Home Sweet Home

As many of you know, in July 2012 we took a leap of faith and left our home in Miami to begin new careers and a new life in Broken Arrow.  We had high hopes that our house in Miami would sell quickly, but it definitely didn't.

We moved in with my mom for about a month and a half and then we moved in with Cassie for almost 3 months.  During this time, we found a couple to rent our home, so we got an apartment.  We thought
we would be in the apartment for a few months and that the couple would eventually buy our house.

Well, about eight months later, they called and said they couldn't buy the house and were moving out.  Oh my goodness were we worried!  What were we going to do?!  If we couldn't find another couple to rent our house, we would have to move out of our apartment and back in with my parents.  Living with them was amazing, but it was a long drive to Broken Arrow everyday with Lucas and I had just found out I was pregnant again!

We decided to put our house on Craigslist and found a couple that wanted to rent again, so praise the Lord we didn't have to leave our apartment.  In February 2014 we heard from our renters that they wanted to make an offer on our house, but it was CONSIDERABLY lower than what we owed.  What were we going to do?  This was the first offer we'd had in a year and a half and I was 6 months pregnant!  We talked to our parents and thanks to their amazing generosity we accepted the offer and managed to figure out a way to make up the difference:)

So we immediately started looking at homes.  We looked at about 4 and finally fell in love!  We thought it was well above our price range, but after crunching numbers and figuring out the insurance cost and property taxes and a few other things, we were able to make an offer and they accepted!  After a few scary moments in there with our renters and the closing, we closed on each house within the same week in March and moved into our new home April 9!!!  We painted every room (including the trim) in the house except the office and we couldn't have been more blessed to find it.  We know that we waited a year and a half for this house!  It's absolutely perfect and the timing was incredible.  We were able to settle and get the nursery ready just in time for Molly's arrival and we loved bringing her home to this place:)

It's on a cul-de-sac and has a great big backyard and sidewalks and we have great neighbors:)

When you walk in, you step into the entry and see the living room

This lovely piece is in our entry way along with these awesome hooks Poppy made

You look to the left and see the office/4th bedroom.  This is our work-in-progess.  We have some ideas with this room (a bed/couch/fancy futon so someone could sleep over, a bookshelf, get rid of the desk, buy a lampshade of the lamp on the piano, etc) but we are having to take things as they come.  We'll get there:)

You come out of the office and take a left in the living and go down the kids hall:)

Straight ahead is the guest/kids bath

Turn left in the hall and you pass Molly's room (if you want to see it in more detail, go here.

Go a little further and you get to Lucas' room (we still need something above his bed).  His room is big and has lots of Poppy's handiwork...crates on his wall and the toy chest.  Also, a special shoutout to Curt Gwartney for the ruler!!

Back into the living.  We love how open it is and the height of the ceilings and of course the hardwood

On the other side of the couch is our bedroom.  We love the bay window and the ceilings and the size again!  Ya'll have no idea how small our apartment bedroom was!!!  We still have some pictures to hang and we want to get a chair to put next to the tall dresser, but again one thing at a time:)

We have a big closet and then you walk into the bathroom (the selling point for us)

Back out and into the dining and kitchen

Through that door is the laundry and a big pantry and then out into the garage!  There's a door right by the dining room table that leads to a covered patio and a big backyard with a shed:)

You guys have no idea how blessed we are with this house!  We absolutely couldn't praise God enough for His perfect timing and for our amazing parents who have helped us so much!  We really feel we could be here for a very long time!

Hope you enjoyed the tour and I'll keep you updated with any updates we make:)

Two Months: A Letter

July 28, 2014

Miss Molly,

Oh what an exciting second month we've had!  You are changing so much and it's all so wonderful!  You are growing and getting a little personality that's so sweet and we just love you so much:)

Lucas is still infatuated by you and kisses you every chance he gets:)  He is so helpful getting you your paci when you're fussy, taking your diapers to the trashcan and laying by you on your mat.

You don't absolutely love your swing yet, but are starting to like your bouncer more and your mat more.  You take naps on our bed, in your crib, on the couch, and have also taken a few naps in your Boppy.  We are starting to figure you out more and more.  It's amazing how much we "know" you already and have learned what makes you you and what makes you special:)

You have started to smile this month which has been amazing to watch!  You smile at this silly noise we make while playing with your burp cloth (just like your brother did), when we smile at you, when you "ride a bicycle", when we make kissing noises, and when you're on your changing table.  You love your room so much and you've started sleeping in there too.  It was a necessary transition.  It took you a few nights to adjust, but we finally got the hang of it.

You love sleeping on your tummy; which I know is a "no no", but you try to turn that way anyway.  I think you'd eventually flip yourself over and you are pretty gassy, so we flipped you over one day and you've been like that ever since.  You now sleep 9 hours at night, so I think it's working:)  The mommy in me worries, so I wake up every 2-3 hours checking on you.  You start to wind down around 8p and we lay you down at 9p and you wake up at 6a.  You get a bath every other night (with brother; you got too big for your Puj tub in the sink) and you still love to be swaddled under the arms.

You both have so much fun in the tub:)  He loves having you in there and you do everything you can to wiggle yourself down and get a foot in the water!

You experienced your first fireworks show (with Mama and Daddy's Sunday school class) and your first 4th of July on your first trip to Miami:)  We stayed at Grammy and Grampy's one night and Papa and Nana's one night.  You did pretty good:)  You sleep better in your own crib, but who doesn't?!

You are still wearing 0-3 months clothes and size 1 diapers.  I wanted to wait until your 2-month check-up to write this and you weigh 11 lbs 11 oz (72%) and are 23 3/4 in  (92%)!  You are growing so fast and some of the smaller 0-3 month stuff is too little!  I'm trying to put you in some of it twice just because it's so cute!

You eat 4 1/2 oz every 3-3 1/2 hours of Similac Sensitive and you are still a sleepy eater!  Your Great-aunt Rhonda got to feed you at the Children's museum and she laughed at how hard we have to work to feed you!  Girl, you get lazy when you eat:)  We have been to the Children's museum twice, swimming several times, to Mimi and Poppy's a few more times, and to hang out with friends:)  You are so easy and so good and you rarely get fussy!  When you do get mad, though, you go from 0-60 in 5.2!!!  Your cry is so sad:(

We've also taken a few walks and you enjoy being in the Baby Bjorn which is very unlike your brother.  He didn't like to be cooped up at all, but then again he hated being swaddled and being on his tummy too:)  So while parts of your personalities are the same, you are still very different!

You've met some very important people this month.  Your Great-grandpa Dennis, your first cousin three-times removed Jenni, and your Great-great Aunt Nancy:)  They all loved you so much and just wanted to hold you all day!  They loved your pretty toenails, your sweet smile, your blue eyes, and your soft skin.

I want to remember the way your hair fell out except the very top and started to grow back in looking like a buzz cut, the way you grab for my fingers when I'm feeding you your bottle, your big crocodile tears, the loud grunts you make while pooping, the way you start to smile with your eyes, the way you stare at the pictures above the couch, the way you chew on your hands, the way you roll your neck when you're trying to hold your head up, and the beginnings of your little voice!

We just can't get enough of you and we are soaking up these last days before school starts!  You bring such a different dynamic into this home and we really love it!  And you!  You complete us:)

Love,
Mama and Daddy

The Fourth

The 4th of July will always hold a special place in my heart.  I spent my growing-up years at my friend Whitney's house for the 4th and going to the lake to watch a show:)  I have so many memories and I will forever cherish them.  Since I began having children, fireworks are so much more fun!  The way Lucas' eyes light up when he sees fireworks is just amazing and I can't put it into words.  Molly was a little young this year, but she was a blast to dress up:)

We headed to Miami (for the first time with both kids) for the weekend.  Lucas thought it was so funny that Jovie was riding in between Molly and him.

We got there Thursday afternoon and spent the evening with Nick's mom.  Molly and I hung out and I painted her toenails for the first time:)  So fun...red!!!

We had a delicious American dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, green beans and deviled eggs!  Oh and homemade ice-cream and chocolate chip cookies for dessert!  And sadly, I have no pictures:(

After dinner on the patio, we spent time outside watching Lucas play, lounging on a blanket and just spending time with each other.  Oh and I think he threw about 200 poppers:)

Once the sun began to go down, Lucas and Nick started doing smoke bombs and Lucas even lit a few himself:)  Notice please how he and Nick are squatting the exact same way!

They even lit a few fountains!!

It was so cool that evening, we built a fire in their fire pit and roasted marshmallows:)  They were delicious and then we sat around the fire and chatted!

After a yummy breakfast the next morning, we headed to Nick's dad's house for the day:)

We ate a delicious lunch outside and lounged around the pool for the rest of the day:)  Uncle Cal, Aunt Cassie and Boston came for the day, along with Uncle Bo and Aunt Megan, and our friends Matt, Julianna and their daughters Camilla and Tayah:)

Lucas absolutely loved being in the pool!!  He's getting so brave!!!

We spent the evening eating more good food, shooting off fireworks and catching fireflies!  You can even see Lucas' firefly box around his neck:)  Everyone had so much fun:)

We had a great time with our families and hope we are building the same memories for our children that we have!!!