or is it...

i got up this morning, put my hair in a ponytail and packed my bags. i piled them in the car and drove to pick michael up for lunch.

on our way down the road, i got a call from another school. the first grade team leader asked me to come in for an interview, to which i happily replied that i was in town and would be happy to come. it was scheduled for one hour later.

i hopped in the back seat as michael pulled into a sonic. i changed clothes while he ordered tater tots (we had suddenly lost our appetites). we ate a little and had a few sips of dr. pepper (thank the Lord) and i dropped him back off at work. i began my drive to the school all the while wishing that i hadn't made it a ponytail day. grrr...

i get to the school and interview with the principal, vice principal and first grade team leader. the interview went pretty well and we all seemed to get a long just fine. they described their school as more like a family and that really struck a cord with me. love it!

after my interview today, they had two others and then 3 on friday. well, a few minutes ago, i got a call offering me the job. well, she told me that she had recommended me to HR for hiring (she's not supposed to call the applicant, so don't tell anyone!). she said after i left that they were just all very impressed with me and after interviewing the other two, they just felt sick that i would probably drive home and then be called to come in and sign a contract and would have driven a lot for no reason. she said, "we were just so impressed with you and we thought, 'just poo on the friday interviews'. you were perfect. just perfect."

WOW!!!!!

isn't it crazy how God plans things. thank you everyone for praying and for your encouraging words. thank you, Lord, for the wave that pushed my boat in the right direction (jenny was right, even almighty is a great movie).


i guess no news can be good news or bad news. it just depends where you're standing.

no news isn't good news

i haven't gotten a call from the school district, but that's okay. i actually expected it(although i'm not sure why, ahem...;) ).

oh well. just thought you'd like to know!

on another note:

you know what's hard? wanting something really badly and then having your logical side try and talk you out of it. i'm not talking about my husband here, ha! i'm talking about my own logical side. it's doing it's best to talk me out of something i want. hmm...

i don't know if i'm gonna let it win...

interview

thanks to everyone who prayed for me during my interview. i'll let you know as soon as i hear anything. but here's how it all went down:

i finally got to bed at 1:00am after a long drive to sa and a hairspray trip to wal-mart. i prayed that God would let me feel rested and awake when my alarm went off. i woke up 57 kagillion times during the night. my alarm went off at 6:45. i snoozed it. i got up at 6:51.

i quietly made my way to the shower, which i took in the dark, it was pretty relaxing. i'm not sure why i took my shower in the dark, i just did and i liked it so stop laughing at me. i came back to michael's room and got ready as quietly as i could (he kept a pillow over his head). believe it or not, in this humidity, i was still having a pretty good hair day. that never happens to me on important days, not even in san angelo, but i digress.

so, my interview was at 9am but i left the house at 815. you never know what kind of traffic to expect in a big city. i got to the school at 827. ha! there was practically zero traffic on my side of the highway. i left the school and went to the store to waste a little time. when i got back to the school (1o min early) i had to walk around the back way because the floors were being waxed. there was a sign on the office door that said have a seat and we'll be with you as soon as we can. that is exactly what i did. i made my way to the sitting area and, well....sat. i sat for 10 minutes listening to the principal on her phone in her office. she obviously didn't know i was there or she would have been a little more discreet with her conversation. at just about 9:00 i heard her say that she had an interview at 9:00 and that no one was here yet but she just saw one of her teachers walk around the corner. when that teacher walked in the door, i looked over and smiled, but she didn't see me. she walked into her principals' office where they excitedly talked about their summers. the principal then went on to say that they had four interviews today. "the first three have zero experience and the fourth one actually taught in our district before leaving a few years ago to have kids. she's ready to come back and she just put in her application a week ago. if she isn't totally terrible, then she will probably be it."

um...okay. what am i supposed to do at this point? should i yell to the back of the office, "yo, lady-i'm here so could you keep it down so neither of us feel awkward in a few minutes when you realize i've been sittin' here the whole time!?!?!" should i make myself at home and walk back and knock on her door and politely announce my presence in the chairs at the front, or should i sit quietly (like the sign said) and wait for them to bite their tongues.

well, anyone who knows me knows that i am not a yeller. i am not impolite and i am not crazy enough to just walk into someone's office who is about to interview me. so...i sat.

when i thought things couldn't get worse, a second third grade teacher walked in and the whole thing happened again. it is now about 10 after 9 and i have been sitting in the chair in the office for 20 minutes. now remember, my chair is about 10 feet from the door the teachers walked in. i walked in that same door 10 minutes before they did. all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, i see a body walk from the principals office into the office where i'm sitting and then quickly dart back in. there is quiet followed by a few giggles and then all three women proceed to a room attached to the principals office.

a couple of minutes later the principal walks out and excitedly greets me, "hello, kayla, thank you so much for coming this morning, i am mrs. so and so (i can't remember her name)." i respond, "hello, i'm kylah kotze, thank you for having me.) she realizes she has now said things she shouldn't have said where i could hear them and she's said my name wrong. yikes.

the interview starts with a question from the principal about my education and experience. i give it all ending with the fact that i have taught first grade for the past two years. she looks at me a little shocked and clarifies that i do have experience. "yes, ma'am."

"oh." she says

the interview continues on a pretty light hearted note after that and i answer the questions well and even make them laugh a time or two. i don't know if i'll get hired or not, i probably won't because the "fourth girl will probably not be terrible."

whether i do or do not get hired, i'm okay. i know that God has a plan and right now, i am totally fine with seeing what it is.

but, oh, what a silly morning it has been.

sweet love

after a really long and lonely week, my husband came home last night. i am really ready to live with him full time. i know it is going to make such a huge difference in our lives. it just really stinks to be away from your husband. it stinks to have to sleep in your bed alone almost every night of the week. it just stinks.

but for now, it's not stinky, michael is home and i am happy.

thank you Jesus for a wonderful husband and such a sweet love. it is such a wonderful gift.

another day...one dollar

i guess my dad read my post, "another day, another dollar" because tonight after dinner he paid me for helping him.

one dirty, crinkly, ugly, smelly dollar bill. ha! $1.00?!?!?! only one dollar for all of that hard work?!

but then again, i guess that's what i get.

i didn't even want the $1.00, spending time with my dad was payment enough for me! you're the greatest father anyone could ever dream up. God blessed me with you! i love you daddy! you did a great job on the remodel!

finally

i got a call this morning from a sa principal. i have an interview scheduled for this coming monday morning. it's for a third grade position.

third grade is definitely not my first pick. it's a hard grade. it's the first grade were the kids are taks tested. yucko!

however, a third grade position is better to me than a no grade position. i'll take what i can get and praise God for the opportunity

thank you Jesus.

another day, another dollar

well, not really. it was another day but i didn't make a single dollar!

we worked again on mom's house and i can't wait to see the finished product! it's gonna look so great! we're gonna get up early and finish the room tomorrow. yuck!

i got to spend some time with la in the nursery tonight at church. we didn't get very serious in our conversation, but it was a nice conversation anyway. we don't usually get to spend much time together and it's just nice when we can!

thanks, la, for hanging with me tonight! it was fun! i am praying for you this week with john gone. i hope the rest of the week goes quickly for you. i know how hard it having your husband gone so much. i can't imagine how much harder it would be with kids. here's hoping the weekend comes quickly for us both.

but, here's hoping my night somehow grows a few extra hours. i am really tired and i know getting up early to work more tomorrow isn't going to be easy.

good night.

home remodel

we've started working on mom and dad's house. we started yesterday in my old bedroom. it's gonna be great!

we got the carpet ripped up, the baseboards off, the popcorn scraped of the ceiling, the shoe rack out of the closet, the ugliest closet door in the world, off of the closet, the crown molding down (to help appropriately scrape the ceiling and then be put back up), and the ceiling painted. today dad is going to frame out the windows and we'll start putting down the wood floor. then we'll put the finishing touches back up throughout the room.

it's gonna look so great! i can't wait until her entire house is done and she's happy! the plans they have are not drastically huge but they are gonna transform this house! i can't wait to see it!

another day...another application

so i've tried multiple times to contact the district in sa that i applied for. i've called, i've emailed.

nothing.

until today.

don't get excited, i haven't gotten a job or even an interview. however, as soon as i was finished filling out another application for another sa district, i checked my email and there sat a letter from the district assistant hr director. she let me know that my application was complete and my file was available to be viewed by principals. there are 58 elementary schools in that one district. anyway, the most important thing her email said was that there are and will continue to be openings in the district for the 2007-2008 school year.

so, the good news is that there are still positions to be filled and i could be the person to fill one of them.

i now have two applications in the sa area and will hopefully hear something soon.

all we can do is keep waiting and praying.

and hopefully i won't have to fill out any other apps with 1 hour long surveys attached to the end. geez-lou-eez

a tournament first place

my husband has played in the bentwood partnership with his college basketball coach for the past four years. it costs money to get into the tournament and it costs money to buy your own team if you want to in the calcutta (the bidding part of the night where you buy the team you think will win so you can win their money). well, every year so far, we've split the team with coach and his wife jane. we've had to send too much money and unfortunately, the boys didn't win. they had a good time playing and it's always been a great chance for them to get together and lose money! ;)

well, this year we didn't buy their team but after the calcutta we asked the guy who did if we could buy half of the team from him. now if they won, he would win half of the money and michael and coach would win half of the money to split. on friday before the calcutta they were in second place in their flight and were feeling pretty good. saturday went well also. when i talked to him on sunday after the tournament, michael felt like they might win.

well, they did! they took first place. i am extremely happy for him and proud of him. coach will be 75 next week so i think this was a great birthday present for him. coach kept hugging michael and telling him thank you and that he loved him. it was really sweet and i know it made michael feel pretty good.

i'm proud of you babe! great job on the tournament. look out tiger, here we come! ;)

nothing can compare to good friends

so yesterday we spent the day at lake lbj. my mom's best friend, from the time she was born, just celebrated her 30th wedding anniversary. we went to the lake to celebrate them and to hang out with their family. we had so much fun.

while we were there, my mom and i talked matt and mandy into driving back home with us last night and not going to plano until today. we stopped in llano to eat at dairy queen. it was great! while we were there my mom got a text from my dad that he was showing our house at 8:30. it was 7:15, we were two hours away, and my bed wasn't made. i knew that my bed wasn't made because i left the house before michael was even awake. i was certain he didn't make the bed. what's makes it worse is that he was playing in golf tournament and i couldn't get a hold of him. dad was driving in from odessa and was going to arrive at the house at the 8:30 right along with the people. mom was with me...

YIKES!!

so what did i do? i called my friend. i embarrassed myself and called my friend and asked her to go to my house and make my bed. that was one of the most ridiculous things i've ever done. i know she didn't care and i know i wouldn't have thought a thing about it if she had asked me to do the same thing for her. i would have just been happy to help, as i'm sure she was. but still, it's embarrassing to have to call someone and ask them to make your bed and make sure everything is picked up in your house.

well, she did all of that and i think was just finishing up when michael got home. he helped complete the getting ready of the house. just in time for dad to show the house.

whew!

so, to my dear friend, jenny, thank you so much for being someone i can call in the blink of an eye for something so weird. i'm just glad you're so addicted to hobby lobby, otherwise you wouldn't have been on my side of town. i love you! just give me a call if you ever need me to do anything weird! ;)

there is just nothing on this earth that compares to a good friend.

cinnamon toast crunch...

golden grahams was the huge cereal in my house when i was a child. it's just what we usually ate. however, there were times we got to choose a different cereal, like...lucky charms (which i love to this day).

however, i was always a little disappointed. i always, i mean...always wanted cinnamon toast crunch. yesterday i was at the store buying some things and i bought some cereal (lucky charms) for michael. i bought cinnamon toast crunch too! i was so excited!

this morning, i woke up and went straight for the kitchen. i got down my bowl, filled it with cinnamon toast crunch and poured in the cold milk. i smiled as i spooned my cereal down in the milk and walked to my chair and awaiting computer.

i dipped my spoon into my cereal and excitedly took a bite.

it wasn't that great. i hate to say this, but mom...you were right.

geez. what a bummer.

who would have thought....

you know, there is just something about making your bed every morning that makes your house feel so stinkin' clean!

i never knew that before my house went on the market.

i like it.

of course, at this point there is only one body in that bed. one body that hardly moves during the night. the bed was still half made when i got out of it this morning. it was just a matter of turning my side of the covers back up and putting the pillows back on. when michael is in that bed, it's a different story. especially because our comforter doesn't even get to stay on the bed when he's in it. "it's just too hot."


oh well, i'll enjoy this morning an easy making bed and i'll enjoy tomorrow morning a bed i haven't slept in alone. i guess there are perks to both sides, huh?!

a clean house...ahhh.

i'm nervous.

i don't have a job yet, haven't heard a thing. our home hasn't sold either, but i'm not as worried about that. a few months ago i thought i'd be okay without a teaching job, i could always do something else. however, the past few weeks, without the prospect of a teaching job, i have started to worry.

what if august gets here and i don't have a job? what if we still have a house payment and not a second income? what happens if i don't get a job and we don't sell our house and my husband and i spend more months pulling the long distance thing.

today on the way home from sa, my feelings took on an overwhelming, incredibly discouraged, depressing tone. i became nervous thinking of all of the "what ifs". my heart was so heavy and i was scared. within a few minutes, my sister texted me. we began talking about the decisions we were facing in our lives. the fact that time was running out and we didn't know what to do. where should we turn? what decision should we make? after one of my responses, i began to pray for sarah and myself and our families. i prayed that God would take care of us and give us the peace we needed to make the right decisions and to be blessed with opportunity to stay in His will. in the middle of that prayer i was reminded of a scripture

"be anxious for nothing, but in all things with prayer and thanksgiving make your request known to God."

it was the first time in a long time i had actually felt God speak to me. i began to cry and told sarah what God had said. she responded much the way i felt. it is hard to not be nervous. it is hard to not worry. it is hard to remember that the God "who named us" holds our future in his hands. but as sarah and i continued talking, God spoke through us more and more, renewing his promise to never leave us.

i made it home a little later and immediately opened my computer to check in on the lives of my dear friends. there were soooooo many things that God said to me through your blogs.
i heard God tell me to take joy in who he has made me to be, to not worry over him taking care of me, to remember that he named me before there was time, to know that even our steps are ordered, and to remember that He provides for us in unexpected ways. when i got to sarah's lullaby blog, another song immediately jumped into my heart. a blog or two later, i see crystal, expectation. this is the exact song i had been thinking of. tears began flowing without hesitation. i've been crying ever since.

God, thank you for saying it as many times as i needed to hear it to understand that you are God, you are in control, and you will provide. i honor you and i glorify your name. you are my father on high. you know the end from the beginning and you know the path i am to take. i pray that you continue to remind me to be anxious for nothing and to expect a a visit from you.

i will wait no longer, my Lord, to sit at your feet and drink from the cup in your hand. sit back against you and breathe. feel your heart beat.

i expect the overwhelming feelings to no longer be my worries, but your peace. thank you.

a totally hot date!

okay, angela, just so you know...i was on a totally hot date!

sunday morning i left early to see michael in sa. he surprised me with a stay at the westin hotel on the riverwalk. it was wonderful!

this is the kind of hotel with valet parking and room service and comfy beds with soft sheets. it was heaven. our room had a king size bed with a pillow top mattress, a duvet, 3 sheets and a fluffy white comforter. it was the best two nights ever!

we spent both nights walking the riverwalk and watching people. we had dinner at great restaurants and really enjoyed spending time together. monday morning michael got up to go to work and i slept in. then i watched some tv and later took a nap. after my nap, i took a long, luxurious bath and took my time getting ready. when michael got home from work, we walked the river and had a nice dinner on the water. we stopped by the chocolate factory (holy moly!) and picked up a couple of double chocolate dipped strawberries and some caramel apples. we walked back to the hotel, holding hands and laughing. once we got back we went for a swim in the wonderfully warm pool. then...it was snack time! the strawberries were sooo delicious. i've never had strawberries that perfect in my life!

we had a such a great time and i would totally recommend that hotel to anyone wanting a nice, romantic get-a-way!

thanks baby! i had a fantastic time! you are the love of my life and such a wonderful husband!

you know what's funny, michael did tease me about missing my blogs. (he was soo right!)

blog update

so i'm sitting with crystal earlier after the garage sale and i asked her if she'd updated her blog. she hasn't. but...neither have i. thanks for pointing that out!

the problem is, the absolute only thing i've done since my last post (which was about the garage sale) is the garage sale. so, i have nothing to say and i'm annoyed that i don't have anything to say for updation (my own word) of the blog.

see, crystal said she had updated her blog two days ago and mine was updated just yesterday, but we all know we don't just check blogs once a day. so a blog updated two days ago can be really depressing. 5 checks a day can make a post from yesterday seem like it was updated two years ago.

okay, so you may not all be as bad as i am, but i will admit i'm bad. so here is, if for no one other than myself, my blog...updated.

house for sale

i officially put my home up for sale earlier today. (well, it's now 1:20am so, i guess, yesterday). it was the SADDEST thing ever!

please pray for a quick sale. above all, please pray for God's will in our lives.

oh...and...please pray the garage sale will be over soon! my mom has pulled things from corners i didn't even know existed in this house! how have we even been able to store these things?!?!?!

it's like a magic show...

yummy

is there anything in this world better than fresh, juicy cantaloupe?

i don't think so.

excluding dr. pepper of course.

when women worship

my favorite past-time is reading. i am addicted to it. the best reading time, is really late at night, lying in bed with only the lamp on. last night was that night for me.

i laid in bed reading a book marme gave me called When Women Worship. it's really great so far and i'm loving it. i was reading along last night, letting the words just flow over me, when i came across a statement that knocked me over the head.

"True worship lies in the depth of our need of and gratitude for the Almighty."

after a short pause, i reread this sentence very slowly. it makes such sense to me. i know that some of my truest times of worship have been during my greatest need for Jesus. it didn't matter what the need was, but it was always great. these great needs could have been deaths of loved ones, problems with family or friends, sickness, salvation for loved ones, or so many other things; but they were needs that caused me to dig deeper with Jesus and find the well of living water.

true worship also comes from our gratitude for God. this isn't the same gratitude you feel towards a stranger who has held the door open for you. it's not the kind of thanks you say when someone says "bless you." this is a gratitude that goes far deeper than any of these. this is a gratitude that comes from deep in your spirit. a spirit that realizes that without the shed blood of Jesus, there would be no future for you and no hope for this world. this is the kind of gratitude that humbles you and brings you to your knees.

we must remember to bring our full worship to Him. it is usually the times we feel the least like worship that God understands and gives so much back to us.

the book goes on to discuss the needs of various women mentioned in the Bible that brought the best of their worship to Jesus. the last women mentioned is the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well. this woman had physical need of water, but that physical need drew her to a meeting place with the Almighty.

"The question is this, When you come to this place of need at the well of living water, will you be surprised if God asks something of you first?"

our human minds, full of shock, begin to stammer, "but God, that's why i'm here. i need you. i need a filling from you." the thing is, God doesn't need anything from us and Jesus probably didn't need anything from the Samaritan woman at the well, but He asked her anyway...because he wanted to. the God of the universe wants to need us.

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for speaking to me through this book. Thank you for helping me understand that the best way to worship you is to have a need for you that cannot be quenched. I pray for a stirring in my soul. A hunger for more of you. I want to give you anything you desire. Please ask of me what you will. I long to dig out a deeper trench to you that will bring forth waters of eternal life, waters that will continue to sustain me through need, sorrow, joy and gratitude. Help me to never be satisfied. Stir my heart, God. I want to need you as you want to need me. You are so worthy of praise. I worship you with my whole heart.

life is perfect with a niece named ellie

sarah and ellie came in town today. they are both so beautiful. they are such a wonderful part of my life and hold such a special place in my heart. my first sister and my first niece. could it get any better than this?

ellie is so wonderful. she is rolling all over the place, smiling and laughing and really enjoying life. she loves being around people and seeing familiar faces. like mine! ha! my mom was holding her when they walked through the door and after a minute or so, i walked over to say hello. as i started talking to her, she got this really special look in her eyes and smiled and giggled like crazy.

in my opinion, she remembers the week i spent there not long ago. she remembers seeing her auntie jo's face so often and being pampered and loved on by her too. i do love her dearly and i am so happy she's here.

plus-there is nothing that can change the bond sarah and i share. i just love hanging out with her. she cracks me up all the time, she is so funny. we also think alike and finish each other's sentences! that all makes it even more fun! i really can't remember our family without her!

i love those HENRY girls and i'm so glad they're here!

happy anniversary

today is our four month anniversary. it seems like it's been so much longer than four months. and then sometimes, it seems like it hasn't been that long at all. i guess living in a different town than your husband can do that to you sometimes.

i am married, however, and i am so thankful for that. michael is the best man for me. ever. i love him so much and our marriage has made my life better.

thanks, baby, for four fantastic months (and for reminding me that our anniversary is today!). i love you more than life!

this is for e-

e-

i'm sorry i missed your call this morning, i was working in my yard. after that i worked on the garage sale with my aunt. man, i'm tired. well, during one of my garage sale breaks for water tonight, my dad started listening to the messages on their phone. i heard your message asking marme what her blog address was. you said you had tried to call jenny and i and couldn't get a hold of either of us. uh..sorry. ;)

because i think it might be too late to call you (i don't wanna wake the girls) i thought i'd post and tell you a quick way to find the blogspot. if you look to the lower right of my screen, you will find a list of the links i check a million times each day. marme's is on there. you can just click on her link and it will take you straight to her page.

hope this helps and i'm sorry again for not answering the phone when you called! have fun!

love ya~kj

before and after...

so, we've been working on the yard like crazy. in the dead heat of summer. whew! i mowed the lawn yesterday as michael edged and washed off the bottom of the house with a pressure washer . he had so much fun with that thing! i spent this morning hedging the shrubs and bushes. i think it looks pretty good. whatcha' think?

please notice in this picture how the tall topiary shrubs look like the volleyball, wilson, in the movie cast away. long hair on top. so funny! this picture was taken before all of the hard work i did a few weeks ago with the mulch and flowers.this is the "after" picture that i took this afternoon once i had finished all of the hedging (thank jenny for the loan-and i didn't even cut the cord!).
man, i'm glad this part is done!

happy birthday

today is my mama's birthday. i am so excited for her!

marme-

happy birthday to you! happy birthday to you! happy fortieth birthday dear marme, happy birthday to you!!! ;)
i love you so much and i am so proud that you are my mom. thank you for bringing me into this world, and being an example of how to live in it but not of it. thank you for always showing jesus and being a wonderful example to so many women who look up to you. i love you so much!
kj

michael says to tell you happy birthday too (don't worry, i'm working on getting him to at least read blogs on occasion...maybe someday...)

happy birthday dear lady!

it's friday

do you know what happens on friday?

my husband comes home on friday! hurray!

baby-i think you should leave work early and come home and surprise me! come on, do it!

Independence Day

for my first married independence day, i am indpendent. my husband and i are each spending our first married fourth of july in separate towns. poor guy. at least i'll get to see my friends and church family tonight at the picnic. oh well, he'll be home in a few days!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

funny...

you have to read this. it's hilarious! this is my friend bethany and she is so great! i just reread this post while showing it to my parents! we cracked up all the way through it! i thought you might enjoy it as much as we did!

plus...it's really scary when you can relate to a few of her points! yikes!

so funny, beth! thanks for making me laugh!

a good cry.

how long has it been since you've had a good cry? for no reason, and every reason all at the same time?

me?

about 3 hours.

michael left this morning, my car is broken, there is a large list of things to do, my home is going to belong to someone else, i've quit my beloved job, i'm trying to plan a garage sale with my mom, i'm moving to a new place, getting a new job, and worrying about all of this stuff when there is no dr. pepper in the house.

i was right in the middle of an episode of csi:miami (to which, for some reason, i have recently become addicted). i hadn't been thinking much about my major life change, but suddenly, for no apparent reason, i broke into tears. i felt half-shocked and half-released. i gave in to the release.

i sat in my chair, with jules on the ottoman, my remote in my hand and my tv tuned to csi and i cried. i cried out loud, sitting up, starring at the tv. i cried for awhile. i let the tears run down my face and i didn't even bother to wipe them off. i didn't worry about a running nose or running make-up. i didn't worry about jules watching me like i'd lost my mind. i just cried.

then...

i stopped

and i felt so much better.

to do list

i have a ton of stuff to do to make sure the house is ready to sell. it's been a little pointless to try and clean while the floor has been in disarray because i've swept twice and wood crumbs and trash continue to overtake the floor. so, we've decided to put the house on the market this week and my part of the house overhaul is swinging in to high gear. here is what i must do by thursday:

• Laundry (a normal everyday thing)
• Entire House Cleaning (again...normal)
• Clean Out Garage
• trip to the dump
• garage sale stuff to mom's
• organize shelves and closet

• Front Yard
• mow
• trim hedges
• fertilize

• Touch Up Paint
• baseboards
• front door
• back doors
• office walls

• Organize
• kitchen cabinets
• hall closets
• bathroom cabinets
• laundry room

so, the list doesn't look as long as it feels, but these things will definitely take some time. the thing is, i don't think i'll be able to rest again until this house sells. i'll be cleaning everyday and worrying about everything being perfect.

i know michael is already exhausted. he spent his entire vacation working on the house and he worked everyday almost all day. well, except for the day he played golf. he deserved that, though. this morning he said, "man i can't wait to get back to work so i can rest." i have a funny feeling that's how we're both gonna feel pretty soon.

so-if you know anyone wanting to buy a new home, send 'em our way. and please pray for an easy and quick process so we can get settled in a new home before the school year starts again. yikes.

a backyard oasis

okay, well, there isn't any water in my backyard oasis. but i love this idea my wonderful husband had. he and my dad began putting this gazebo together yesterday afternoon. michael finished it this evening. then he and i worked on the yard and i put my flowers around everywhere. i think it looks great and it's just making it harder for us to leave... :(

michael and dad starting the huge project of putting this gazebo together.beautiful flowers

uh...more

the bar

the porch

view from the fence, in.

the gazebo!the best view

michael and jules relaxing in our new backyard oasis.
would you buy a house with a backyard like this? please, say yes!

the amazing floor

michael and daddy starting the floor.

whoa! a floor of cement. so sad.

a floor half done and a really tired boy's feet.

a really tired boy and his dog.

a beautiful new floor completed!

my living room, almost normal. things aren't in their exact location, but close. nice floor!