I have it!

Ive been a bit of a basket case this week. You should be the happiest person in the world right now, you are engaged ! Yes I know....but I miss my 'man' and its been 3 weeks since I saw him. In those 3 weeks my head has been spinning. Ive been working like crazy, selling on ebay like crazy, schooling the kids, grading papers and oh yes dealing with just about every contractor there is.

Furnace, funny thing is when you sell a home, I guess you need to have one of those. Arrrgh.... years ago my ex took it out of the closet it was kept in and never had it replaced. Soooo thats a problem when it comes to getting it financed I guess.... Gulp that will only be $2400 or so.

Termites...wood rot....fun stuff. I suppose when you own a home that was build originally in the 40's you kind of have to expect this stuff. I got lucky and found out a girl friend from work's husband is a working contractor. He is doing great work and really not so expensive but the thing is, one problem always seems to lead to another one.

Termite inspection.....uggg....My suggestion, have someone else walk the house before you have one of those done. I had no idea this goes on permanent record. So I call up book an appointment and get the report. My Realtor states...Ive never seen so many codes..,... tears well up

Realtor, get a good one....and yes I have one of those. He has been awesome, but keeps finding issues. The more he is here helping me the more issues he has found. So that did it, I went over the edge.

Sitting there while he was under the house showing a furnace contractor what we were up against I started to cry. After I got my act together I was ready to just walk away. So he came up with another plan, lets market it lower and see if we can get someone to buy it completely as is and take over all the issues. I love it! So start praying....maybe just maybe this will be one of those awesome God experiences. I am praying hard for one of those. In the meantime

My dad brought over a saw for me to use....yes I will have 911 on call Im sure. A scaffolding was assembled outside to prepare the outside for paint....again 911 on call Im sure. Anyone who knows me knows...this could be dangerous. Dennis booked a flight for 2 weeks tonight from now...painting the house that weekend...that gives me a deadline to get the house ready for paint...arrrgh. Good, then Ill be done..yeah right.

Funny thing is if we don't get a bite from investors...it will go on the market into the MLS at a higher price. I have to have the stuff done then. Soooo that means staging a home. I don't get the idea of depersonalizing a home in order to sell it. I mean a home is personal right? You set up a home to be personal...why else have a home???? So that means I have to move stuff out....yes a lot of stuff so says Realtor....grrr...so that means a yard sale and craigs list, I mean why pack it if we wont need it. Ebay around the clock and whatever other means I can come up with to clear stuff out. May 31st wont get here soon enough I tell you....oh but the good news

My mom found me the perfect wedding outfit. A beautiful skirt and blouse...its basically perfect and me 100 percent. I love skirts, the ones that twirl, the ones that are very very girly :) yep that brought a smile to my face today!

My life is a master list of check marks

Im starting to feel like my life is a list of to dos.
This evening I ordered Wedding Invitations. Its to make my family and friends happy, not because I felt the need to get them, but because everyone keeps insisting. Neek told me yesterday that she and the girls will be driving out for the wedding...we are up to around 25 in attendance already. That amazes me!

To Do List
My realtor called today. He wants me to take advantage of the best time of year to sell a home...that starts in 2 weeks... Ugg...too much to do! Furnace contractors on Wed, I need to call a handyman tomorrow...my sons turns 16 tomorrow. Tomorrow or Wed, girls Easter/Wedding outfits. I also need to figure out how to feed people....and oh yes the wedding cake!

Checked
Wedding Rings purchased, check
Wedding Invitations ordered check check
Bathroom molding replaced and hole fixed, check check check

Too many to do's not enough checked ;)

Wedding Dress???????????

How does one go about buying a second wedding dress? The first time I felt like Cinderella. I also had a stick figure of a size 3 but thats an entirely different matter. Since that day years and years ago my life has changed just about as much as my figure.

I ordered a dress online, it came, its been shipped back. I pulled it out of the box and one of the many buttons popped off....not a good sign. I mean there is a time and place for such a thing, but ummm not in front of all 8 children and your entire family! So I sent it back, I didn't feel like worrying about it breaking apart on me on my wild adventure of a wedding ahead. I need a durable dress. One that will withstand a 2 hour train ride before the wedding. I need a dress that will make me feel worthy of wearing it. I don't know what color. My friends assure me if I wanted to wear white I should. Im not at fault for my divorce, in fact the Lord looks at me as if I was pure white without stain, my sins washed away....but something about white with 4 children next to me just doesn't seem right. So I think Ill go with Ivory. Then I found on a site a Denim dress and white lace...now that is something I could go for...but is it me? I don't know.

My mother has been wonderful. She sends me links just about every day on dresses she has found...Im scared to order online again, I don't want to get my hopes up to watch them fall apart in front of me again. So next week mom said we should go looking. I can always order online after I find something. It has to have a 'western' feel to it. I mean some gowns just wouldn't do for a wedding at the Grand Canyon....but what? Ive been even looking at Vintage sites....I kinda like the Victorian feel....I always have, the die hard Jane Austen fan that I am!

I'm too old to be worrying about this kinda thing! I should be thinking about my daughters weddings......long from now, not mine!! :)

Starting to fall into place

Dennis and I set the date a week or so ago, then came all the questions...where, when how and what kind. I was floundering, but my mom kept me on pace to figure it out. So this is what we decided on.
May 31st....I marry the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with

Where? The Grand Canyon :) How cool is that!

My girlfriends think I need a shower...no I guess I am having two showers to get everyone there possible....silly...I'm almost 40 ( as my 3rd born reminded me of this fact this evening!)

My family has already book the hotel reservations, we found a pastor up there who can marry us.....you can even mail in for a marriage license of all things. This wont' be cheap, but then I have been fortunate to have a job who offers a lot of extra ways to earn money. I don't like standing on my feet bundling video game systems....but it pays extremely well!

Then came time to talk to the owner about maybe staying on board and working remotely....he seems to be agreeable to the idea....wow.......I wonder why we allow ourselves to doubt God's desires and plans for our lives? We spend so much energy worrying over details that He is in control of and are out of our hands.....its rather amazing to stand back and allow Him to work it all out for us.

My dearest friend wants to drive out and bring her girls to see us get married.....I couldn't ask for more then that! I've allowed fears to enter my heart working out some of the details of what it takes to bring to people with children from previous marriages together....but I can say with confidence....God is blessing our soon to be marriage. I can't wait! :)