July

I know I've said it so much the last few posts, but I cannot believe how insanely, life-changingly busy this month has been. We went from a happy family of four thinking about maybe buying a house in the next year or so, to a surprised family expecting our fifth member and fast-tracking that house search.

Today, the last day of July, we received happy confirmation of a healthy 8 week 2 days old baby due March 10th. And we scheduled the home inspection of a house I never thought could be mine for Sunday.

We still need to sell our house. I'll be burying a statue of St. Joseph in the flowerbed as I spruce up the yard tonight, as the realtor takes photos for our listing tomorrow. If you say prayers for random people on the internet, please add our family to yours! We also need this home inspection to go well. Because if something shows up that will keep us from buying this house, I'll be pretty sad.

As crazy as this month was, July was pretty good to our family too.

Listing

Confession: I have never bought a house.  I own my house, yes.  But I didn't really buy it.  Neither did Nate.  I mean, technically yes, we bought the house.  But we didn't hunt for it, choose it lovingly over others in a price range, cross our fingers and hope the seller would accept our offer.  None of that happened.  Nate's friend owned it, didn't want it, and offered to sell it to Nate.  That was it.  So I graduated college, moved in with my boyfriend, and haven't left since.

So what this basically means is that I haven't really ever cared about the house I own.  Which means I haven't really cared to fix things in it... until now.  Funny how listing your house makes you want need to fix things.

Nate and I have been consumed the last two weeks by housework.  Nate has been repainting trim and doors, re-caulking windows, patching concrete, packing books and shipping outgrown baby clothes to his parents' house for the time being.  I decided to play electrician.

I didn't take a before picture.  Maybe I should have, but it was just so hideous... Just imagine the largest, ugliest four-bulb fluorescent light fixture.  The kind you'd see in a warehouse.  But put it in my otherwise lovely kitchen.  Then break the ballast to unsure it won't actually turn on beyond the faintest flicker of light.  THAT was the previous light fixture in my kitchen.  And for the record, it hasn't turned on in FIVE YEARS.  For five years, I have lazily used the accent light in the corner, the bulb over the sink, and the lights in the stove hood to cook dinners by.  We decide to move - BOOM.  New light.  Installed by yours truly.  Let there be light!

I mean, seriously.  How cool!  I did that!  And I didn't electrocute myself or burn the house down or anything.

Speaking of burning the house down.  Three years ago, my mother-in-law's space heater caught fire while plugged into our family room.  The appliance caught fire, not the socket, so I wasn't overly motivated to fix it.  But I don't think charred electrical outlet really sells a place.  DONE.  I fixed that, too.  (I also repainted the smokey paint!)

I didn't take a picture, because it really wasn't necessary, but eight years ago I replaced a bulb under the dome of the upstairs light fixture, and then couldn't reattach the dome.  The dome sat under out bathroom counter for EIGHT YEARS.  I got a new part Saturday morning, and fixed that too.  I am on a roll, people!  I do want to replace the bathroom fan, but it's lower priority at this point.

The realtor is coming back Thursday evening to photograph the house.  All efforts have been shifted into CLEAN ALL THE THINGS (and hide everything else).  We took all of the children's toys (save one dollhouse, some dress-up clothes and a few trucks) to Grandma's house.  But who needs toys when there are boxes to play in?  I think the kids will be just fine.


Need an electrician?  I'm thinking of moonlighting on the side.

Eventful

It's been an eventful week, to say the least.  A week ago Wednesday, my family packed up to start a long drive to Florida by way of Myrtle Beach for my sister-in-law's wedding.  Wednesday night, I sat at home a little bored, and took a pregnancy test on a whim.  It was positive.  I immediately called the pharmacy about the implications of Zoloft on pregnancy.  Then I called Nate to share our surprising news.

By the weekend, I was still surprised, but feeling incredibly, overwhelmingly happy to be pregnant with our third child.  I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am.  I mean, this little one throws a few wrenches in a few plans... but oh! a new member to our wonderful family!  I am almost as stunned by this feeling of complete and utter happiness as I am by the pregnancy itself.  And I know I haven't had confirmation yet... but I just know, you know?  I feel just crappy enough to know things are growing at a healthy rate.

By the weekend, I had also started thinking ahead to how we'll manage three children.  Things like: our house, my job, day care...

So on Monday, I asked my boss about the possibility of transferring from my current job (where I have to be physically present to work) to an open position, where I could potentially telework three days a week.  She went for it.  By Monday afternoon, I was submitting my resume.  By Tuesday, my boss had submitted the hire waiver to get things moving.

Tuesday, while my boss was moving my new job along (with the warning that HR can take WEEKS to process new hires), I was hopping on a plane to join my family in Florida.

Wednesday, Nate got three HUGE cases.

Thursday, my sister-in-law got married - with Laura attending as flower girl (for her fourth wedding), and me doing one of the readings.

Friday, I received the official offer for my new job.  Four days after I applied.  That has to be some sort of HR record.

Sunday, Nate and I made the decision to step up our plans to move to a larger home (in a nicer area).

Monday, I technically started my new job (but not really because I need a lot of training and this all happened so fast, I'm still doing my previous job).

Tuesday, we picked five houses to see with our realtor this coming Sunday.

Today - one week after the positive pregnancy test - I went to my first meeting in my first official capacity of my new job.

Life is moving at an alarming rate, isn't it?  I'm overjoyed, overwhelmed, excited and more than a little terrified.

How to amuse yourself when your family is away

My family has been at the beach for the last several days.  Without me.  It's been really odd, coming home to an empty house, having sole control over the remotes, eating whatever I feel like cooking myself...

It hasn't been all lonesome.  My sister came for a visit over the weekend.  We went out for pedicures and dinner with some of my friends.  I rearranged furniture to make room for a playhouse (instead of the playpen) and the beloved kitchen that's been stuck in the basement for two years.

I've also enjoyed some beautiful pictures of my family, thank you smart phones with cameras and text messages!



And also, because I was bored one night, I discovered this.



Because everyone pees on sticks when they're home alone and bored, right?  RIGHT?!

So.  Um.  That was... a surprise...  I'm happy and everything, but very shocked.  Gosh, you mess up your pill packet one or two months in a row... How come no one told me to get an IUD?!  First doctor appointment is July 31st.  I have no idea when I'm due (February?  March?).  I don't feel terrible... but I definitely feel pregnant.  Any name suggestions??  We already used our list up with Laura and Gavin!

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