House Hunters

Another major thing that has been going on is the whole house ordeal. We had our house on the market back in the Spring. It didn't sell, so we took it off. In the meantime we found a house in a great neighborhood with amazing schools for the girls. Chris also took his test and became a licensed realtor. That's a long story that basically ends in , "no, he isn't changing careers, he just has this thing with realtors." We got the house for a really good deal, but it is going to be a project. There are many things that need to be redone in the house, and let me just tell you I never ever imagined Chris and myself taking on a project, but the things we do for the right schools for our kids, right?! It is also in the exact area of town that we wanted. It's in Brentwood. We like Brentwood since it places us pretty much 15 minutes from Green Hills or 15 minutes from Franklin. We close on the new house on December 10. We are excited, but we are also stressed to not have our house sold yet. Add to that the fact that I cannot seem to find a job anywhere, our nerves are a little shot. But we know that it will all work out, and I trust that God has a plan to get me the exact job I am supposed to have at the time I'm supposed to have it. I just have to remind myself (and quite often on some days) sometimes. Here is a picture of the new house. One of my first to do's: a new front door!! (chris is already tired of me complaining about it...)

Here We Go Again

I've been on a bit of a hiatus. (Obviously since I haven't posted anything for almost 3 months!) I somehow locked myself out of my Blogger account, so even when I was in the mood to blog (which wasn't very often), I couldn't get into my account. I'm pretty proud of myself for finally figuring it all out tonight!! As with all of your lives, much has transpired during my 3 month hiatus. When I last left you, HA was just starting fall soccer and I believe our house had been taken off the market. (I totally had to look back at the last post to jog my memory!) that was all back near the beginning of September. What has happened since? I'll try to go out of character and be brief. We will start with October.

October: my birthday month. Growing up, birthdays were a huge deal in my house. It was always the best day of the year, hands down. Since I've grown up and live 3 hours away from my family, my best friends now always make it a point to make me feel amazing and special. This year was no exception!! My bestie from high school, Elise Ann came up from Atlanta for the weekend as usual. She arrived with an assortment of posh bakery cupcakes, lots of Woodchuck, pink champaign, fabulous gifts, and even those adorable striped twist straws!! :) What ELSE does a girl need?!! The rest of the weekend was spent with lots of girl time (my amazing mil watched the girls for me), good food, and even a little hookah. 

Kev n JoEllen had us over for Mexican and a game night. JE helped me celebrate my birthday a week late by making me (several) French martinis. They are my fav!!! 

We did the usual fun trips to the local pumpkin farms of course. First up was Gentry's Farm in Franklin with HA's class.

 

(Above: This is HA with her teacher Mrs. Erin.) 

Next up was Walden Farms with Juju and Uncle Kevin. It's probably my favorite even though it is so much smaller. 

HA's class Halloween party at school - we made Hershey mummy bars as favors. 

Here is Collins enjoying the party. 

Halloween. HA was Disney's Sofia the First and Collins reused an old pink poodle costume of Harper's. 

Uncle Kevin, Daddy, and Juju came trick-or-treating with us. (Uncle Kevin in costume as usual.) 

For HA's school's Fall Festival, we made and sent in this fun Frankenstein cake. Super easy and too cute!! 

Also in October was my friend Caroline's baby shower. I was in charge of the favors. She loves chocolate, so we went with this Pinterest idea since it's a boy. 

Here are a few more pictures from the shower:

It was so much fun getting to work with Caroline's cousin, Scarlett on this shower!!! I just adore her!!! I think I've made a new friend!

Well, that was October. Next up, November. (So much for me being brief...)

Negative Nancy

Well, made it through surgery on my teeth, and I must admit Chris was even a pretty good nurse all weekend long. (Since I ended up not feeling well most of the weekend.) I am actually waiting on a call back from the dentist now though, because I think one side may be infected. It is very swollen and I'm still having to take pain medication for it. This was a good week. Mom and Dad finally got to come up for a visit, and HA did great when Mom had to take her wig off to sleep with her (she left on her sleeping cap). In fact, HA told her, "awwww, you look cute!" : ) 

Last night we did the Wednesday Night Live at church. It was a little wild, but I think we will eventually get it down. My Beth Moore bible study doesn't start until next week. I'm excited about it. So my medicine has been working better lately, but I've been a lot more negative than I like to be. I know part of it is just meds not completely right, but it is really bothering me. So I am really focusing on it today and working on not being negative. I don't even have a reason to be negative!!! Here are a few recent pics. 

HA on the way to her first fall soccer game. Man was it hot! 

Chris helped coach. 

HA's new bling shoes I spent time bringing out only to have to come home with ALL of the sparkles peeled off!!!! 

Two in a Row!!

Woot woot!! Okay so somehow I (or Collins) deleted my Blogger app on my phone that I used to blog on and easily add photos. I cannot remember my password which is making it very difficult. I can't figure out how to sign on. Troubleshooting isn't working anyone have help?? If you are a reader that can help message me on here or Facebook. It's driving me insane. 

Today was laundry day and soccer practice. HA cried because they voted on a team name (the colors are black and white) of the White Butterflies instead of her suggestion of the Panda Bears. Tomorrow is my oral surgery. I'm nervous since my Mom won't be here, and I'll have to rely on Chris to be my nurse and babysitter. I think everyone knows no one is a better nurse than your Momma! 

I did want to put a few pics up. Because of my oral surgery, I don't know when I will write again, but I am going to try to keep up the blog much more often again. Here are a few pics I meant to put up on the last post. 

The bravest woman I know!!! 

We are back to school uniforms.

Happy while shopping

Nattie B

Resurfacing

For some reason, every single time I sit down to blog, I end up changing my mind. I think how I really have nothing interesting to share (which I never did nor did I ever intend to..ha!) or how no one reads it (which per the numbers isn't true but feels like it due to lack of comments), etc. etc... And so I don't blog and regret it later that I'm not keeping it up. Yes, I may be going through a hard time right now with my Mom (and best friend at that) having cancer and all of the many big and small ways it has negatively changed our daily lives, but why not let some of it out through blogging or just even using the blog as an escape? So, that's what I'm going to try to do. 

It has been several weeks since I posted, so I'll update you on what's going on in my life. We will start with my Mom. She is coming up on being halfway done with her chemo treatments (which she seems to be responding well to) this coming week. She bravely shaved her head when her hair started to fall out. So now she sports baseball caps like I do when I haven't washed my hair. Ha! She says the wigs are itchy and uncomfortable. The girls haven't seen her in person since she shaved her head, and I am a little nervous about how they will handle it. HA has already added to her nightly prayers, "and bring back Mah Mau's hair." 

As far as meds go, I think we are finally headed in the right direction. Bashty confirmed it for me the other night at dinner when she said she could tell I was back to being me and how happy she was for me that I was feeling better. She's always a good gauge of how I'm doing because she knows me so well and we spend almost every Saturday together. I told her I didn't feel 100% to which she reminded me no one in my circumstances would right now (Mom's cancer). She had a good point. 

HA has decided she wants to be Sophia the First (Disney) for Halloween, so we will make her birthday party with the same theme like we always do. As you can imagine, I'm already trying to come up with "royal" ideas! :) 

HA has started fall soccer. Her first game is this Saturday. Not positive I'm going to be able to make it since I'm having two teeth implants done this Friday morning. I hope I can just take a pain pill and go anyway. 

We are starting what's called Wednesday Night Live at our church (Franklin First United Methodist Church) next week. I'll be in a women's Beth Moore bible study and HA will do Cherub Choir. 

And finally...I'm looking for a job and our house is still on the market...anyone else feel overwhelmed?! ;)

It's Me Again...Finally

Well...it's been over a month since I have posted anything. In all honesty, I have been overwhelmed dealing with getting my medications straight. I haven't written, because I just haven't felt like myself. Then last Friday I was home visiting Mom after her first round of chemo, and I got into a car accident while going to pick up the pizza for dinner. Now yesterday I find out that the woman is filing a personal injury claim. Geez. Okay, so rewind. Back to my medicines. I revealed early at the start of my blog that I take antidepressants and anti anxiety medication. All was well until I got back from Spain in late March. At that time I started having all of these unbearable side effects from the meds that I was on. Long story not so short, after a psychiatrist change and breaking out in hives all over my body as an allergic reaction to the second most recent med that we were trying, I am back on a medication that worked for me well a long time ago. I am praying that it works out this time, because I am exhausted from not having it right and not feeling like myself.

Mom is responding extremely well to the chemo and after shots (which can evidently make you even more sick than the chemo)! She had her second treatment and after shot this week. Her hair only started to fall out yesterday. She gets it all cut off tomorrow. I can't imagine what that would be like emotionally, but she seems to be handling it all like a champ. I always knew my Mom was amazing, but after all of this I see just HOW INCREDIBLE she really is!!!! I love her soooooo much!!!!!!

The wreck. Ugh. Thankfully I was by myself, and I was just fine. Now we just have to deal with squeezing two car seats in a small rental and the whole personal injury claim thing.

The house is still on the market. We had a second showing this week, but no response, so guessing that is a no. In the meantime, we have started looking at new builds. The last plan I heard from Chris was to keep it on the market another month or two then take it off for the winter before starting again in the spring. We put it on early in case it took a long time to sell.

The next up project is that I have to get two tooth implants as a result of bad dental work. Long story. I did find out this week that the $5,000 does NOT include the crowns. Wonder how much more that one will cost?!

In the meantime Collins turned 1! It was bittersweet at her party because my family wasn't able to be here, but we celebrated with the Buckleys and our closest friends Trav, Wren, and the kids. Collins loved all the decorations and her cake. She was so cute!! She couldn't stop saying "Ooooooohhhhhh!" Here are a few pics from her small party. I felt so guilty for not going all out, but with Mom having cancer nothing else has seemed important lately. It turned out cute anyway, and as I said, Collins had a ball!!