pregnancy and house update.

I'm going to be quick here because the girls are napping and I have doctors orders to rest, so I am going to do just that. Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks, which is technically full-term. I'm excited to hit this point, since we have had a couple of hiccups along the way with a blood clot on my uterus and now my amniotic fluid being low. I have had at least two doctor appointments a week for the last couple of weeks, with weekly stress test monitoring on baby and checking of my fluids. This morning my fluid dropped yet again (not by a lot, but still much lower than what we want to see) and while I was being monitored I had a long contraction that caused the baby's heart rate to drop. The word c-section was tossed out there, and honestly, it scared me. If I continue to have contractions that cause the baby's heart rate to drop like that, a natural delivery may not be an option. Which is really hard for me to swallow--I had plans to {hopefully} have a similar experience as I did with Naomi- fast and natural. I go back in on Monday for more monitoring, I'm very much praying that my fluid will have gone up and baby's heart rate doesn't drop. Until then, I rest.

Well, sort of. The most rest I can do with two other kiddos. [Thankfully I have great friends and family who are so willing to help out. And a husband who stops in, in the middle of the day to check in on me.]

In other news, we are still waiting to hear if got the house that we put an offer in almost three months ago. The one house we want just happens to be a short sale, which is a terrible name for it, because it actually takes forever long. But I'm hoping our offer will eventually get accepted and we will look back on this and see it as a time to wait upon the Lord. We are in an intense waiting period. I'm anxious to get word on the house, but I'm not exactly ready for Lincoln to come yet. Thankfully, I can trust in my Maker's plan, He knows what I can and cannot handle. [Apparently, He thinks I can handle more than I do. I'm just going to trust Him.]

So, here I go, shifting my attitude, leaving the dishes in the sink, and propping my feet up. I'm especially looking forward to my baby shower this weekend. I have such amazing friends, that throw me a shower even with my third baby!

Change.

It's crazy to think in one month how different our lives are going to be. I sit here with the windows open listening to the crickets. I woke up to the sun creating a mist over the trees. It was beautiful. Will I still have all this in the city? I am taking in every moment I have left here. Here in our first home. Audrey's first home. The place we retreat to. Then I really think about it. And remind myself that we make the home. And our next place is going to be just as much as a home as this place was to us. And I am grateful for that.

I am grateful for change. It makes me appreciate. And love. And be hopeful. With the seasons changing, our home changing, Andrew's job change, it has made me really reflect on how my life has changed in the past year. Being a mom has brought a whole new meaning to my life. I'm a mom. I have been one for almost 11 months and it is still sometimes strange for me to say. But I am ever so grateful to be a mom.

I think about Labor Day last year and this year. Each holiday has been completely different from the last.

Here I am wearing Audrey in my Ergo on Labor Day this year at the annual Old Car Show we go to.
Audrey and cousin Jonathan getting in some good bonding time. 3.5 months apart, they are great friends.

And this is last year. Same car show. Still wearing Audrey. In the belly. 7.5 months pregnant. (Um, ignore my Vanna White wanna-be pose. Why did I do that? Note to self: Do not pose like that in pictures ever again.)

Times are a changin'. And I am embracing it.

Celebrate Good Times. Come On.

I want to write more and share pictures and talk about all the crazy things we have been doing. But I am going to get straight to the point.

We got an offer on our home tonight. Oooooh, yeah! A full-asking price offer, that is. [Insert dance here.]

Tomorrow we are going to accept it. And if all goes as planned, we close October 19th. Wait, did I just say October 19th? Whoa, we have so much to do before then. Our home that we are suppose to be moving into in about a month is uh, can I say, non-livable right now. [Insert long deep sigh here].

So just as we have been going out on a leap of faith, we will continue to do so. And put major hours of man-labor in our home.

We are super excited about it all. And know that it is all in God's timing and plan.

Random Sidenote: I won a pair of maternity jeans this week on the Simple site from Boob. Yes, I just wrote the word Boob. And I love the brand name. Simply genius. So I have these awesome maternity jeans coming my way, and well, I'm not pregnant. BUT I have definitely been thinking about baby number 2 more recently. I already have hubster on board, what am I waiting for, right? Maaaaybe we will wait just a little bit longer. I think I have enough on my plate right now- selling our home, fixing up another one, hubster starting his own company, to name a few. Oh, but babies are just so dang cute. And smooshy. And squeezable. And lovable. And oh yeah, I have one in the room right next to me. Peacefully asleep.

We Got It.

As of Friday, the bungalow that we wanted is ours. Can I get a what, what? Or you may do a little dance for us, whatever you prefer. I did both.

Yes, we still have our current home. We have had six showings now on it, in about 2.5 weeks, with one yesterday. We are stepping out on some faith here that it will sell soon.

In the meantime our second baby [it can be called that because it is going to require a lot of work and patience and it needs changed] is our new project. We have so much to do to it before it is 'livable,' but we are super excited. Some may look at our little undertaking and think they are crazy or wow, they are brave. And we are. Holla.

And in case you are curious to what it may look like. Here it is. The outside. And the kitchen. I mean, a big white room that is gross and needs everything new. Just so you get a little idea of what we have in store for us...

On the positive side- it has new siding and a new roof already. So it doesn't look that bad from the outside. We are getting new windows put in.

Oh, and did you notice the table sitting out in the front? Have any guesses as to why it is there? We aren't sure, but we are guessing beer pong may have been a favorable game among the last tenants.

Well, welcome to our adventure. I hope to update frequently on our progress. Which includes already, ripping out the ceilings in two rooms and a hallway and tearing up tile out of the hallway. And mowing the 12 foot grass. Okay, it wasn't 12 feet, but it was really really long.

Stay tuned...

House Stuff.

I keep making myself a promise that I am going to blog a lot more. And then I don't. Maybe if I actually write it out and have some accountability (you all, of course), I will do it more. We'll see, right?

Anyway. Sorry about the lame title. I couldn't think of anything else and didn't want to wait on it.

So the hubster and I made a crazy decision. Remember all the talk about selling our place and wanting a cute little bungalow?

Well, it's happening. And I am so ecstatic about it. We just need like 50 things to fall exactly in to place and we are good to go. Ha. One thing being, we need to actually sell our place still. We have had two showings already this week and another one coming on Saturday. [Please interested buyer, make an offer, you will surely be happy.]

We have made an offer on a cute bungalow in town. We even gave earnest money. Not fake Monopoly pink and green money, but real hard earned cash. Whoa.

I'm not going to give too much away until the deal is more sealed. But we are super excited. And praying all the time about it.

Oh, and if you are one that loves projects and remodeling and interior designing and old charming homes, then you are going to love what we have in store. Hint hint.

Anybody want a glass of lemonade?

When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. Right? What if life throws you a giant one that has been on steroids and is genetically enhanced. Because I had like 10 of those thrown at me last week.

Here. Let me get straight to the point.

My husband lost his job. It was official on Friday.

And my job. Well, I get paid in coos, and smiles, and the pulling of my hair, and the changing of diapers, but not cash. Zero cash.

Oh, and we are still trying to sell our house. And buy another one. In the midst of this no job thing. Sounds brilliant, right? Ha.

I cried. Boy, have I cried. I told my husband something like this "Well, I guess we are going to eat Ramen Noodles for the rest of our life. Have you looked for a job today? Have you? I can't believe this. At least Audrey will not go hungry. She has the boob if nothing else."

[I know. I know. Not the most supportive wife. But I am trying. I really am.]

[Oh, and I totally went out and bought lots of Ramen Noodles the next day. I was not joking about that part.]

This all happened last week. This week is much better. Not better in the sense that my husband found his dream job. BUT he does have one. Thank goodness. His awesome brother has hired him until he finds something else. OR until he starts his own business. Uh huh, that's what he wants to do. I am kind of excited about this part. I know the hubster can do it. He is the hardest working guy. Ever. And extremely talented.

So, here's to making one GIGANTIC GLASS of lemonade.

We celebrated with a trip to the zoo yesterday. Actually we were forced out of our home for 4 hours while we had an open house. So we went to the zoo with our zoo pass. We spent zero dollars and even got to pet sharks.

Patience is a Virtue.

This whole house process is already driving me crazy and it hasn't even been a week yet since we began. And to think it could take months. Eek! We already had a showing of our home- on the first day it was listed (Monday). So I thoroughly cleaned every room and removed baby toys [in other words, stored them in our Jeep while the house was being shown]. And now I am wondering how many times I am going to have to do that. Everytime I leave the house I make it spotless just in case I get a call and someone wants to see it.

[Dear God, please let our home sell quickly. I know everything is in your perfect timing, but keep in mind how much I am ready to move. Thanks. You're the best.]

I have been looking at our local homefinder website WAY-TO-MUCH. I am kind of obsessed with it. We have found about 7 homes we have been interested in. I have dreamed about some of them. Drooled over them. Went and snooped in the windows. Drawn out how I was going to arrange the furniture. Okay, I didn't go that far, but I have thought about it. Only to find out every single one has been PENDING. I really don't like that word now. At all. I think I am going to take a break looking. [Probably not, but I should, at least I will admit that.]

I know the perfect home will come up right at the perfect time. I just have to be patient. Easy to write, not easy to do.

I am praying a cute, charming bungelow is going to pop up. 3 bedrooms. 2 baths (willing to do only 1 if cute enough- we only have 1 now and manage okay). Fireplace. Garage. Not on a busy road. Close to work. We don't need a big house. Or expensive one. Just one right for our family.

Feel free to pray that too? K. Thanks.

In the meantime, at least I have the most adorable baby to look at ALL-THE-TIME. Ah, love.


Sweet baby girl asleep in only her yellow BumGenius and the blanket we do not go anywhere without. Repeat, I mean anywhere. Look closely and you will see her fingers through the holes. She has been doing that since she was 6 weeks old.