Thursday, September 19, 2013

This & That

Because I'm trying to blog once a week.....

:)

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I heard this song on the radio yesterday and the tears came quickly.  It made me think of this, on a Sunday in Ukraine. It brought me back to Kyiv in an instant.  The smell of engine exhaust and cigarette smoke trigger the same emotions.  I wish that were a joke.

:)

I've wondered before if the longing to go back every goes away.  Now, at almost 2 years home, I'm certain it won't.  We will always, always, always love Ukraine.  Always.

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I wish I had a tally of the amount of butts that Carter touches.  Or the number of times I've said "Oops - sorry!" to strangers as we're walking past them in the store.

Carter is a hand-runner.  He runs his hand along walls - shelves - clothing racks - and butts.  It's a sensory thing (for both parties, apparently...).  And right now, butts happen to be right at his level.

In parenting situations like this, I try to tell myself that it could be worse.  But in this situation.....??  Not really sure.  Most people don't really appreciate having little hands run along places that little hands should never be.

"Oops - sorry!"

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Some people have asked us if we're 'managing okay' in our current living arrangement.  This is funny to me.  Like people picture us in some dungeon-like basement with spiders and dust.

To prove to you that this is not the case, I've taken a panorama of our digs.

Unmade bed and all. The clothes laying on the floor are not mine.  Nor are they Carters. :)


I assure you - we're doing good.  The set up is pretty plush.  We are very, very comfortable here.

In fact, we've decided to stay.

Just kidding.

We put an offer in on a lot today.  We're sure it will be countered, but we're praying we'll have an agreement by this time next week.  Visions of cabinetry and faucets and carpeting are dancing in my head.  {Side note: how did people build houses pre-pinterest?!}

IF we have an agreement by this time next week, and IF there are no snags during the building process (Ha.  Laughable, right?), then we should be in our new house by Thanksgiving.

Give thanks :)

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Look what I found in the bag of potatoes last week.



I'm sorry for wasting your time.  I thought it was worth documenting, but not really facebook-worthy.  So I threw it in, here.

In case you're clueless, it's shaped like a heart.  You don't see it?  Oh.

Well then forget it.

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Carter got a haircut last week, and I'm telling you - even I have anxiety before his haircuts now.  His normal reaction is to scream, grab, push, try to get down.  He screams, and looks at me with eyes that say "Why are you doing this to me?".  It's pretty awful.

But.  Things are a-changin' for this boy.  Evidence:



I'd say he did pretty great.  He has reacted like this just one other time, and I was starting to think it was just a fluke.  I don't know what was different.  I prepared him beforehand the same way I always do.  The process was exactly the same.  The only change I can think of is that we've been doing daily hair-combing.  He HATED this at first, and would really fight it.  Now he's used to it and it doesn't bother him at all.

I don't know.  I don't care.  I'm just grateful.

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Next week I'm going to come and share some of Carter's favorite things - from educational apps to sensory stuff and everything in between!

For now - let's just pray that a miracle happens and our little old offer gets accepted.  Mmkay?

One Thing I Know For Sure: Crossing 'write a new blog' off my list for this week :)








Wednesday, September 11, 2013

We Moved.

So, a few weeks ago, we moved.

Like how I just blurted that out, like it's totally no big deal?  

My last update about our situation went something like this: We sold our house!  In 12 days!  But the house we wanted is no longer for sale!  Crud!  But it's okay!  Because we're going to build!  And we found a lot we like!  So we'll live with Jake's parents in the meantime!  But we sold our house!  In 12 days!
Carter, ipading in an empty house
So to recap - we moved all of our stuff into this pod on August 28th.  We had some helpers, and it went super quick.  Until we realized that we might not fit all of our stuff into this little container (which is supposed to be big enough for a large 3 bedroom home. We do not own a large 3 bedroom home).  

"Wait - all of this junk is supposed to fit in THERE?!"
It just didn't seem possible.  Jake and I sort of wanted to just shove it in and be done - but thankfully, we had 2 engineer brains.  Jesse and Pat went to town, and fit every stinkin' thing in that pod.  The inside looked like a puzzle.  It fit perfectly, and every thing we had fit inside!


We were amazed that these guys all came out to help - after a busy day at work.  We are so blessed to have these people in our lives!

Two happy helpers :)
What they don't realize is that when we move all of our stuff out of the pod and into the new house, they are required to come undo the puzzle.  And guess what?  By then, there will be snow.

The only thing worse than moving?  Moving when there's snow on the ground.

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So right now, I'm in the basement of Jake's parents house (by basement, I mean Uncle Ben's Bachelor Pad).  Carter is spread on the couch watching Mickey Mouse (a new favorite, heaven help me).  Jake is at work, along with MiMi and Ben, and Poppy is taking a nappy upstairs (Shh - don't tell him I published that on my blog!).  

Things are good.  It's different.  It's not our home.  But we're comfortable and happy.  Some days I count the minutes until our house is done, and other days I don't even think about it.

Then there are days where Jake and I have an argument.  In the basement of his parents house.  While his family is upstairs.

The only thing worse than having an argument?  Having one while your family is trying not to listen upstairs.

But we're blessed to be here.  It's good, I tell ya.

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Now what?  Good question, friend.  I wish I had an answer.  I don't.  The lot we originally wanted is so flippin' out of the question.  Boo for small towns having crazy fees.  And for not even feeling bad about it.  (Our builder said that $15,000 for hookups was outrageous.  Forget about the extra $10,000 to put a sewer stub. Out. Rage. Ous. Boo.)

We're looking for lots, still.  We're looking for a house, still.  And just waiting.  But also rushing.  Rushing while we wait.  Or something.

This is our life.

One Thing I Know For Sure: Anyone have a nice lot in the Village of Winneconne?


Tuesday, September 03, 2013

First Day!

Today, Carter had his first day of his second year of school :)

We were all so, so ready.

Especially Carter.


Unlike last year, not a single tear was shed this morning.

{Well, except when I realized that I had locked my keys in the car, and Jake was already 15 minutes away.  He turned around.  Everything was okay.}


Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining about my summer with this happy little boy.  Everything about our summer together was perfect - lots of lunches on the porch, swimming in the kiddie pool, park visits - it was all so very fun.


It was just time.  Time for our old routine.  Time for some more consistency.  Time, time, time.

We've been telling Carter that he's going to go back to school, and he's going to see his friends and teachers.  This morning, we said 'Carter - today you're going to school!' - he let out a big 'Yayyyyy!!!', and was a happy camper all morning.

As we got out of the car (not even late after the key-in-car incident!), he ran right up to his little school like such a big five year old.


And then maybe - just maybe - I was a little misty-eyed.  Look at him.  Such a big, proud, confident, able little boy.

So, Carter Benjamin, here's to 'Year Two'.  May you learn - grown - achieve - and excel.  May you surprise us in every single way.

And next year, when it's time for the 'Big K' - may we sit back and say "Oh my.  He can so do this.".

One Thing I Know For Sure:  So able.  So sure.  So capable.  So ready.

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