Lights!

Better..but still waiting!  I tell you..building is a s.l.o.w. process.  Today was not much progress.  The pool company added another step to the shallow end, since I thought each step was much too high!  That's it.

At least we got lots of our electrical done on Friday and Saturday!  We got most of our light fixtures, outlets, and switches!  Talk about yippee!!!  I was so excited to see some of the lights I'd only seen in a catalog!

Here are some of my favorites:

Over Carter's bathroom sink

Our bedroom ceiling

One of the closet chandeliers : )

Entry way!

..and my favorite..the Dining Room!!  It is soo much bigger than it looked!  I had to have them raise it up a foot, I thought it'd hit my head when I was setting the table!

Also almost done?  Tile!  Here a few pictures:

our bathroom before grout

Laundry Room, I love this one! : )

My shower!  My favorite is the moroccan-shaped Carrera tile in the frame.  I need a closer picture!

..and the finished pool bath floor! : )  Finally, hurray!

Ok, think that's all I've got for now.  I'm exhausted!  I am trying to get up to hit the ground running..like this morning I took Mary Claire to the doctor and for an x-ray for her hand.  She jammed her finger last week, and it was still not better.  Thank goodness it's not broken..but maybe worse, it's a torn ligament.  They apparently take longer to heal since they don't get a great blood supply like muscle or bone.  It might be six or seven weeks.  And it's her writing hand! 

Clay is doing better.  His blood sugars are still really good (even lowish sometimes).  We have lowered his basal rates about 60% and we are still seeing blood sugars in the 70's and 80's.  I think he likes it that way since we are feeding those lows.  Not the best idea, but it's better than 400's!

We requested new pumps for both kids last Thursday.  Clay's since he's new, and Mary Claire's since hers is out of warranty.  I'm hoping to get them in before the end of the year for insurance reasons. : )  of course!  Hers hopefully will come with a constant glucose monitor to keep up with her puberty fluctuations constant changes!  She can be emotional (not too much lately), and it really causes her numbers to RoLLeR CoAsTeR!

It's time to read bedtime stories with Ethan. : )  Hope your week goes well!  Hugs!

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11: 28

Not perfect.

It's been so long!  It's just been busy with all the diabetes and pumps and tile and concrete. ; )

I'm sure the last time you joined my fun expedition..you remember the pool decking had been poured, no?  I've lived a million life times since then. : )  So..it seems they didn't do a brushed finish on the concrete like we requested.  In fact, they did some troweling, some raking, and they even let some little rocks peek through the surface.  They hadn't read the contract they had with them..which insisted NO COOL DECK.  Yet they prepared the surface for cool deck.  boo.

I don't like cool deck.  Not even when it's gray.   Not even when it's free.  Not even when they offer to cover all my other concrete with it to match.  I do not like cool deck, not in a hat, not with a cat.  Not in a house, not with a mouse.  I do not like it, Sam-I-am!!

So..what is left to do (after tons of research, phone calls, deliberation, and conversations)?  Yep, bust it up and do it again.

I know.  Sad. : (

Buh-bye, concrete.  See ya next time around.  So..now it's all busted, reframed, and awaiting temps above 50 degrees to repour.

Obviously, I wasn't going out in the cold for a better picture.  Obviously.

 

But there have been other things going on..both good and bad. When I tell you it's more than one full-time job, I'm serious.  When I don't write, and can't fit in anything, and run around to three plumbing supply houses and order online, etc. and deal with tile crises, it's a lot of work.  Not only physically demanding, but super emotionally draining.

We don't realize how it ages (aghhh!!!) us, and what we are missing out on in the rest of the world (or our kids' worlds), just to pull this off.  Not only is it one of the biggest financial investments you'll ever make in your life, you have a lot emotionally invested (and usually a lot physically invested as well).  It's hard.  Let's leave it at that for now.

The kitchen backsplash is installed, but not grouted.

The Baja Cream pebble mosaic is half-installed.  Apparently Alex started it..and they are waiting for him to come back tomorrow to finish.  They don't like to finish one another's work. : )

Close up of the travertine "pebbles" that won't leach rust to the surface! (unlike the ones I loved!!)

My bathroom floor in Metallic Light Fog.  You can't see the "metallic" finish, it has a sheen to it.  I'll try to get a picture in the light.

Can't speak much about this one.  It's been in dilemma since Sunday.  The frame is halfway redone..the shelf unfinished waiting on more of the Dolomite white travertine to line the shelves.

The kids' bath floors were all done in a straight style..not what I'd wanted (brick-style was requested in the entire house).  I was so disappointed on Sunday, I just sat on the stairs and cried.  Building is emotional, I tell you.  I don't know how it happened.  When we met with the crew on Monday, the tiler wanted $500 (PER bathroom) to rip it up, then we'd need all new tileboard, tile, and more labor expense to relay it.

Now I'm trying to be level-headed, taking everyone's experience into account, but it was plain devastating.  I'm praying in a year, I will have forgotten and I won't be so mad at myself for not having them rip it up.  I've redone a lot of things that were wrong (the front doorway..the countertops (did I not even tell you about that debaucle?!)..the pool concrete..my stovetop/cabinets (I forgot to mention that one too?)..the pantry wall..a couple of light fixture placements...remember those?  Oh, and those really nice outside light fixtures I stuck with?!

I've tried to redo the things that I'd regret in ten years, or even one year.  But the floors I let go.  The sheer expense ($3-4000) was just too much, and it was going to further delay the time line.  I just need to get things settled, and move.  For my family.  Adding days to our closing just isn't worth it this minute.  I'll pray that I'll see it the same in a year.  Or ten. : )

Yes, I'm praying also for the perseverance to see this through, and faith that we'll see the end soon enough.  And yes, we've done it before, and yes, we'll do it again.  It is super satisfying in the end to have the house (that's similar to the one) you dream up in your mind.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Countertops, Omnipod, and Concrete.

Three Updates.

First, Kori is in Heaven now, rejoicing I'm sure.  Her family here, however, is missing her.  Thank you for praying for her..I'm sure you prayed her right into Heaven.  You can pray for my friend, Kristin, and all her family.  We don't have to understand God's ways.

Second (and so comparably inconsequential), Clay has finished the Omnipod trial.  It went well (pod-wise), but he forgot the PDM (personal diabetes manager, I think) at school on Monday!  And the pod kept giving him a basal rate of insulin (thank goodness!), but he couldn't use it for a bolus or a temporary basal!  So..he went back to shots for eating.  Then on Tuesday morning, he ate right before we got to school, and went into the nurse's office to get the PDM to give himself a bolus for breakfast.

The PDM for his Omnipod.  Must.  Keep.  It.  Near.  Child.

He also forgot it on Tuesday after school, but sweet sister Mary Claire saw it in there when she got her meter, and brought it home for him!  Then..before dinner, he lost it again, and I declared NO Omnipod.  I just can't take the stress!  I know, he's almost 13, and he needs to be responsible..it might get better after a week or two.  But for now, we are back on Medtronic.

Third, the house. ; ) We have counter tops!  And we got all our door knobs yesterday, but it was too dark to take pictures. : )  I had some counter drama, and managed to get them all covered with cardboard by the afternoon, so we'll call that a success.  Two were wrong..and we're talking Carrera and quartz.  Not minor.  But..they will be replaced. : )  Excitement.

Yay!!  It's so soft and smooth.  I *heart* it.  That shadow to the right is my huge SINK sitting on the island!!  I kinda had a heart attack that they set a heavy thing on it.  It's the beginning of the stress. ; )  But it's beautiful!

The rangetop slides in..so this will all be modified.  The appliance specs didn't get given to/viewed by the cabinet people.  It'll be fixed. : ) (I know, I sound so calm.  This is two days later!!)

Sink area. : )  The perimeter countertop is Black Pearl granite with a brushed finish.  Not honed, not polished, but kinda textured if that makes sense.  I'll show you a close up when we get electricity. ; )  Kinda looks like a soapstone, but much harder.

My bathroom!

Other side.

 And today?  We got some pool decking, finally!!

Wanna come swim (in the filth?!)

And today, we got tile!  Wondering how long it'll sit there.  I had to shut the garage door.  I don't think they are too concerned with it being stolen.

Ok, that's all I've got.  I got my flumist shot (well..mist?) today, so I'm really worn out.  That or it's all the stress from freaking out over counter tops and sealing them asap and white out lines on them and having to order a whole new slab of Carrera to make up the laundry room counter (I think there is one in Dallas?) and the kids putting hand prints in the concrete decking, then Clay chipping a corner off, then Ethan leaning WAY into the middle by the diving board, and planting a big hand print in it..and then the mud they tracked into the car..whew.

Yeah, I'm sure I'm way deficient on the details, but I'm falling asleep. ; )  God bless you and your angels.  Hugs!
   

Trials

Can I first just ask you to lift up in prayer my friend Kristin's sister, Kori?  I just found out she has a massive brain bleed, they gave her a 1% chance (with God, nothing's impossible!), and she needs prayer.  The family needs comfort and peace.  They are an amazing, God-filled family, and Kori has the BEST prayer team.  Let's join them.

I can't follow that with much, honestly.  It's all I can think about right now. : (

I did promise to post my sweet kiddies pictures from yesterday, so I shall.

His skeptical look.  Seriously, you want me to get on the ladder?  You are always telling me to get down.

Good grief, they are getting big.

Sweet boy.  Love him so much.

Nothing on the house today. Just basking in the blue glow.  Loving my babies (even when they glare at me...), and thankful they are all making it.

Clay started the Omnipod today (new pump), and he's at 125..so it's working. : )  We'll see which one he prefers.  Thought I'd get a picture, but nope!  He yelled and cried when it went in, but then later in the day told me he had forgotten he'd had it on a couple times.  Overall, similar blood sugars and control to the Medtronic.  Only thing I've noticed, is the MM Revel allowed us to set the basal rate down to the thousandth units (like .775), but the Pod only allows .75 or .8/hour.  And the buttons on the PDM unit for the Pod hurt my fingers to push, seriously!  But..I don't have to get out the actual pump. : )  So..still gonna let him choose.

Hope you all had a great weekend.  Please pray for Kori and her family!  And that they have many more weekends together.  Hugs, y'all.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

Color Me Happy.

Pictures and Progress. : )  So.. I have a ton to share, mostly now that my paint is almost done!  They have finished, taken off the tape and paper, but they still need to clean up painty splotchy areas.  Oh, and paint Carter's stripes on his back wall.  And glaze the kitchen cabinets.  And paint the stuff on the outside.  Yes, I'll stop. : )

Here ya go:

Can I just say I still love my brick?  I especially like the north and west sides.  The front/east..not as much lovin' there.

Doors all painted, waiting to be put back on, Sherwin Williams Pearly White!

Love, love the lockers.  That stained seat made it a thousand times better!

Tried to get a shot where you could see Benjamin Moore's Woodlawn Blue..more love!

Desk in laundry room..Ches has claimed it.  It was going to be my wrapping station.  Maybe I can just mount some paper rolls on the wall to the left?  I was dreaming about that 'station.

Looking into the pantry..STORAGE!! : )

Love, love the kitchen too!  (I mean, aren't you supposed to love it if you picked everything out?)

Living Room..fireplace still needs brick.  Just pretend.

Right now, it's our absolutely favorite room!! It's Sherwin Williams Naval.  Gorgeous.  And I'm not a bragger. (if I have to say that, am I a bragger?  I don't want to be!!!)

Love the ceiling!  And just WAIT till you see the fabulous chandelier with it!

Apparently..I took lots of pictures of it .

Office-more Woodlawn Blue, perfect.

Carter's bathroom..loving the girlie and the siding up the back!

Our bedroom..SW Keystone Gray, same color as our room in the last house.  So moody, but I loved it with white, ivory, dark wood, and a little pale aqua.

Stairs!  All the walls are SW Anew Gray.  Good color : )

Clay's room: SW Sporty Blue

Looking out Mary Claire's room over the back porch and PooL!!

Mary Claire's room..sweet!

No, we aren't psycho.  Ethan's room: SW Parakeet.  He had Melange Green at the last house, and we went one shade darker.  Mmm..green.  Good thing it's his fave color!

Clay's bathroom..more Sporty Blue.  He wants red and navy with it..and some gray. : )

Mary Claire's bathroom..it has the small window since there is another roof right up against her wall.  I think the mirror will bounce the light around!

Ethan's bathroom..we kept it calm.  The window is the front middle window, and we didn't want to glow at night!

Back downstairs.  Planning.

Beams got left alone.  Swing thing painted.

On my way out the door..just taking a last look.

I hope to be cooking some Christmas dinner in you, friend.

He loves his blankie so much!  I could just eat him up.  (No, not really.  We'll have turkey for Christmas dinner!) ; )

 A great trip to Pottery Barn tonight!  What do you think about this on the dining room floor under the table?  I thought all beachy with sisal was good. : ) LOVE!!

K, I should go..just had time for some pictures!  We also got the kids Christmas pictures made today, I'll show you a couple tomorrow.  : ) Busy days are here.

Hugs, y'all!

(here are some amazing words to treasure in your heart, He loves us!)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3: 16-19