A Decade (Part 3: 2007-2009)

As far as my life goes thus far, 2007 has been the hardest part of it all. It started off okay, in January I turned 21 and celebrated with friends.In February things started to fall apart. Seth and I called off our engagement, we were fighting all the time and both of us had pretty much given up on the other. At the time we were living together in Campbellsville, both still attending CU, his name was on the lease so I had to find another place to live and fast. I moved in with some friends that April, we had fun but I couldn't help thinking something was missing. Seth and I were still seeing each other, taking part in the occasional "overnight visit". *Cue pregnancy test* In June I found out I was pregnant. Seth and his family were not particularly happy with the news, which only hurt me more. Eventually, August rolled around and the friends I had moved in with decided to move out, my parents and I decided it would be best for me (and baby) to move back to Frankfort. I moved back August 1st. Seth stayed in Campbellsville.

On August 6, 2007, very late in the evening, my phone rang, it was a friend from Campbellsville. Pam and Christie had been in a car accident, Pam had been killed. I lost it. I remember thinking how could something so horrible happen to someone so wonderful. Now I realize that I was right about how wonderful she was, God knew it too. That is exactly why he brought her home to him so early in life. I miss her dearly. Selfishly, I wish she was still here but I know that she is in a much better place and I will see her again someday.

The next couple months went by in a blur. My pregnancy went by slowly, Seth came home to visit most weekends, we were still not "together" but trying to work on things. On November 25, 2007 I went into premature labor due to an e-coli infection. Colton Lee Darnell was born that day, 17 weeks early. He stayed in the hospital, in critical condition, for the remainder of 2007. It was the worst time of my life. Seth and I leaned on each other, he moved back to Frankfort and we discovered that the three of us; me, him and Colton, belonged together.

2007 was the year of pain.

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The only goal I had for 2008 was to make it better than the year before. With a lot of help from God, I succeeded. In May, Colton finally got to come home from the NICU.I finally got to be a hands-on, 100% of the time Mommy. That little boy holds the key to my heart. Late that summer, Seth proposed (for the second time) and I said YES!On November 15, 2008 I married my best friend. It was amazing.2008 was the year of magic.

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Now, here we are at 2009. It is amazing how much things can change in ten years. This year we bought a house and completely renovated it.and our miracle baby boy turned TWO!Looking back over the last decade, one thing is for sure, I have been blessed beyond belief. 2009 has been the year of joy.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. May all the days of 2010 find you living, laughing and loving. See you all next year!

Wordless Wednesday - With Some Words

Here are a few pictures from the surprise 25th anniversary party my sister and I gave my parents this past weekend. It went wonderfully. Now, for house news, we are moving in this weekend!!! We are all super busy so this will probably be my last blog in our old house, I'll be back soon... plus, there is always twitter. Enjoy the pictures.

The Plan - Week 5

The floor is officially going down and we love it. There was a lot of painting going on this week, we hoped to be finished painting but that didn't quite happen. We are much closer though. Seth's Nana came in from St. Louis to check on the progress of the house and she helped my Mother and Seth's paint all the trim. Both bathrooms are complete, we are very happy with the way the turned out. If you have been keeping up with the schedule you know that next week is move in week, Seth keeps telling me everything will be done in time, I hope it will. Here is the plan for week 6.

Week of August 17-23
-Finish laying flooring
-Finish painting
-Kitchen work and appliances
-Small finishing touches
-Finish up packing (I have really been procrastinating on this part)

Oh, I almost forgot, the termite treatment DID happen last week. I guess being superstitious and not saying it WOULD happen in the last post worked!

The Plan - Week 4

Can you believe that we are already four weeks into this renovation? I sure can't. I am sure, however, that my husband and his helpers are all too sure of the time that has passed... they have been working so hard. Before you even ask, the termite treatment STILL has not happened, maybe next week next year. Lets focus on the positives, lots of painting DID happen this week and lots of little things. I LOVE the new cranberry red shutters and soon to be cranberry red front door (see photo). I also now have a window/new backdoor in the laundry room because who wants to do laundry in a dungeon? I actually did some work this week, I packed up most of the kitchen and laundry room plus I got rid of a lot of stuff we didn't really need. I'm trying to declutter our lives before the big move.

So, next on my blog agenda, the plan for week four.

Week of August 10-16
-Finish painting
-Lay flooring
-Repair drainage problem around house (Seth's Dad is helping him with this)
-Replace counter tops
-Install new appliances
-Continue packing

I'm not even going to put the termite treatment on this list... don't want to jinx it. If you have been keeping up with the schedule we plan to move in the week after next, keep your fingers crossed.

The Plan - Week 3

Ahhh the joys of renovating a house. This past week was a rough one. Seth started working 3rd shift, which means that, coming from 2nd shift, he had to work 16 hours straight on Saturday. Needless to say, the house stuff is coming along fine but definitely a little slower than week 1. Looking back at last weeks to-do list we finished repairing the sub-flooring and patched holes in the drywall, started the bathrooms, began painting and packed a little more. The termite treatment was scheduled for Wednesday but didn't happen due to rain for the 2nd week in a row. Tomorrow starts week 3 and here is our to-do list...

Week of Aug 3rd - 9th

• Finish bathrooms *** Already done, hubby is ahead in the bathrooms!
• Finish painting
• Hang the new back door (may not happen this week)
• Lay flooring
• and HOPEFULLY termite treatment!!!
• oh and continue packing

Let's pray the rain holds off for a couple days so all of our repaired sub-flooring doesn't become the termites new favorite hang out spot.

On a side note, Colton LOVES the computer almost as much as I do. The computer is the ONLY thing we can use as motivation to crawl/stand... see...

I think I can...

I think I can...

I THINK I can.

I CAN!!! (with a little help from Mommy)

In case you didn't get that... Colton has begun pulling up (see above)!!! I find it so hard to stay optimistic sometimes with all the developmental delays due to his "preemiehood". It is hard to see the other 20 month olds running around and climbing on everything while your child is just beginning to crawl and stand. Its hard but when he finally reaches those milestones it makes it that much better. I'm so proud of him, he has worked so hard with his therapists. We have a long way to go but I know we; Colton, our family, the wonderful therapists and all of our friends, can do it together.

A little change will do you good.

My wonderful hubs keeps changing our "renovation schedule" first he decided to paint before laying the floor, then he changed it to lay floor before painting, now he is back to the original plan. So, you can replace 'Lay Flooring' with 'Begin Painting' on the Week 2 plan. He is over at the house painting as I type. The termite treatment was changed from week 1 to week 2 and is now going to have to be moved to week 3. They can't do it unless it has been dry for the 48 hours before and here in Kentucky it has been raining just about every single day. Hopefully, the termite treatment will happen next week but I've said that before. Seth did finish repairing the sub-flooring and is almost finished with the drywall, so kudos to him for working so hard. I just love him dearly, can you tell?

Another big change this week... MY MOM GOT A NEW DOG! Brandy our full size Doberman Pinscher died several months ago after years with our family. My parents house one of my dogs, Dallas and my sister's dog Cophie (like Sophie with a C) so they were maxed out on dog room. BUT once we move into the new house we are taking Dallas (German Shepherd) with us so we will have two dogs, Dallas and Daisy. Mom decided that since Dallas was leaving it was the perfect time for her to get the new puppy she had been wanting. So last night they traveled to Eastern Kentucky and my Father got my Mother a Mini Pinscher for their 25th Anniversary which is in mid August. She named her Roxy and she is incrediby adorable. See for youself below. I guess it is true, a little change can do you good.

The Plan - Week 2

Today ends the first week of our renovation project and I must say that I am very impressed with my husband and all his helpers. They have managed to achieve everything listed on Week 1's list. As I type Seth is already at the house this morning working on the bathrooms, which are not even on the list until next week which begins tomorrow, so we are AHEAD of schedule!!! Just to review our first week consisted of closing, making lots of appointments, getting water and electric turned on, the delivery of our rental dumpster, tearing out wallpaper, knocking down walls, starting to repair sub-flooring and drywall and a little bit of packing. Shew that's a mouth full. We had hoped to have had the termite treatment completed this week but because of all the Kentucky summer rain, we have moved that onto the week 2's list. Speaking of which, here goes...

Week of July 27 - Aug 2, 2009

• Termite treatment (hopefully)
• Finish repairing sub-flooring and drywall
• Start bathrooms (already started!)
• Lay new flooring (Seth has decided to do this before painting, I don't know why)
• Continue packing here.
  

A big chunk of week 2 is going to be spent on the flooring. Yesterday, Seth had our dogs Dallas and Daisy at the house, they LOVE their new backyard. Check back soon =)

Renovation - Day 1

We are full speed ahead with the first step of our renovation --- demolition! We closed yesterday afternoon at three and soon after my hard-working hubbster and his dedicated helpers began...

ripping out carpet...

and knocking down walls.

They got much more done that any of us thought was even possible the SAME day as closing. Today, FPB turned on our water and BFI delivered our rental dumpster, while Seth spent the entire morning at Lowe's gathering supplies. He took a nap this afternoon and is now out playing softball. I am so incredibly proud of him for working so hard and am keeping my fingers-crossed that he keeps it up. If you refer back to our list from my last post that only leaves the termite treatment, electricity inspection/turn on and the beginnings of repairing the sub-flooring and drywall damage from our tiny little friends, the termites, for the remainder of this week. It looks as though (for now) we are right on schedule. Check back soon for more updates.

The Plan - Week 1

Tomorrow is the big day, we close on our first house! Just minutes after closing we plan to begin work on our new home. We purchased a foreclosed house and plan to do lots of work throughout the next month, we plan to move in the last week of August. I say "we plan" and not "we will" because sometimes my wonderful husband can be a bit of a procrastinator, I still love him dearly though. Here is the plan for week 1, I intend to post updates all about our renovation experiences.

Week of July 20th - 26th

• Termite Treatment
  
• City to inspect Electric (it has been off since last August) and turn it on.
  
• Water turned on
• Rental dumpster delivery (for all of our trash and debris)
• Rip out carpet
• Knock out laundry room wall (this was my hubs idea)
• Start repairing sub-flooring and drywall (from the termite damage)
• and begin packing up our townhouse.
  

Wish us luck =)