Fancy Framing

(In an effort to update my blog a bit more regularly, I'm trying out the Blogger app on my iPhone. Probably old news to most folks, but as I'm new to the iPhone, the app is totally new to me! Please excuse any typos or formatting errors.)

When we purchased our current home, we planned on it being an investment property. We got a fantastic deal in a growing community, so nearly five years ago, we were immediately set to make a profit. Almost as soon as we closed, the market tanked, and retail development in our area halted. Property values haven't increased, and the market -- particularly in our area -- has only gotten worse.

Despite that, we're at the end of our five-year plan, and our family has grown in such a way that we've totally maxed out our space. Sure, with some creative organization, and with the relinquishment of my hobby room, we could live here for a while longer, but we're far from church and friends, we're on the backside of road construction between home and James' office, and we want a bit more out of our "forever" home. The time has come to list and sell. The house isn't on the market yet, but it will be soon.

In an effort to make our house show better, we snagged a new-to-us sectional and chair at a thrift store, pieces covered with neutral, kid-friendly fabric that fit better in the space. We got them for a steal! Then, inspired by the Thrifty Decor Chick, I've been "shopping the house," pulling together pieces I already own and reconfiguring them in attractive ways. I'm most pleased with what I've done with the metal hanging rack I snagged at a thrift store for $7 four years ago. I hung it over an otherwise boring mantle, and I used it to frame a canvas of our most recent family picture. Antique books, a free clock, and clearance tchotchkes round out the display. This might be my favorite home decor effort to date!

Because You Can't Backdate a Baby (A Wrap-up of Sorts)

I'm notorious for backdating posts, setting aside my very busy life for a while to catch the blog up with all our goings-on. But you can't backdate a baby, or the finalization of an adoption, or the progression of terminal cancer, or the decision to begin homeschooling again, or Christmas. So, I won't. I'll allow the space in this blog to remain to mark the overwhelming spiral that has been my life of late, and here at the very end of 2011, I'll look ahead and plan to stay more in touch with the blogosphere, documenting our nonsense for all who care to keep track.

2011 has been a doozy of a year. James and I were discussing recently that this year our friends have taken it upon their sweet selves to bring us meals on five different occasions for entirely different needs. For someone who doesn't like to ask for nor receive help from other people, that might indicate just how overwhelming our year has been. For a solid week, I've been dedicating daily time to this post -- this one right here -- trying to bullet point all our year, but a week later, I was only able to list our year through June, so I ditched that effort in favor of this very quick update.

Our year was busy and overwhelming. We decided to adopt, we got pregnant, we were matched with a newborn seven weeks after our initial application, my mom got cancer and underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, I traveled to New York City with my friend Marcie, my pregnancy progressed and I indulged my insane nesting compulsions, I attended school full-time, I finished my degree with concentrations in English Literature and Sociology, we enclosed part of our game room to make way for baby, we spent a week in Florida with our friends Marcie and Tobey, we drove from Texas to Iowa to buy a Dodge Sprinter (a van large enough for our growing family), I continued to help lead the infertility/pregnancy loss support ministry at my church, we finalized Elleigh's adoption, we had a baby (hello, Piper!), we celebrated birthdays and holidays, we used season passes to a nearby water park, We traveled to Oklahoma and throughout Texas a number of times, I assisted my sister-in-law as she labored with my newest little nephew, my mom underwent prophylactic brain radiation and had an awful reaction to it (spending a touch-and-go week in the ICU), we traveled to speak on a parent panel at our adoption agency, we were invited to lead the Foster/Adoption ministry at our church, I began homeschooling Bub again, and then we celebrated Christmas. Whew. I know I'm leaving some stuff out, and even this is just the big stuff. This doesn't even begin to cover the neverending laundry pile that five children generate.

And that's the other thing: FIVE CHILDREN. Our Christmas card last year featured our little family of five. Five total. Now, we have five children! Our family has grown so much in one year's time that I couldn't even bring myself to go buy stamps for this year's cards. I chuckle thinking back to my 2011 resolution post, the one I posted right after a "failed" adoption. I wrote, "All along, though, as we've discussed and prayed about this specific opportunity for adoption, we've prayed for God's perfect will to be done. That is still our prayer. We're trusting her decision to parent is His plan, and in that, He has a better plan to satisfy the longing that remains in our hearts. We were sure hopeful, though, that a little set of sweet baby twins was part of His plan to redeem the years of heartache and loss... I'm hopeful 2011 will prove to be a year of growth and blessing in the family way." Clearly, I had NO IDEA what God had in store.

I still don't.

I feel hopeful here at the beginning of 2012. Though I'm in survival mode right now, still nursing constantly, still not sleeping through the night, I feel like there are good things on the horizon. Of course, there are those not-so-good things, too -- there always are -- but regardless of what's coming my way -- good or bad -- I know the Lord is constant and in control. We're open to more family growth, but we're very likely not pursuing another child this year at all. I need some sleep! We are hoping to sell our current house in favor of a "forever" house, but with the market as it is, that will take some serious miracles. Then, with regards to my mom, she still has cancer, and it's still considered terminal, but she's feeling healthy and her most current scans look really good. I'm hopeful she'll live through all of 2012.

Whatever the year holds for us, I pray your year is amazing,
full of all manner of good things.


Blessings to you and yours...

Building a Baby Suite -- Day Six through Eight, or Wrapping it up...

The changes in the final few days of construction seemed as dramatic as the first. It was exciting to see things coming together, and to be able to get in to do some of the work myself. On day six of construction, the contractor applied the texture to the new walls. He did that on a Friday, which gave me the weekend to paint. I painted the walls on day seven. I used two gallons of mistint paint from Sherwin Williams (only $1.00/gallon), and blended them to get the shade Bub was after -- a sort of vintage blue. I'd love to go over the top and do a vintage surfer theme, but there really isn't wall space for themed items. His comforter is a simple blue and black stripe, and he has orange bins for his Ikea shelf, so instead of an official theme, I think we'll focus on blue and black with touches of orange throughout.

On day eight, all of the trim was installed, caulked and painted. James and I also began loading all of Bub's belongings into the room. He is beyond thrilled to have a new space, and everything he needs will fit nicely with just enough floor space to build some fantastic Lego creations. The contractor is planning one more work day, but that day will be used to clean up, install the door knob, and do any corrections we discover we need (none, so far). He hauled all of his tools out, so as far as I'm concerned, he's finished. It won't be long until we have our lives and our home back all to ourselves!

Day Six

Tenting for Texture


Applying Texture to the Walls


A Goggled Gracie Ready to Help


Bub Imagining His New Space


Day Seven

Ready to Paint!


A Beautiful Vintage Blue


Day Eight

Floor Trim


Door Framing


Loading in the Furniture


Desk and Gaming Cubby


Ikea Shelf Waiting to be Filled


Window Wall

Building a Baby Suite -- Day Three through Five

Construction of the new room is still ongoing, but the change doesn't appear as dramatic from one day to the next. All the electric was installed and connected on day three. To save us some money, our contractor Wes ran electrical wire and installed all the outlets, switches and fixtures as part of our total construction quote, but he didn't tie in to any power lines. We hired a licensed electrician to come inspect all the work and make the final connection. I'm glad we did it that way because we discovered electricians are super expensive! For an hour of work, we paid the electrician 2/3 of what we paid for construction of the whole room, including materials and days of labor. Still, it was a good investment. We wanted to be certain the work was done correctly so it was safe, and so if there ever were an issue (say, a fire in that area), our insurance company wouldn't have anything to contest. On day four, the final pieces of drywall went up, and the room was taped and bedded. A second coat of mud went up in some areas on day five.

Though we've only had five days of someone actually working in our house, the gameroom has been a construction zone for nine days. I'm really, really ready for the whole process to be complete so I can get back to my regularly-scheduled busy life without having to consistently coordinate my schedule with someone else. Also, I'm super anxious to get to my part of the work! We've now decided to put Bub in the new space since he's the only kid not sharing a room, so my work will include painting all three kids rooms: priming and painting Bub's new room, priming and painting Bub's old room that will become the nursery, and putting a fresh coat of the same color on Gracie's wall. Lots to do -- ready to do it!

The Electrician is Here!


Tying in the Power


Wes the Contractor


Waiting on Mud to Dry


View Down the Long Wall + New Can Lights


View Towards the Window + New Can Lights


View from Gracie's Door


Looking Out

Downhill to Forty

Today is my birthday, and as James so kindly pointed out this evening, I'm officially closer to forty than to thirty. (I'm thirty-five years and a few hours old.) My mom came over, and we had a simple family celebration with cake and ice-cream after dinner -- perfect for a very busy birthday week!

I love sitting at a table packed with my children. It makes me think years into the future when they're each married with children of their own, everyone packed around a holiday table. I don't want to wish away any of these days, but I'm honestly excited about those days too! I really do feel so very blessed...

The contractors were still upstairs working on the baby suite, so I sent up dinner plates along with dishes of cake and ice cream. I imagine they didn't know it was my birthday, and they probably think we always serve dessert at dinnertime -- they'll be sorely disappointed if they work late again.

Mom setting the cake ablaze


Me asking if the balloons are strategically placed
to hide the laundry on the couch.


Brystol asking me where the new toys are...
(We've been prepping her for her own birthday party in just two days.)


"What, no toys?!"


Fire Hazard


"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years."

-- Abraham Lincoln

Building a Baby Suite -- Day Two

So much was accomplished on day two of construction! When the workers arrived this morning, the "room" was no more than a pile of supplies. By the time they left, it's a real room! There's still much to do, but the progress today is astonishing!

We discovered the little bumpout that made up the computer corner is hollow, so I debated having that wall totally demoed. When we opened it up a bit, though, we could see there were some spare studs in a place that wouldn't allow a total removal of the wall. Instead, I think what we've decided is to have the contractor open up about four feet of the wall from floor to ceiling and install some open built-in shelving. The more time I spend in the little space -- particularly now that the walls are up -- the more I can imagine moving all of the craft stuff in there, and letting the babies have the bigger room. I may have to purge some material and supplies to make it work, but there are absolutely some things I could easily get rid of. I have time to decide, but either way, I'm so glad we made the decision to move forward with construction. It's a perfect solution for us!

Building a Baby Suite -- Day Two

Progress at Lunchtime --
Extra Measurements Taken and Long Wall Installation


Mid-Afternoon Progress --
Door Framing Complete, Door Installed, and Sheetrock Begun


Evening Progress --
90% of Sheetrock Installed, Outlet Boxes Installed
(View from the Stairwell)


(View from Gracie's Bedroom)


Checking Out the New Space

Building a Baby Suite -- Day One

Adding children to our family this round has been a whirlwind, and I feel like every action and decision has taken me three times as long to complete or make. Sometimes life and all these little blessings wear me out to the point that I'd rather just lie down than do or think about anything. Thank goodness I have a dear friend who is exactly three weeks more pregnant than me because when she feels motivated to nest or prepare for her new little girl, I feel compelled to prepare for mine. Miss Motivated has already had her nursery painted, purchased furniture and bedding, had a baby shower, and is working to fill baby's dresser and bookshelves. All of her busyness inspired me to call in a couple of contractors to get quotes on building a new baby room.

When Elleigh first came to live with us, and as we pondered our pregnancy, I initially said I wasn't going to build a baby suite. As this particular floor plan had a fifth bedroom option, we have space upstairs for one, but we want to sell this house and move closer to church and friends next year, so I didn't really want to invest the time and money to renovate (unless it was necessary to sell). I contemplated giving up the hobby room -- which James insisted upon -- but as I sat sewing on one side of the room while three kids did crafts on the other side of the room, I decided I wasn't prepared to relinquish my personal space. At that point, James and I began considering a couple of renovation options -- enclosing a third living space we rarely use, or enclosing a rarely-used section of the game room. In the end, we opted to enclose the unused game room space. The installation will be faster and easier, and the upstairs renovation is the more affordable option.

The new enclosure will technically be an "office" since it's on the smaller side, and since we're not installing a closet. For now, though, we'll use the small space to house Elleigh and the new baby. First of all, I don't feel like resorting, reorganizing, and transferring all the stuff from the hobby room into a new space. Secondly, it's not unusual for several of us to be using the hobby room at one time, so we do need more space to spread out supplies than will be available in the new room. There's plenty of space in the new room for two cribs and two dressers, and babies really don't need any more than that. When we get closer to selling, I'll sort the hobby room to pack up some rarely used supplies, then I'll swap the rooms. For now, though, I'm quite happy with the choice we've made, and I can't wait for it to all come together.

Building a Baby Suite -- Day One

Relocating the Play Kitchen and Toy Shelf
(This is Brystol's cheese face. When the camera comes out, she stops to say "cheese," even if the picture is not of her.)


The Soon-To-Be Baby Suite


Big kids standing where walls will soon be...
(Bub is right where the bedroom door will be located.)


Contractors hauling in supplies
(Note the broken window I discovered when I raised the blinds for the photo.
Clearly, I should have said "Don't throw stuff in the house" a million and ONE times.)