Throwing these pictures up. Little stressed as windows need repositioned and trying to figure out the fireplace and I’ll be at the office today. But yeah, super excited we have walls!!
Archives for March 2011
In which I run over a dog and apply to adopt a baby within minutes of each other
Golly, this weekend had a lot packed in. I probably could write a small essay on just 8-12pm Saturday. So what was up? In short:
- Implemented a huge project Friday night/Saturday morning
- Ran over a dog Saturday morning
- Went to our first adoption training
- Watched Lexi in her first Tae Kwon Do exhibition
- Shopped for more house stuff
Want to know more? Read on.
Work
So the work thing was a little stressful and yeah, in a small way emotional. Things didn’t go exactly right on Friday night so we started at 7 and expected to be done by 10 but didn’t get done until 11:30 with the expectation we still had work to do Saturday. Saturday at 7:30am I hopped on my laptop hoping to read an email that everything was fine but no, huge show-stopper issue had come up. So I’m making changes on the fly but we had to get to this adoption training. It only happens once a month and gets filled up fast so I didn’t want to miss it. I just told my team that I had to go and I’d be back at 12. Thankfully my manager had baseball games to attend too so I wasn’t the only one with immovable plans.
The dog
So I take off to meet my mom a little frazzled about work and a little fluffy white dog shoots out right in front of me. I wasn’t going more than 35 and thankfully he took off back into his yard. I kind of froze in the middle of the road. Scott’s friend happened to be passing by in a large group of bike riders and it woke me out of my frozen state. I turned the van around and checked on the dog. It looked like he was ok except maybe a hurt/fractured/maybe broken front leg. The owners were very gracious and insisted on not taking my name or number and said they should have had him on a leash and he just got away. I was still shaken as it was my first time doing that. Scott’s friend thankfully had stopped and was hanging out with the girls who he knows well. I think that really helped calm them down and me as well as I knew the girls were being watched over while I figured things out with the owners.
The adoption meeting
So after finally getting the kids settled with my mom, I had to wake a very sleepy Scott up to get to the adoption training. He had worked all night and with only 4 hours of sleep you can imagine what kind of mood he was in. Honestly, it wasn’t bad, poor guy was just sleepy.
The meeting was basically an introductory meeting to foster care and adoption through DSS. They went through all the paperwork, which was a nice big stack and the process. For those wondering, this is basically the steps:
- We fill out the initial application for background checks. (which we turned in at the meeting)
- We get signed up for the 14 hours of required training (next one is scheduled for last weekend in April/first of May)
- We turn in all our paperwork which includes a 10 page autobiography of each of us, fire safety plan and the almighty check list of things you are willing or are not willing to accept in a child. They said it’s the most important 4 pages of paperwork you will fill out. There is everything from cheating, stealing, ADHD to HIV and sexual abuse on there. Four. pages. I can’t tell you how much we covet prayers on how to fill that out.
- Home study is scheduled.
- We are considered by a board on whether we are a good fit for a child.
- If they pick us, they present all the info on the kid to us.
- We meet the child at DSS
- We have weekends with the child in our home
- We spend 3-6 months with the child in our home with the knowledge that if it’s not a good fit, we are able to “give them back”. I hate to put it that way, but that’s basically it.
- After that time, we would work to finalize the adoption.
Whew. So see? It’s not an easy thing. They said just to get approved to find a match would probably be at the least 6 months.
They were very upfront about the situations they deal with at DSS. There was no sugar coating. They talked about kids drowning in pools, bio children shooting the foster children, kids disappearing during natural disasters. I mean, it ran the gamut and they were not afraid to be frank with us. Which is good. Yeah, it’s a little scary but I kept telling myself that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle and he had clearly led us to this so I turned in our application with peace and excitement.
Back to work
Because I’m sure you were wondering, it was after the adoption meeting we got things working with our project at work. I only mention it at all because it’s our last application that we worked on when I first came to the bank 10 years ago. We shut it down and started up the new and improved one this weekend. It’s always a little sad for me to sunset applications and I thought it was pretty appropriate that we closed out our last old/original application and I started my new full-time position in the same week. It wasn’t plan and I guess I found it a little poetic.
Lexi’s exhibition
Look at her out there with all those boys! Get it, girl! Also? Please notice the Great Dane with the green bow on her head. Good stuff.
House stuff
We bought the French door for the bedroom this weekend, picked out the fireplace and started looking for lighting. The guys were supposed to start the framing this weekend but they flaked. However, they’re supposed to be here 7:30 tomorrow and walls ARE going up this week. Next weekend will be super busy as they said Scott could put in the HVAC and him and his friend could do the electrical. Whew!
Also, this week I’m in the office THREE days. I haven’t done that in forever. Definitely going to be a whirlwind of a week!
Foundation Complete
So aside from the work changes, the house has continued to change as well. Where did we leave off on here? Oh yes, the concrete was poured.
Well, the foundation was started on Wednesday.
It was completed yesterday. We’re pretty happy that we were able to do a crawl space instead of a slab and you can see, it’s a good 2 feet opening on the far left where Emma is standing.
And today, the wood for the framing showed up! I wish there was a video camera in the kitchen when I heard this truck outside. We didn’t know that our builder had ordered it. I heard the engine but couldn’t see out our kitchen window where they were because of a bush we have there so I was literally jumping up and down trying to see what truck was outside. I spotted the blue Lowe’s sign on the front of the truck and dashed outside to see this:
It’s all the roof for the framing that starts next week! Word from the builder is we should have a roof by Friday!
Ramblings from a Working Mother
Yesterday ended up being a little bit of a bust. I came to the office and found that my badge and all network access had not been touched. Turns out the company overlapped my end date as a contractor and start date as an employee and so nothing really changed yesterday. At lunch, my manager came by and just said, go home if you want. So even though it was my day in the office and I had my brand new suit on, you know I hightailed it down the interstate to home. I am always like a horse to his barn. Get me home!
I am back at the office today and much of my access is gone. Today will be the day that I stay at the office for 9 hours and commute for over an hour. Ten hours away from home. It’s just…yucky to me.
I read this post over at Beneath My Heart (sorry no link at present) today where she chronicles her home and work life through the years. I love the comment she quoted from her mother, “God does everything in seasons.” Right now she’s in a season of staying home with her children after full time work in her last season. Right now I’m in a season of being full-time hours, half-time telecommuter.
There is a never-ending debate on whether mothers, or even females, should be working at all. Obviously I fall in the camp of “it’s ok”. As with many things, I think there is a balance and not a one-size-fits-all rule to the whole deal. Some mothers would be nearly violent if forced to stay at home full-time. Or, they simply enjoy using their talents at their job. Other mothers wouldn’t be able to handle the juggle between full-time at the office and to be “busy at home” life. And some simply love being being home full-time. I’m a Jesus-loving girl and bathed this decision about work in prayer and no one is going to convince me that God hasn’t led me here. It’s just a season. It may be that we need this extra money in the future for a time where I WILL be led to be at home full-time.
I won’t lie, it’s hard to be gone this long. As I said, it feels “yucky” to me. But you know what? I feel kind of sad when I leave my kids to go get coffee with a friend and I miss bedtime. I feel kind of sad when they spend the night away from home and I don’t get Saturday morning with them. My sadness is not about work. It’s about loving and missing my kids when I’m away, no matter what it’s for. But we can’t insulate ourselves so much that we are with our kids 100% of the time. I think it does a disservice to both me and my girls if I were to limit my time with my friends and their time with their family and friends. At the same time, God has given us the kids for only a season and yes, it’s great when we can sow into their lives. To be honest, given the choice aside from money I would probably choose to be a full time stay-at-home mom. I would love to take off to Target at 10am or go bowling at 2. I’d be happy to be home every day to have dinner set and ready at 5.
I guess I just think our hearts and minds can be one place and our bodies in another. A stay at home can FOR SURE be absent in mind and heart from their home and children even if physically at home while a working mother can be at work, but their hearts and minds at home and actually, be MORE attentive when physically at home than if they were home all day. I think it comes down to a heart issue. If our hearts are at home and our attention is with our kids, that’s what is important, no matter where we spend our day physically.
American Idol Top 12
Ok, I watched late last night, on fast forward and I’m sitting here right before I head off to work but quickly, here we go!
Lauren – Definitely not my favorite of hers but I liked what she was trying to do with it. I think sans a cold she’d do great..
Casey – No thank you. Yuck.
Paul – He’s so weird to watch but I LOVE his voice.
Pia – Yep, I’m a fan. That was amazing. She reminds me of Kelly in that she came out of NOWHERE from Hollywood.
James – I loved it. He reminds me of a mix between Adam and Chris Daughtry. I love it!
Haley – I couldn’t even listen to the whole thing.
Jac0b – He’s so good! I think I see him doing something other than Idol though. Broadway? Vegas?
Thia – I know it was boring but it was BEAUTIFUL. Disney needs to call her and figure something out for her.
Stefano – I’m still not on the Stefano train but I thought he sounded good.
Karen – Another weak week for Karen. Was she off-key or was it just a bad key she was in? Wasn’t pleasant at all.
Scotty – Paled in comparison to Travis Tritt. Surprised Randy gave him such high props.
Naima - She seems so angry. What is her deal? Pitchy and awkward and angry. No thanks.
Favorite of the night: Pia, James, Paul
In trouble: Naima
What I’m Wearing Wednesday
As you read this, I’ll be having my “first day”. Not really first day but in some ways it will feel like it.
I’m commuting to the office.
All my network access will be wiped.
I’ll get a new badge.
I’ll fill out a bunch of paperwork.
I’ll sit at my new assigned desk.
I’ll work 8 hours.
Some of that I’m not too excited about. However, I AM pretty pumped about the new suit I bought at The Limited last weekend. Nothing like a little retail therapy. I figured since I’m a legit banker now, I ought to have a proper suit. Here’s my “first day” outfit:
Those pants are so scrumptious, I can not wait to wear them! I might have to sit in a cube for 8 hours, but I’m going to feel good doing it!
Top Ten Tuesday: Bedroom Designs
OK so I could keep a lot of the same decorations in our new bedroom and most likely I will. But it’s time to step it up just a notch. As I mentioned, I’m not a fan of the uber popular coastal look going around. I mean, it’s GORGEOUS but it’s just not my style. Pretty sure I will forever be a fan of reds, oranges, browns and greens. I love dark woods. I love for it to feel WARM, COZY and INVITING.
So given that, here are my Top 10 Dream Bedrooms.
#10 What I love about this? DARK. I love the feeling that I’m sleeping in a library with all of that dark wood. Just wrap me up and put me to bed! Not a fan of the lamps, rug or picture necessarily. Just like that it’s so dark.
#9 I don’t think I could handle such light walls, furniture AND carpet but I love all the green pillows and love the interesting light and bench.
#8 Blue is not usually my thing but I do love all the shimmer. The chandelier is outstanding and I just like the overall chic look.
#7 I don’t love everything about this room (please cover those chairs!) but I do love the mirror, I love the mixture of red, orange and brown. I like the black and white artwork. The lighting just makes it feel cozy.
#6 These white walls usually would be a turn off but I think the tile is interesting. Again, I love the red, orange and brown. I particularly like that the headboard and bed are both dark, similar to ours.
#5 I love the orangey/peachy colors in this room. I think this is less the cozy feel but still a nice, bright room I would be happy to walk into.
#4 OK, now we’re getting to my favorites. I love, love, love the green floor to ceiling curtains. I Love the shimmery rug and art. I love the dark furniture and dark floors. I’m surprised I love it given the walls are ivory.
#3 I just LOVE this room. Again, floor to ceiling curtains. We have the brown and orange with some great pattern in the blanket. I love the rug. Love the geometric design in the lamp and side table.
#2 Now, this is just a pipe dream but this room was built as a college thesis and I am just IN LOVE with all the cozy lighting and the green on the bed and curtains. Love the mirror on the bottom of the bed. Love all the wood accents. This is so not happening but I love it.
#1 And this might surprise you, but this was my favorite out of the bunch. It’s not perfect but there’s a lot to love. I love the floor to ceiling green curtains (those are green right?). I love the dark furniture. I love the pattern in the rug. I love the mirror to the left. I love the black and white photography. I am very surprised I like the light blue walls and blue accents in the pillows. I’m not a huge fan of the bed and chest but overall, I think this room evokes the right mix of modern, traditional, light and dark, cozy, livable space.
I think I’m going to pull some of my favorite things from all of these to make our new master bedroom a cozy retreat. I think we’re really going to need a nice place to escape to in the coming years!
Which of these are your favorites?
For more Top Ten, visit ohAmanda.com
Pictures were taken from Elle or Rate My Space
Concrete
I’ve never
been so happy
to see
concrete.
Brick foundation should go in tomorrow assuming the brick shows up like it’s supposed to!