really feel God has things for us to accomplish here before we're to move again. Plus, the job in Orlando is with a company that doesn't have a lot of upward-mobility opportunities for Husband. It would just be a job to get us to Florida, at least closer to our family there.
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But then, I think about my brothers and the rest of my family in Ohio. I don't want to be so far away from them again so soon, when we're just getting to really know one another again, along with sharing my family with my family of origin. Also, there's a good possibility that my husband's sister will be moving to the Cleveland area (from Los Angeles) and she's expecting her first baby this fall...
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Not to mention, our friends and the homeschooling support that we have here... And our activities and responsibilities to our church community here...
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I keep thinking we'll be staying here, maybe even a bit selfishly - who wants to establish connections in a 5th city in as many years? But either way you slice this pie, we're moving this summer. Please pray that we get as much help as we need (I still can't lift anything and my shoulders are about in the worst shape ever) and that we find the home that God has in mind for us - and that we know it is the right one.
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I'll try to write more often, but I can't promise anything - I've got to start packing. Again.
April 04, 2008
Spring Insomnia
I can't sleep. I could dismiss it and play it off like it's no big deal. But this week..... Well, this week has not been the kindest week to me in past years. Although, 6 years ago this week, I was blessed beyond measure with the birth of my second daughter.
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I can't believe she's six already. To top it off, she lost her first tooth today. Which reminds me.... We totally forgot about the tooth fairy. Funny, how we're entering an era and one of Nino's is leaving it. Live blogging, folks, as I was typing this post, I ran to play tooth fairy. I even flitted a bit. For those of you who know me in person, you'll know just how awkward that was. Six.... I'm floored.
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So, this week... why is it a bummer for me every year, in spite of the joyous occasion of Silly Sally's birthday? Well, 4 years ago, this happened. Go ahead and read it, then come back. You'll want to read that post and the next one to get all that I'd written about it.
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So, yeah. Crappy week. I'll be back next week.
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God Bless You.
April 02, 2008
Prayers
Please pray, especially tonight, for Tricia. She is in surgery right now to have a double lung transplant.
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What a wonderful gift on Nathan's birthday!
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God Bless them all - Tricia and Nathan and Baby Gwyneth, the doctors, the donor's family...
Name: Holly
Location: Free State, USA
"Celebrate we will/'cause life is short but sweet for certain..."
Location: Free State, USA
"Celebrate we will/'cause life is short but sweet for certain..."
Amy - Against the Grain
Arwen Elizabeth
Imperio
Jen - Searching for Me
Julia - Here be Hippogriffs
Kelly - The Woman Wonders
Linda - Indigo Girl
MP - Chick Chat
Megan - Charm Bracelet
Mercy Me
Nino - Cease, cows, life is short!
Rebekah - Boundary Lines
Sandi - Mom of 2 Boys
Shannon - Rocks in My Dryer
Sue - Living Upside Down, Down Under
Other blogs I read:
Laid-Off Dad
PostSecret
The Shape of a Mother
Sweet Juniper
My Homeschool Experiences
There's Grace in the Little Way
If you'd like your link included on my blog,
please let me know!
Take my button & link to me!Arwen Elizabeth
Imperio
Jen - Searching for Me
Julia - Here be Hippogriffs
Kelly - The Woman Wonders
Linda - Indigo Girl
MP - Chick Chat
Megan - Charm Bracelet
Mercy Me
Nino - Cease, cows, life is short!
Rebekah - Boundary Lines
Sandi - Mom of 2 Boys
Shannon - Rocks in My Dryer
Sue - Living Upside Down, Down Under
Other blogs I read:
Laid-Off Dad
PostSecret
The Shape of a Mother
Sweet Juniper
My Homeschool Experiences
There's Grace in the Little Way
If you'd like your link included on my blog,
please let me know!
COMING SOON!
