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6:01 AM
the max
This time seemed so far off 4 years ago. But now it's here. Decisions have to be made. The Doc and I sat down last week and made our list of possible places we'd like to live. Of course, we do not have the final say but he applied for residency in these cities: Birmingham, Little Rock, Shreveport, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Tampa, Atlanta, Augusta, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Lexington, Louisville, St. Louis, Jackson, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Memphis , Knoxville, Houston, Temple, Lubbock, San Antonio, Dallas, Norfolk and Charlottesville. Part of me wants adventure yet I long to be close to family. My parents are aging and it would be a blessing to be near them in TX. We are limited to only those locations with residency programs so these were our choices. Interviews start next month. Match Day is in January. You probably know what that is but I'll be telling more about it as the day approaches. I've got a feeling this 4 months is going to seem almost as long as the 4 years it took to get here. If you could live anywhere in the United States, where would it be?
8:55 AM
the max
Who knew it would take me this long? I've so missed all of you, dear friends! Thanks to those who sent me notes periodically letting me know I was not forgotten. That meant so much. For anyone considering taking a break from blogging, I must warn you that returning is twice as hard as starting up a blog for the first time. Maybe motivation would have came more quickly if I had a space like this... Right now, I'm still trying to carve out a spot to just sit at the computer.During this hiatus, I was simply amazed at the extra time I gained. But I needed it. Within the past 3 moths we made a move, remodeled the house, started school and the doc left town for a month during the process. It has been, by far, the hardest move I've ever made. Trying to catch my breath now. The house is still unfinished. It has taken a lot longer to put it back together than anticipated, (destroyed by tenants if you remember) It's also been a challenge because for once I am not decorating a house for self but staging it for resale in the spring. I did want to show you the floors since polling everyone here for the stain color. The floor salesman tried his best to talk me into a light to medium stain. He just about convinced the doc. But being the good hubby that he is, we agreed to a compromise of mixing medium and dark. It's half pecan and half ebony. I love the color! Terrible photo but here's a shot of the floors before we moved in. They are actually lighter than they appear in this photo. For all the naysayers about dark floors, I have to tell you that I absolutely love the dark stain. I bought a Shark stick vacuum. If you don't have one, get to the store as fast as you can. It is so light weight. No more sweeping! I run this over the floor as many times as I need to in a day. It's a snap! Bed, Bath and Beyond carries it so I used the 20% off coupon. For mopping, the floor installers suggested the Bona. I love it too! Mine has the attached piece for bottle on front and a squeeze trigger on top. Just spray and mop, then throw removable pad in washer as needed. (Not getting paid for advertising either of these products.) These floors have been the easiest floors to keep clean of any house we've ever had. Pleasantly surprised. I've tried my best to catch up with everyone but it is near impossible. There have been smiles and tears, joys and pains, gains and losses along the way, some of which I may not even be aware of. But each of you have been in my prayers. I'm happy to be back among friends.
5:55 AM
the max
I'm going away for a while.Not quite Paris. Wishing.Just time to focus. I have to choose paint colors, flooring, etc. and negotiate in the process. You know how these things go. The house is 4 hours away so that means a lot of travel time. Every spare moment needs to be spent packing up my current house.I'm the type who veers off the path. I can sit down to make a few blog comments and before I know it, hours have passed. I shall return...after I climb this mountain. Wishing you the dreamiest and most delicious summer!
8:03 AM
the max
Dark, medium or natural? That is the question for today. Trying to decide what color of stain to go on my wood floors. My heart says dark, my head says light. What I do not like is an orange or red tint, which is what I had.Dark would probably be a nightmare to keep clean. But the light may not go with my style of house which is very traditional. Furnishings are fairly neutral, (bye bye red couch,) although I do have darker wood pieces. The kitchen has white cabinets with black granite. Thinking griege paint. Maybe I should just go for a happy medium.
Still a little reddish to me. Other considerations- we really don't have an open floor plan but are hoping the continuation of wood into the living area will make it cohesive. The living room has very little light but the breakfast area and dining room have lots of light. Then I have to decide on sheen. High or low gloss, satin? I would appreciate any tips or advice!Thanks!
7:47 AM
the max
This may be one of the most controversial posts I will ever write. I don't like pets in my house. Please don't go hating me. Most every single one of my friends have pet(s) in their houses. It's a personal choice. I love dogs and always had one growing up. My mom did not allow us to bring them inside except for puppies to nurture. I'd climb out of bed at night and sneak the puppy into bed with me because I could not stand to hear one cry. So let me assure you, I do like pets. I just prefer they have their own space. Not to ignore, but somewhere to run and play and make all the messes they want. We'd never leave one out in inclement weather, etc. either. For those of you who keep yours inside, I'll happily pet them, play with them and let them sit in my lap when I come to visit. I enjoy that. Although, I do not allow my children to continually bother an adult guest in my house and think the same rule should go for pets.
I'm highly allergic to cats. Not the "sneezing and watery eyes" but the "absolutely can't breathe" kind. Without treatment, cats are lethal to me. I once became so ill, it lasted 3 months, all from one encounter with a cat. Hard to imagine how something so adorable can make me so sick, but it does. Not sure why some people find this amusing. We were once invited to dinner at a friend's house and this is exactly what was happening in the kitchen. The cats were on the counter eating out of the very bowl meant to serve us. I didn't eat and my visit was short. Maybe the only time I was grateful for being allergic to cats. Nothing sweeter than puppy dog eyes. It would be hard for me to say no or scold something so cute. I really have a big soft heart for pets. Here's the reason for this post. In my last post, I told you how our house was not as we left it. Turns out the tenants had at least 8 dogs maybe 12 inside. The house was a dog house, not a people house. I can't begin to tell you of the filth that was awaiting us. So much damage has been done. I can't fathom how people lived in that type of mess. The smell alone was enough to make me sick. And for the first time, I had an allergic reaction to dog hair in the same way I've had to cats. Everything from the plumbing to the a/c unit has been damaged. I could go on and on but, I really desire for this blog to be a fun and positive place so details will be spared. In the upcoming weeks, we'll be replacing all the flooring, etc. Therefore, you'll know why we are remodeling. Each time I relay this story, my friends feel compelled to tell me how clean his/her pets are and how his/her house is not affected. I know that. I'd be the same way about mine. Unfortunately not everyone is so clean. What's even more sad is some do not realize how unclean they are. So if you have pets and you lease now or in the future, do not be upset at rules, pet deposits, etc. I pray you never have to live on this side of the fence. When I drove away from my house, I cried a little but then remembered things are only things... and things cost money, which made me cry a tad more. Later that day, I saw my little buddy Gavin, the 3 year old who was diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks ago. Nope. I really don't have a single thing to complain about.Some of you have asked how he is. Perfect way to end on a positive note! The chemo has made him really sick but it only lasted for a couple of days. The best news is that it's working better than expected. His lab work came back great! The tumor is shrinking! We are praying for less chemo and a quicker surgery. Gavin has the prettiest dark hair and the longest dark eyelashes you've ever seen. The next round of chemo will probably take that so his mommy was going to get pictures made this week. He was rather droopy when I saw him and this made me cry on the inside. It's hard to see a 3 year old who doesn't feel like running and playing. But we are so grateful he is still with us and all the good reports thus far! His parents are in great spirits and have a beautiful attitude. A lesson for us all.God is good!
5:56 AM
the max
Time for graduation celebrations! Congrats to all the 2011 graduates!
First, I'd like to thank each of you who have sent well wishes and prayers for little Gavin. He was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of cancer (odds=1.5 in a million.) But thank God it's treatable. He is having a port put in today and chemo starts tomorrow. Please pray that the chemo will shrink the tumor down to nothing so they can remove it surgically, avoiding a liver transplant. I have relayed all of the kind comments to the family and it really lifted their spirits. Doctors gave no hope in the beginning but God has intervened and we are thankful for this miracle!
What's a graduation without a party? These fruit displays were created by my friend for her son's graduation party.Posting to Foodie Friday @Designs by Gollum
Next year will be monumental for us when Doc graduates. I've already started an idea file because we are gonna par-tay!
Creative invitation...Graduation reminds us that school is out. My kids have been out for one day and I've already heard the word "bored."
