Outdoor Projects

This summer, I've been working on outdoor projects to add some curb appeal to the front of our home.  Here's a picture of what the house looked like when we bought it last year:

There were no flowers or personality anywhere and the grass was pretty dead.  In June, I enlisted DH's help to put in some flowerbeds in the front yard.  It was nice to not have to dig up any flowers/shrubs/small gravel in order to put in the flowers (we've done that before!).  

Below are the "After" Pictures of the house with the flowerbeds added.  In addition, I painted the porch railings and the ceiling of the porch as it had all flaked off once I sprayed it with water to clean the dirt off (oops!).  So began my painting project that took several weekends to complete.

Here is a view of the side of the house.  We added border blocks that I'd gotten from my dad who was getting rid of his and thankfully they went all the way around where I wanted to put flower beds!  The flower bed area was mostly dirt anyway, so there wasn't too much grass to dig up.  We did end up getting a tiller for the soil prior to planting the flowers and then added about 50 bags of dirt (the cheap bags! ha!) in the flowerbeds so we had dirt for the flowers as well as slope the dirt away from the house.  We have tall grasses that really took off, as well as the other flowers in front of them.  In front of the porch railing, there are some lilies that never really bloomed (but are still alive) and a few other plants as well.  I'd have to look up names of what the plants actually are.  I'm not that great of a gardner.  

These are the plants in front of the porch.  I have hostas in between some "Celosia" annuals that are yellow, red and orange.  There is an open spot on the corner as I killed that plant, so I might move my pink hydrangea there.  I planted it behind the tall grasses on the other side, so you definitely can't see it.  Trial and error.  :)  I'm not sure if I like the "Celosia" as they aren't very bright in color.  I mostly just see green overall, so I want to find another annual next year with more color.

Here are my flower pots.  I really loved how they turned out!!  I got the containers from Mena.rds and added some Begonia flowers (orange, white and a purple one that accidentally got in my flower packet), some tall grass and some vine plants.  I've kept them watered and they are really filling out!  I've had begonias in hanging baskets before, but they always seemed half dead, although I watered them daily.  These pots are much easier to care for.  Thanks Lucky at Sunshine for your recommendations on what to plant!!  :-D

We installed a new porch light that we got off of a garage sale last year and I painted the star black.  I hope to paint the door itself black too and leave the orange trim detail around the window ... I'm just waiting for a day that isn't hot as I'd have to leave the door open for awhile to paint it.  If you have another idea for the door color, please let me know!  I was thinking an orange (like the color in the flower pots, but I'm not sure if that "goes."  I also was thinking purple, like the color of the flower pots, but not so sure about that either.  Your ideas are welcome!!

Well friends ... that's it for now!  I'm off to start some indoor projects like painting the foyer, finding curtains for the living room and figuring out what theme to do in Luke's room.  Goodbye white walls!!

The Month of May

Let me first say that it is SO hard to post without one of my cats wanting to come up and sit on my lap where my keyboard is.  I have one persistant kitty that I've managed to make sit so he is not on top of the keyboard and so I can type.  Now he rubs his chin on the top of my hand.....   :-D

It has been a busy month for us!  DH has finished his training to work from home about 2 weeks ago. He works for the "fruit" computer company and takes calls from across the US and Canada to help people trouble shoot the problems they have with their phones and ipads.  We needed to do something, as we were always in the hole every month and eating into savings.  DH searched the internet one weekend and applied and was one of the 2% of applicants who got hired.  He then began a 6 week training course online, here at home, while my mom watched Luke throughout the day.  (kitty is now headbutting me for petting... oh dear!)  He is able to work nights and weekends when I am off work so that we don't have to find a babysitter or ask my mom to watch him.  I love her to pieces, but I really don't know how we survived as children.  Either that, or she's gotten worse as she's aged - I'm glad Luke is as self-sufficient as he is, or we would have gone another route.

While DH was in training, and Luke went to my moms during the day, this was also the time that he began speech therapy at Rite-Care (which is a division of the Masons, I think).  It is something that he qualifies for, so he and Miss Emily have fun playing together for about 45 minutes once a week.  He has been pretty good about it all, as she works with him through playing.  He is looking up at us now more when he talks to see how our mouths form words than he did before.  Luke still won't sign "more," "milk," "eat," and a few other common signs that we've been trying to use since he was 18 months old.  He just won't do it.  He'll let you help him do it, but doesn't have the desire to do it himself.  He *once* said and signed "more" when I was at my parents house picking him up after work.  We were dosing him with Motrin for a cold he had at the time, and as I was talking to mom & dad asking how things were, he reached into his bag and pulled out the Motrin bottle.  He said AND signed "more, more."  I about died!  I was so happy and so proud of him!!!  But he hasn't done it since.  I guess I feel a little better that he can do it - we just need to work on the desire to do it.  His biological brother, E, didn't want to talk / couldn't talk at his age, but now at 3-1/2, he is talking ok.

We are also working with a second group of people at the Early Intervention program with the Public Schools.  He had 2 ladies come out to evaluate him and they agreed that he was developmentally delayed in the speech department and a little in the motor skills department (i.e. blowing bubbles, pointing to pictures in the book, pointing in general, shaking head yes or no, etc).  He has had one session with them so far - I think there will be 2 per month.  We are also trying to print out pictures of things he "knows" are his (like "blanket", "milk", "juice,") or things he does (like "walk", "bath", "swing.") to help him a little as well.

We will keep trying and keep signing and try and get through this hurdle.  This is not the worst thing in the world, but it is frustrating to watch him be so frustrated!  And it is hard seeing other little kids do things he can't (they are littler than him), say "hi", "bye", wave to people and converse with words and phrases.  I think it would be so much easier for him to tell us what he needs rather than flop on the floor and throw things.

(Same cat is now lying on my left arm so I cannot move it. ... it makes typing anything with the letters "z, x, and c" very hard to do ... and also use the left "shift" key.  But he's now all stretched out and about to fade off to sleep  :-D)

I'm off to check on what all YOU have been doing these last few weeks!

Infertility Awareness Week

This past week was Infertility Awareness Week. There are so many couples who face infertility that suffer silently and feel so alone. While DH and I now have a son through adoption, infertility will always be with us, never to be forgotten. Those feelings and that struggle will always be within me. It is a hard cross to carry and a hard cross for others to identify with. 
If you are struggling with infertility, this article will provide resources and support, so you know you are not alone on this journey. 
If someone you love is struggling with infertility, this is a great article to read, so you to find out how to walk beside them on their journey.

Click on the picture or HERE to read the article.

Luke's 2nd Birthday (PIC Post)

How did my newborn Luke go from this tiny little baby ...

to this smiley little 2 year old boy?

We planned a Daniel Tiger themed birthday party for Luke.  He just loves that show!  On the door, we put the sign (on the mirror) that said "Welcome to Luke's Neighborhood!"  We also put pictures around the house in frames that said "Happy Birthday, Luke!"

We decorated the house with $1 twirlies that our friends at Wally World provide.  It wasn't a big party, but we had family over to eat lunch and spend the afternoon with Luke.  It was fun to get the good dishes out and have people over - to really celebrate God's blessing of Luke in our lives.

This is the view into the Living Room and all the fun party decor.  We were just waiting for company ... 

I made little stickers for the $1 party hats we bought at the same famous "W Place" that had Daniel Tiger on them.  I also got creative and made the "Daniel Tiger" cake ... but it doesn't quality as a Pinterest success story.  I'm not sure I'll ever try and decorate another cake again ... at least not with the frosting tools I used.  Maybe one of those fancy things you buy really is worth it.  At least it tasted good.  :-D

We made Luke a shirt (iron on transfer + googling Daniel Tiger images + Powerpoint) for him to wear.  Just turn your head a little.  LOL

Luke loved "blowing" out his candle!  He never really did blow it out, but mom breathing its way would cause the flame to flicker and he would squeal in delight.  It was so cute!  We re-lit the candle quite a few times and he got mad when we took it away.  

A picture of the three of us:

Plastic easter eggs and blowing bubbles are a HUGE hit for a 2 year old.  Just learned that this year.  Oh ... and a slinky!  Here Luke is with DH's parents.  I would blow and blow and blow bubbles (maybe 30 minutes) and he would look up and squeal in delight.  He was just so excited!

Here is Luke with my parents and brother (left corner).  They had given him some magnetic alphabet letters (also a huge hit!) and he loved getting them all out.  His favorite things right now include saying his ABC's (what that means is mommy and daddy say them), so hopefully he will actually say them soon.

Here is Luke with a picture of his train set from Mommy Becca, Basil and his brother Eli.  It came with the Gordon train + coal car and he gets the biggest kick out of it!  Whenever we come home from anywhere, he will run and lay down in front of it and watch it go 'round and 'round and 'round.  

Luke loves his train set so much that Mommy Becca got him an expanded kit of tracks and scenery and a Thomas train.  Now the trains can zoom around the tracks.  DH and I have quite a fun time re-designing all the options for the tracks ... we need to buy just a few more pieces and it will be perfect (can you say addicted?!?  Hi ... I'm over 30 and want some Thomas the Train tracks for my birthday.  LOL!)

Aside from Luke's party on March 30th with our families, we went back to Kansas the first weekend of April to see Becca and her family, my friend and old co-worker Amber and DH's Grandma (who will be 95 this Wednesday).  We did something else the weekend of the 12th/13th (can't remember ... that's crazy!) and Easter was last weekend, so we headed over to both our parents' houses to spend one of the two weekend days.

Life is going good for us at the moment ... DH has a new part time job, we purchased a new "used" swing set for Luke and moved that in this past week and Luke has started speech therapy (once a week sessions for the last 3 weeks), my weight loss goals and journey ... so more topics to cover in depth in future posts.  I hope to catch up on your lives as well as get you caught up on mine.  

Kitchen Progress Pics

This is where I'm at with the kitchen. Progress has kind of stalled. We are waiting for our electrician / my coworker to come back over (it's been 2 weeks since his last visit ... That's about average) and hook up our other pendants, add a hanging light over our table area and do under cabinet lighting and hook up a few more outlets.  I plan on tiling the backsplash, but painted it for now so it doesn't look quite so unfinished.  We also have a new window and trim to install, but right now, the kitchen is 75% done ... And it has only taken 3 months!! 

I'll post more pics once the rest of the lights, etc are hung.  It has just been sloooow going. 

Cluttered

It seems I average about a blog post a month, huh?  That certainly wasn't my goal ... sigh.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and just can't figure out time management in my downtime ... which is nap time on the weekends and after 8 pm on the weekdays.  I am NOT motivated in the evenings, lets put it that way.

In the mornings, while I'm getting ready for the day, I think of all the things I could do that day that would be productive ... like organize x,y or z at home (I have LOTS of areas I want to tackle).  Or I think of things that are good for me to do ... like exercise.  

I usually don't accomplish much other than work, come home and hang out with the hubs and play with Luke - all of these I love to do (ok ... maybe I don't love work).  Today, I got a wild hair and decided to tackle the computer room / spare bedroom / former pantry and kitchen / don't-know-where-to-put-it-and-this-room-is-already-lookin'-crappy-so-why-not-add-it-to-the-pile-room.  

I took the pictures below AFTER I had already hauled out a floor to ceiling storage rack that sat right below the fan and held our food/dishes/odds and ends since mid-August.  So it looked much more cramped, if you can imagine.  The computer was in there, and I hated to get online and blog or do bills.  Not a good atmosphere at all.  

I spent about 2-3 hours taking all the stuff out that didn't make sense to have in there and spread it out in the living room/kitchen and put back what I needed.  I am figuring out where to store things and how best to organize things, which sometimes takes time ... but after moving and not using a few things for about 11 months, I know what I need and what I don't need.  

I hate clutter.  Growing up, my parents house was always cluttered - there were piles of papers sitting on the kitchen counters, as my mom would (still does) write things down she hears on the radio, watches on tv, etc to "remember".  But she ends up with a bunch of stuff that she never goes through.  I understand she has to write it down to remember it (I'm that way too), but there has got to be a time limit of how long to hold onto things.   

There were piles of laundry that remained consistently on our floor from maybe age 8-16.  We simply rooted through the dirty laundry piles to find our uniforms or something that wasn't too dirty to re-wear instead of waiting for it to be washed.  My mom had to personally scrub every piece of clothing ON every stain with Lava soap.  We didn't just throw the clothes in the Washer.  

Needless to say, I have a ton more examples of how clutter drives me nuts, but the bottom line is ... it drives me absolutely insane after living in disarray for 11 months!  As I type this post, I am sitting in the clean office/guest bedroom where I am thoroughly enjoying the clean space  -- and I have a few cats who are enjoying it too, all curled up on the bed.  

BEFORE - Look at all that crap piled everywhere!  Now imagine a a floor to ceiling storage rack that sat right below the fan whose length came out to the cardboard boxes on the right and that would be the complete picture.

BEFORE - We had a pile of stuff just inside the doorway on my cedar chest - and look how little stuff is in the rack in the closet!  Gah!  

AFTER - I apologize for the shimmery texture on the walls - that is the globe of the (new) ceiling fan causing it.  It makes the walls shimmery, which is kinda cool instead of it being just boring white paint.  My brother found the ceiling fan for $30 and it is a much more updated style, along with the fact that it doesn't rock when you turn it on, so a definite upgrade.  Hoping to sell the old fan on a local buy-sell-trade site, so maybe a $0 upgrade out of pocket!  (fingers crossed)

AFTER - Desk is cleaned off, pictures hung above on a horseshoe picture frame my youngest sister made for us for Christmas.  As you can see, the closet is stocked now - more things out of the actual room!

AFTER - Two of my four kitties enjoying the spacious new room!

(Pirate on the left (my girl cat) and Biker on the right (my boy cat).  

Hardware & Lighting

The most daunting choices (for me) is Cabinet Hardware & Lighting.  It makes a statement.  I have a hard time sometimes helping others select what they want (well, it is a little easier when it isn't yourself).  But ... after much deliberation, I have narrowed it down to three choices that I like the best.  

Here are the my THREE choices.  

CHOICE #1 (far left), CHOICE #2 (middle), CHOICE #3 (far right)

Despite the finishes shown, I will do them all in a Satin/Brushed Nickel finish (silver, non-chrome).  I am looking for mainly a style choice.  I have decided I like the hardware standing out from the dark Cabinets, therefore I chose the Satin/Brushed Nickel.

Choice #3 (left) .... Choice #2 (right)

Choice #1 (shown in silver on left & grey on right)

CHOICE #1:

CHOICE #2:

CHOICE #3:

*****  *****  *****  *****  *****

***** NOW FOR LIGHTING *****

*****  *****  *****  *****  *****

CHOICE 1:  

This is DH's favorite and is starting to grow on me.  The hardware style I would pick is in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.  Please ignore the poor photoshop job ... but you get the idea.  :-)  The table with light above will go in front of the louvered bi-fold doors in this area (centered between the four recessed can lights in the ceiling will be the light above the table.  Lots of door/window openings in this area!!)

CHOICE 2:

I like the style of hardware (bottom left corner), but I think this may be too fancy?  It has to go by all those doors/windows in the picture above ... would I be crazy for putting fancy in that area?

CHOICE 3:

Similar to choice 2, but a little different.  You can see a trend.  :-)

CHOICE 4:

I wasn't even going to post this, but decided I wanted to document the process.  I think the pendants are a little dark & blend in ... as well as maybe won't go so well with the Stainless Cabinet Pulls.  

*****  *****  *****  *****  *****

That's it ... you now know I'm CRAZY and OBSESSED about these little things.  My poor DH ... I overanalyze and talk things to death!!  :-)  What do you think?  What would YOU do?

Finding the Truth

I was recently texted by my youngest sister, J (10 years younger), about how expensive IF treatment was.

I texted her what I remembered we spent during our years of treatment.

She texted back that she was just wondering volunteered that she has been seeing a specialist in a nearby town.  I asked J what tests had been run so far.  She tells me that this doctor is doing bloodwork & ultrasounds to figure out why she "can't carry that long" and also that the doctor (in the town where we all live) didn't believe that J has been pregnant.  That's why she was going out of town.

I recommend the Fertility Care Support Group who is pretty local & can help with charting (using NaPro and the Creighton Model) to diagnose and treat IF of all kinds.

She then tells me that, "Listen, I can get pregnant.  I just can't stay pregnant that long.  I can't carry to full term."

I repeat the benefits of NaPro & give her anonymous stories of other gals who have needed drugs/special IV's and treatment to stay pregnant.  I tell her there are success stories and I believe in NaPro, even though it didn't work for me.

She replies back that, "There are women out there that don't show they are pregnant on blood & HPT's.  I always test negative, that's why she tried to get a doctor to give her an ultrasound before she lost this last one.  I'm trying to check my progesterone with this doctor and see."

Inwardly, I'm thinking that this has got to be crazy ... who doesn't test positive with bloodwork?  I understand HPT's being negative, but I thought bloodwork would be conclusive.

I reply to her that she needs to have them test her HCG levels if she thinks she is pregnant.  Also, if she is worried about progesterone to have them prescribe shots (she's gotten pills) so they have enough dosage in them to do something.

She tells me, "I had progesterone pills, but they screwed up my body and just helped me slowly kill the baby.  I lost him so I'm not pregnant anymore.  DH's mom had the same thing being pregnant with my DH, that it would never show on tests, so we went to where her doc was that did the ultrasound, but he wouldn't take new patients, so that's why I'm going out of town, where a doctor will see me."

I realized that my texts with her to give her more information regarding NaPro, actually ovulating, confirming a pregnancy and actually diagnosing whether she had any ovulation, luteal phase or other problem, are going to be futile and fall on deaf ears, so I just say, "If you have any other questions, let me know."

The End.

---

Is it bad that I'm not sure whether to believe her or not?  She's called me before saying that she's miscarried (with about the same vague info) a few times, but all her HPT's were negative.  I'm not sure if she' gotten any bloodwork done before.  She just says she "feels" pregnant (I've SO been there myself), but she "just knows" she's miscarrying/miscarried.

I have talked to my mom about it (and so has J).  Mom thinks that J isn't miscarrying and wasn't pregnant (my mom has had 2 miscarriages, so she knows what happens).  The local doctor thinks that J hasn't been pregnant and it's all in her head (I can't fully support a non-NaPro doc's diagnosis ... we all know they don't know what they're talking about most of the time with IF).

I don't want to be unsupportive if this is true - if J was pregnant and has a problem carrying babies to term - I want to be there for her, because I know IF is a hard cross - and miscarriage is just as hard / harder.  I just think that there would be some way to confirm she was actually pregnant.

Thoughts?

Saying Words

I don't think I have anything to worry about yet, but I wanted to get some feedback to ease my mind.  When we were down to see Luke's birth mom, Becca, she mentioned that the doctor was concerned about her older son, E, not talking and communicating the way a 3-year old should.  He doesn't say too much in words, but uses the phrases that Luke does when "talking", sounding like gibberish baby talk.  They were going to test to see if he was autistic.  Seeing E the little bit that I do, I don't think he has any severe problems.  He listens to directions and communicates non-verbally or points / grunts to what he wants.  He whines or gets mad like any normal boy too.  :-)  Becca mentioned the doctors are concerned because he is still non-verbal.

What concerns me is that Luke hasn't started saying any words either.  None.  He used to say "mammmmm" when he was upset and wanted me and and "da-da-da-da-da" when he was talking about anything else.  Now he walks around saying gibberish that sounds like "tickle, tickole, tickole, tickole" (sometimes really fast, like he's having a conversation or telling us something).  He understands us when we tell him "no" (ok, about as much as he wants to sometimes) and tell him to "get your blankie" or "Luke, do you want a bath?"  He KNOWS what's going on (and runs to the bathroom for a bath).  I just worry that he ISN'T saying any words other than gibberish, knowing that there might be a potential family history there.

I know sometimes that kids don't talk until they're ready, and I still believe that. The blessing (and worry) of reading things on FB and other blog posts about other children, is that I sometimes compare the things they do vs. the things Luke can do (and worry about his lack of skills).  One little boy about Luke's age can draw with markers (say what!?!  Luke would eat those!).  Others are talking in phrases and saying things. Still others are potty training.  Stuff like that.  I don't want Luke to grow up too soon, but I don't want him to fall behind either, with a problem that I could (and should) catch early.

I know each child is different and develops at a different rate, but what is and isn't normal for talking for an almost 21 month old?

Pics, Consecration and Paint Colors

Hey all!  There's not a lot of big things happening here, but here are a few "newsies" and some cute Luke photos:

He LOVES to crawl in cubes and then stand up and turn around inside them, then leap out!

Luke went over to Grandpa & Grandma's house and climbed right up on the desk by himself.

Being silly in front of the camera!  Mommy stuck out her tongue.  Luke thought that was too funny, so he stuck out his too!  We love our iPhone and Luke loves to take "selfies"!

- I signed up for and completed my Consecration to Mary on December 8th by reading "33 Days to Morning Glory", which has 33 small readings and reflections for the day.  I (surprisingly) didn't miss many days ... about 3-4 total, which I made up doing double the readings on the following day.  There are so many great points in that book and I highly recommend reading it and consecrating yourself to Mary!  I remember thinking that only the "very Catholic people" would consecrate themselves, but then I realized that I am praying a daily Memorare for my family & friends, asking Mary's intercession for them and their intentions ... so how much "harder" is it to have her even more in my life?  It's not.  :-)  I try each day to act better and remember to ask her to intercede in my life.  Some days are better than others, but I do try.

- At Mass last Sunday, (the Immaculate Conception and the Day of Consecration), our little Lukie was quite the irritable inconsolable child with his tantrum during Mass.  We sat in the back pew, but after about 10 minutes, had to move to the cry room.  It was full, so we didn't get a pew, but rather sat in a few chairs in the back.  Without a pew to constrain Luke, he ran all over, including up to the front to be by a large Catholic family.  He jumped on the kneelers.  He ran over to pound on the window.  He kept making one of the boys get up to get out of his way to get to a window.  Then, he started coughing all over the kids, so we hopped up to get him.  I was mortified.  We couldn't pick him up and hold him, as he would scream bloody murder.  We needed a "naughty cry room", as he was the only one acting up.      He was screaming and flailing and rolling all over, so we left.  Yep.  We left Mass about mid-way through.  (Very terrible, I know.)  We get home, and the little stinker is running all over, forgetting about how naughty he was during Mass.  I was soooo irritated.  We cannot figure how to corral his energy and attitude, as today at Mass, DH took him into the cry room during the readings and I could hear him screaming through the entire homily.  They need thicker glass.

- At work, the other designer and I received a bonus for all the good work we are doing / have done at our job this last year.  That's pretty good, considering it is a rare occurrence to get anything more than $100, says the manager.  We were the only 2 out of 8 people to get one.  I am pretty excited, as hopefully my skills are showing well at work.  I am the computer whiz (my DH laughs and laughs at that, as I am clearly not at home) and the labeler / organizer at work.  It drives me nuts to have things messy and out of order.  I always get asked if I am working on anything, as I guess my desk is too clean to actually be doing any work.  I am very thankful to God, as money has been tight over the last year since the move.  Our income has been cut in half (almost), but it has been worth it, in my eyes.  We keep tithing and praying and God hasn't let us down yet.  He always provides.


- We drove down to see Josh's brother & family, as well as Luke's birth mom, Becca, over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had a very nice time visiting everyone.  Luke had fun playing with his cousin (2 months older) during the time we were there.  They are going to be trouble the older they get, I think.  Becca and her family shared news that she had married her boyfriend (who was there during Luke's birth), so we were very excited for her!  I think they have a very good relationship and know he loves her son Eli (Luke's older brother).  Luke had fun jumping on the couches, playing with Eli, playing with Becca and wearing himself out!  He found Eli's cup of Koolaid and promptly drank it all up, one sip at a time (put down cup ... pick up cup ... sip ... put down cup ... pick up cup ... sip ... repeat)!  It was so cute!  We got a huge kick out of it!

Visiting DH's Grandma in the nursing home over Thanksgiving.  She has fallen several times & broken both her hips in the last year.  She has started to forget things, but always has a bright smile for her "little Lukie".  She brags about his hair and his smile to all who will listen.  She adopted DH's mom & DH's aunt about 60 years ago and been an inspiration to me.

Smiling for the camera on Thanksgiving.  Posing with us is Luke's cousin J (2 months older) and my MIL (DH's mom)

My little cheesy guy Luke with his cousin J.  They had fun sitting together and racing in the chair for a good 30 minutes!  They had the cutest laughs & squeals!

That is DH pushing the kiddos across the basement at BIL's house.  They loved it!!

- In Kitchen Remodel news, we have gotten the recessed can lights installed in the ceiling, some other electrical moved/installed, and the sheetrock up on the wall.  It's only taken 2 weeks.  (sigh)  It is a very slow process.  We waited all last week for sheetrock, then finally the guy comes Friday afternoon and hangs it.  It still has to be mudded and textured, then the ceiling painted before any Cabinets can be hung.  Hopefully by the end of the week we will have some Cabinets on the wall.  I'm not holding my breath.  We have flooring install scheduled for the last week of December, so I hope that Cabinets will be installed before then.  The week of Christmas is kind of burned through, as it is the middle of the week, so my guess is that anything that has to happen has to happen this week.  We will be living without Countertops until mid-January, I estimate, as there is Christmas + the countertop guy is taking a week off the first part of January.  Plus, he has other jobs to do.  At least get me my Cabinets and some Appliances.  I can make do without a sink ... I just need to stop piling crap on top of other crap.  That would make my day! 

After removing the old ceiling fan in the Kitchen, the single light in the dining room & adding (6) recessed can lights, it suddenly was brighter!  There will be three pendants above the island (blue boxes in the ceiling), a light over the dining table & a light over the sink.  Plus, you don't see the hideous old walls now that sheetrock is up!  It looks like we made progress.  :-)

Now ... who wants to pick a paint color with me?!??  I'm leaning towards these colors.  Do you like Blue-Grey or Brown walls?  I'm sure I'll post pics to have you vote here soon.  :-D

- Luke and I continue to pray for you all and your particular intentions every day at bedtime.  I know God hears my prayers, but I hope he will hear the prayers of Luke more (even though Luke doesn't get the whole process and bounces away or cries while I'm praying).  We pray especially for those of you who have empty arms this year and those of you waiting to find a spouse.  I can't forget those feelings myself.