Where do I start?

My life the past couple of weeks has been so busy that I have not even THOUGHT about updating this blog. Apparently I am too busy living my life to write about it. Lots has happened, but as always, I will only include the highlights...

The first is not at all a highlight, but the end of an era. Jack has found a new home. At first I thought this deserved it's own post about how wonderful of a cat he was, etc., but then I realized that he isn't dead (he is very much alive and well), he just found a better home. Here is the makeup of why he is no longer living with us: Henry was getting really rough with him, and at the moment I need a guard dog more than a rowdy cat; he always wanted to go outside, and made runs for it, but our neighborhood is not exactly where you want a cat to roam; but the biggest reason is his attacking nature, which we thought was funny for a while, until I showed up with cut arms all the time. Randy firmly decided that Jack would not be around when we had a baby because of his unpredictable aggression; and, although we are not having a kid soon, I thought it would be best for him to go ahead and make a new transition rather than make this one in the new house to just turn around and find a new home in a year or so.

Therefore, Jack now belongs to a fifty-year-old man named Tony, who was so excited to get him and let Jack have the run of his house. He loves that Jack has the personality of a dog and is the alpha male, and he loves that we gave him all of Jack's things to make him feel at home with the transition.

Am I sad about it? Yes. Did I cry? Yes. But it really was the best decision for our life at this point, and also better for the crazy, unpredictable Jack Cat.

I went to Nashville last weekend because I have some fun news to share...one of my very best friends is PREGNANT!!!! YAY! Anna Grace and Drew are expecting their first child in March, and I was so excited to get to have ice cream with her and grill her with tons and tons of questions. I am so happy for them, and it so happens to be that we will have another niece/nephew around that time because Danny and Jenna are also expecting in March. Busy month! Cannot wait to find out what each are having....I'm hoping for a boy for the Townsends and a girl (finally, hopefully) for the Hartmans! I also got to go to a good friend's bachelorette/lingerie shower. Katie and Matt get married in October, and we spent Saturday canoeing 13 miles down the Harpeth, then eating Baja Burrito and watching Katie open her lingerie gifts. It was so fun to be with old college friends. (Am I really "old" enough to call college friends "old"? Geesh.) Sunday was family time, and then home to see the hubs and pup.

A good friend and new PA (physician's assistant), Janine, moved into our "apartment" on Monday. She will be staying there until she finds a permanent place, and we are so excited to have her not only in Memphis, but in our very own backyard!!

Henry had been SOOOOO good lately that we bragged about him to friends. Well, I guess we spoke to soon because the very next day Randy came home to a house that was filled with pages from his Bible. Henry had chewed his Bible covers, eaten the entire book of Genesis and the first 10 chapters of Exodus. To make matters worse, he threw up a ton (probably because he ate the Bible and God was punishing him) and then sat on the couch (a HUGE no, no) and got slobber on my pillows. Yuck. Well, the dog that had won himself freedom around the house for two weeks straight is now back to being in the kitchen until he gets a little older.

Now I am just busy thinking about the next couple of big things we have going on....Sarah Kate visits tomorrow from Australia, we go camping this weekend in Arkansas, the Reds will be in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years which makes Randy too excited for words, and Kelsa visits me soon. To cap it all off we are having some amazing weather and I am loving every minute of it!

A Casserole Explosion

So, tonight we decided to have some people from the neighborhood over for dinner. On the menu? Chicken Casserole, salad, fried squash, bread, and chocolate lava cake for dessert with homemade whipped cream. Everything was looking delicious, and our guests had just arrived. Sarah had just gone to get the door, which left me, Randy, and Adam in the kitchen. The yummy, bubbly chicken casserole had been out of the oven for five minutes tops sitting on top of the stove. As we stood around talking as I finished preparing the last of the squash, the ENTIRE casserole exploded into a million pieces...none smaller than one inch in diameter. No joke. I am not exaggerating in the least.

Not only did my casserole explode, but it exploded over everything in my kitchen...including the squash and the dessert. The two boys were also wounded with some shrapnel so we had a little bit of blood lost over the incident. Luckily, no one was hurt...nor were either animal. With nothing but some salad, bread, and a set dinner table, we decided to go eat mexican up the street. Still had a great dinner with friends, but nothing like what I planned.

Those of you who know the Mary and Martha story in the New Testament, Randy said that maybe it was God's way of telling me not to be a Martha in hosting a dinner. (I had been stressed about not getting the food done. The extreme heat in our kitchen didn't help. Maybe that was because the burner was left on from the tea? I won't say names of who left it on but I will say that it was not me who made the tea!! :) Whether it was a lesson learned or just a huge mess to make a memory in the new house, it is all cleaned up and now we can laugh.)

I hope the next dinner party goes well. If I get pictures sent my way of the entire disaster I will post them for your entertainment.

This Old House

So, we have been in our house for almost a week now, and I am finally able to sleep through the night and sit down long enough to write a blog post or read some of my Bible or book....which is a good sign since the last six days I have been in constant motion whether productive or not. I think I have rearranged silly things like candles and vases a million times. First thing I realized was just how. old. this. house. is. I have never lived in a 90 year old home, so this is all "new" old stuff. For example...

Our front door has to have both doorknobs (yes, we have two doorknobs) pushed at the same time if you want in. So you better have two hands ready.

No floors are level....I haven't even tried rolling a marble or anything because I don't need to to know how off our floors are. And holes. There are holes in the floor....and holes mean...

BUGS. I can't pretend anymore...I strongly dislike bugs. Of all shapes and sizes. Especially bugs inside. We don't have much, but enough to raise an eyebrow.

Outside is a different story. We have more mosquitos than anywhere. Ever. No joke. I wish I had taken a picture of all the bug killer Randy bought from Lowe's. It took up our whole dining room table. He said he told the checkout lady, "These bugs don't stand a chance." I hope he's right.

Doors. None of them work exactly right, and they have about four layers of paint. One color being the pistachio green that was oh so popular in the ??'s. Just like that green piano, Mom...remember that thing?!

Insulation. Or lack there of. We have none...so if you want to visit us, I would be wary of the cold months. Ha!

With all of these quirks and mishaps of our old house, I love it and wouldn't have it any other way. Well, maybe there are some things that could change, but it is great. And homey. And cozy. And ours.

We have neighbors across from us, a bunch of kids, that are already on my case to teach them art. Their request? Dinosaurs.

The house next to us is boarded up, and the house directly across from us is being turned into a single family home from the boarded up duplex it is now. If you like hispanic music, you will fit right in because it is played by many of the SUV's cruising down the street.

Pictures to come...when I have the strength to take them.