Home

Well folks, we did it. My husband and I bought a house. I am so full of joy for this incredible gift from the Lord. We saved our money, waited patiently, and worked very hard to get to this point, but I still know the hand of God has been guiding us from the beginning. We did pretty good this time around as far as "trusting God" with this big life decision. I should remember this for future endeavors, because it really works better than the whole, "I'm going to do it my way and then make myself sick with worry," alternative. 

To recap from my last post, we put an offer in on a short sale in town and it was accepted. We decided to move in with my parents while we waited the 3-5 months for everything to go through the proper channels. We knew there was a chance something would fall through with the sale, but we also knew the longer we lived with my parents, the more money we would save for the next home that came along. Of course there was always the chance we would NEVER find a house, and live with my parents forever (a thought that terrified Zach), but we took a leap of faith. We packed up our tiny apartment and traded 3rd floor living for basement dwelling. My gracious parents became the live-in grandparents my daughter always dreamed of. It was a great time of bonding for my family, and I enjoyed feeling like teenager again in the house I grew up in. We seriously had a lovely 6 months there. 

On the perspective house front, the short sale fell through when the property suddenly went into foreclosure at the beginning of the year. My realtor frequently forwarded me new listings in my price range, and one day our short sale house was listed right there among the others. New listing. Price reduced. Foreclosure! My realtor called the listing agent in a panic, and he literally had no idea it wasn't his listing anymore. Funny how things work in the real estate biz. Or is it the banks? Or the government? Who knows why things happen the way they do, but suddenly our house was no longer our house after waiting 6 months for it. We had to put in a blind bid through HUD and hope and pray that if this house was meant for us, we would get it. Not too long after that our offer was accepted (truly accepted) and a contract was signed (truly signed). Anyone who has ever purchased a home knows the headache of inspections and contingencies and blah blah blah, so I won't bore you with the details ... but a month later the house was ours (truly ours!!!).

Since then our lives have been a hurricane of cleaning, fixing, and updating. My mind is now, and forever will be, flooded with paint colors, window treatments, curtain lengths, backsplash shapes, countertop materials and flooring textures. I have been to Lowe's and Home Depot more times in one month than my husband and I have been in our entire lives, combined. Okay, maybe not my husband; he used to be a contractor. But seriously, I've been there a lot. And everyone I tell this to agrees with me! They all nod their heads slowly as if I've been inducted into some hall of fame for homeownership. It's a fun crowd, I must say.

This house needed some minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint on ... everything ... but for the most part it was in good shape. The kitchen, however, needed a serious facelift. My husband was okay with repainting the cabinets and calling it a day, but the perfectionist in me knew there was much more to be done. The countertops were sagging and stained. The cabinets were falling apart and layout was not living up to its potential. We went back and forth on what to do, but in the end we decided to go for it and gut the kitchen. We got such a deal on the house that we knew any money we put into upgrades would be an investment. And why upgrade your home 10 years from now to help it sell, when you can spend that money now and ENJOY the perks of living there? In the "Love It or List It" show on HGTV, I'm always the "love it" girl. ;)

The work is nearly complete and I can confidently say we made the right decision. However, I will add that without my husband being who he is, this would never have been an option. Not even a pipe dream. There's no way we could have afforded someone else to do all this work for us. Zach is an incredible asset to my pursuit of home renovation. If you're lucky enough to have a "handy man" in the house, you know what I mean. I am in no way "handy," but I brought the design side to the project, and I think we made a great team. So let's talk business. What have we been actually doing for the last 5 weeks? Here are the highly anticipated photos to show our ongoing progress. Enjoy!

Signing the paperwork at our closing. Way to be, Zach!

The ceremonial "sold" pics.

We did the best we could with meals on the living room floor. Eliana didn't seem to mind.

Oh Ikea. We bought all our rugs and stuffed them into Karie's van.

Started work right away on Eliana's room so she would have a place to nap and play while we did the rest of the house. The black portion of the ceiling was fun to cover up. ;)

All finished. If you keep the lights dim, the pink doesn't look so Pepto-Bismol-y.

Painting the office a nice gray.

Bathroom didn't need much. Very happy we went with a curved shower curtain rod. Grayyyy everwhere!

Painting my bedroom. Thankful for my Dad's spot lights because our ceiling lights were broken. (Don't worry, Zach fixed them.)

Living room paint from blah to beautiful.

Doing yard work on the nicer days.

Look, I have plants growing! Who knew something nice was under a year's worth of leaves!

 

Here's us beginning the kitchen reno. That square thing in the back corner that looks like the chimney was, in fact, NOT the chimney. It was taking up precious countertop space, so it had to go.

 

Tearing up the many floors. The worst!

Wall's down! Time to put a new one up.

Cabinet time. Thank you Zach for your awesomeness.

Skim coating and sanding the ceiling is a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it!

Ready for countertops. So exciting!

They're here!

Finally looks like a kitchen! Now to put in the new floor. Hopefully tomorrow.

 

There's many little things left to do, and the dining room still needs to be painted, but I think we'll officially move in very soon. We've been spending a few nights a week here on days we work late, but it will be nice to get our big stuff here once the kitchen is done. I've really enjoyed choosing the finishes for this home. Maybe I'll do another post about that once things settle down. But for now, you've got the basic idea. Home = ours. Work = hard. Decisions = worth it. Life = good. Let me know what you think of our progress so far. And as always, you're welcome to stop by and see it for yourself! Thanks for all the kind wishes and happy thoughts that have been passed our way these last few weeks. We have been dreaming of a better place for Eliana to grow up in, and I couldn't be happier.

xoxo Liz

Moving

Hello friends. It’s been a long time, and I have a lot to share! I wanted to write on Facebook about my day-to-day accomplishments, but quickly realized many of you need to be caught up first. So here’s the news. WE’RE MOVING!! I know what you’re thinking. “Did you finally buy a home?!?!” And to that, my answer is … not exactly.

As you may know, for the past year I have been working a second job to help save up for home. It has been our desire to have more children, but first we felt the need to get a bigger place. Tiny third floor apartments are great for newlyweds, but not incredibly conducive to a family of 4. We tried cutting our expenses, but despite our best efforts (darn student loans), making more money was the only way to hope for a house in our future. Working remotely from home during the day, then all night at a grocery store has been tough. A big adjustment for my family and me. But the Lord has sustained us and I’m blessed by the quality time I’m still able to have with my loved ones. In the past I may have coasted through the daily grind, but things feel different now. Home time is treasured and enjoyed. My relationships with my husband and daughter have been strengthened. Sacrificing for a purpose has been humbling and rewarding.

Skip to one year later, we finally had a little money saved, but not nearly enough to buy a move-in-ready home. Our modest price range was not exactly convenient in the state we live in. We looked at many houses, even wrote a few offers, but our home search was falling flat, and I was okay with it. Zach and I have been praying throughout this entire process. Seeking the Lord’s will is incredibly important to us. I know God has a perfect plan for my family. He already knows where we will live, and how we will afford it. I have absolute faith in God’s faithfulness. But it’s not always easy to wait on the Lord when I want to ACT RIGHT THIS SECOND! To say God has been teaching me patience is an understatement.

We currently have an offer in on a short sale in town. Exciting … but not. We may get this house … but we also may not. It’s up to the lender to approve selling the home short of what the sellers owe, and getting approval takes time. Like, LOTS of time. 3-5 months is the estimate, and that’s just to get a contract signed. After that, the real fun starts with inspections, mortgage approval, and a thousand other things I’m sure I know nothing about yet. But patience is a virtue and I’m trying not to get my hopes up for this potentially awesome fantastic life-changing event. Instead, I will wait on God’s timing, not my own. (While still looking at paint samples and kitchen renos on Pinterest, of course.)

So where are we moving?? Ahh, you remembered. Yes, we are (hopefully temporarily) moving in with my unbelievably generous parents. We have been praying about this possibility for months now, and with the potential short sale on the horizon, we thought now was a good time to save some rent money, downsize like cray-cray, and enjoy super cramped life now, to truly appreciate a future home to the fullest! All joking aside, I really am grateful to my mom and dad for taking us in. My husband is such a trooper for supporting this transition. Of course we will be saving money, and it’s only for a short time, but it must be difficult to move into the “in-law’s basement”. For me, I’m just moving back home. It’s familiar, it’s safe. It’s almost kind of fun! I get along great with my parent’s and I’m excited to share a home with them again. But poor Zach! (LOL) Of course, he loves my parents too, but I’m sure 7 years ago, while kissing his fiance on the front steps of that house, he never thought, “Hey, I’d love to live here with Liz’s parents some day … and with a 3 year old!” He’s a good sport.

So there you have it. We’re moving and you are all caught up. The last few weeks have been very cathartic. I knew I had a lot of stuff stored away - boxes of keepsakes and photos, old books and school stuff - but I never imaged throwing it away would feel so good! Who needs all this???? I hope to never accumulate this much stuff again. Packing up the life I have shared with my husband in this sweet apartment is not as sad or emotional as I thought it would be. It’s all business. “Do I use this? No. Do I want this? NO!” Why didn’t we move sooner? I tell ya, my parent’s are having a great time, too. My mother just told me the other day that she is grateful for the opportunity to purge her stuff as well. Seriously, people. If you haven’t gone through the depths of your closets or the deepest bins of your children’s toy box and thrown/given away 90% of your crap, you are missing out! It really is the best part of moving.

Eliana is great, by the way. I know some of you only read this blog to hear about her. She is basically the best thing in the world, so I understand. :) I’m not sure she has fully grasped the concept of the move yet. We tell her we are going to live with “Grandma and Papa” and she says “Why?” … because we need to save money … “Why?” … so we can buy a house … “Why?” … to have a bigger place for you to run around and play in ... “Why?” … so you can share it with a little brother or sister someday. Do you want to be a big sister? … “Yes!” Let’s pray she handles this move well.

I’m hopeful and grateful and happy and blessed. You might say I’m “hashtag feeling all the feels.” I just want to experience all the joys God has for us in this life. I want to appreciate the gift of life and family, and love and friendship. Even if we don’t get this house we have an offer on, I want to be thankful for the things I DO have and the generosity of those God has put in my path. This moving transition has been quite a journey for my family, and yet I feel like it’s just beginning! Here’s to my future, and to yours!

Xoxo Liz

Potty

Well folks, I did it. I took a leap of faith and decided to finally potty train my daughter. If you read my last post, you would know how much of a triumph this is. My daughter was ready, but I was not, and I didn't think I would ever be. So one random day, I took our little plastic training potty and put it in the middle of the living room. I opened the package of Minnie Mouse underwear I purchased months before, and told my daughter we were going to potty train her stuffed owl. We put the panties on the owl, then took them off. We put the owl on the potty, then took the owl off. We put the panties on the owl again, then off. Potty, then off. We gave the owl pretend treats, and praised her for "going pee-pee." We did this for what seemed like hours, even though it was probably only a few minutes. I had a bright warm smile on my face the whole time. I deserved an Oscar.

My kid got the gist quickly, and was eager to try it herself. My obsession with cleanliness, however, meant restricting her from all carpeted rooms and, of course, all furniture. My poor daughter wanted to sit and read a book with me, so I made her sit on a towel ... on the floor ... like a dog. In my defense, this "mom fail" was just a lack of confidence in potty training, and I truly thought she would pee all day long, everywhere. Turns out, kids don't pee that often. Certainly not every 3 minutes like I was afraid they would. Eliana did great and knew when it was time to "go." She went on that little potty in the living room all day.

The next day I put her in pull-ups instead of underwear, and it made all the difference. Eliana liked them just as much as her Minnie Mouse panties and could pull them up and down the same. I had peace of mind in case she had an accident, and she was finally let back on the furniture! I don't know why I thought going straight to panties was a good idea. Especially since the pull-ups were in my house the whole time (purchased months ago like everything else in anticipation for this event). Regardless, we finally found a good rhythm and Eliana was doing a fantastic job.

Fast forward a few weeks, Elle LOVES to go potty and tells everyone about it. "I went pee-pee on the potty, and I get a jelly bean!" she exclaims to complete strangers. We don't give treats anymore, but they were a very enjoyable part of the first two weeks. Jelly beans and M&Ms, and lots and lots of praise kept her motivated and happy throughout this entire process. Eliana is now wearing panties all day, pull-ups when we leave the house, and diapers at night until she consistently wakes up dry. She doesn't pee in her pull-ups, but I like the peace of mind it gives us out in public. One thing I'm not crazy about ... public restrooms. How do people do this with toddlers? My daughter is terrified of the loud toilet flushes and the torpedo powered hand dryers. Sometimes I can get her to go, but other times she sits there crying, covering her ears in fear. I'm assuming this is something they get used to, but it's sad to see my kid too afraid to pee. Have YOU ever been too afraid to pee?! Ahhh .... childhood. It's a wonder we ever survive.  ;)

So, for those of you who were interested (I know you were!), there's my potty training update. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but I'm glad I waited until Eliana was good and ready!  I believe waiting made the process a whole lot easier. I'm sure it also helped that I was constantly praying God would ease my anxieties enough to get the job done! Thank you, Lord! :)

Xoxo, Liz

Life

I cannot believe how long it has been since I wrote in this blog. I just finished reading my last post and I'm smiling ear to ear. The theme of that entry will remain the same as this one: My daughter is amazing, and I am supremely blessed. If that is too "happy go lucky" for some of you to stomach, here's a little perspective. My life is not perfect. I have troubles and worries, problems and woes. I am in terrible debt from student loans. I live in a tiny apartment and can't foresee ever saving enough to move out. I have to work two jobs to support my family. I don't know when I'll be able to afford having more kids. Life is uncertain and troubling at times, but now let's go over what I just said with a positive attitude. 1) I am a college graduate and have learned invaluable life lessons. 2) I have a roof over my head. 3) I have a steady income. 4) I have a beautiful, happy, healthy daughter. We can choose to live our imperfect lives in a state of depression or with an abundance of gratitude. Which will you choose?

Since I last wrote in September, 2014 (wow!), Eliana was learning new words and growing into a rambunctious toddler. Now she's my tiny helper and new best friend. We talk ... all the time. Full on conversations. She makes me laugh more than my husband (hard to believe, I know) and she is a sweet joy in our home a great majority of the time. I guess you could say she's well into her "terrible twos," but each tantrum is a learning opportunity (for her and me) to understand her heightened emotional state more clearly. I think I'm doing a respectable job keeping the monster at bay. ;) Zach and I work hard on our consistent parenting in hopes of giving Eliana structure and discipline she can understand. Everyone we meet tells me we are doing a good job, so I'm grateful for that!

I'm still working from home most days of the week in order to be with Eliana (a blessing not lost on me). I go into the office once a week to meet with people while my mother watches Elle (another blessing not lost on me ... or my mother for that matter!) I recently started a second job at a local grocery store to save up some money. Living paycheck to paycheck was not my favorite thing, so here's to actually using that savings account that's been empty for years! I love my new job. I enjoy the work and I respect the people. Everyone from my coworkers to management is warm and friendly, and the store is productive and clean. I get to enthusiastically interact with customers every day and I think it's a perfect fit for me. Zach is doing a fantastic job picking up the slack at home while I'm gone. A nice perk is the special daddy/daughter time Eliana enjoys each night. We've got our little system, and it's working quite nicely. I had been praying about a way to increase our income without disrupting our family, so I believe this opportunity is a blessing from the Lord.

I'm excited about the new year. My mother bought me a day-by-day devotional I'm eager to begin. Spending quiet time in scripture is something that usually takes a back seat in my life, so I think this devotional will help with that. The last time I read through the Old Testament in a timely manner was with a Bible app on my phone, so I'll try any helpful tool I can get. Zach has been saying the Lord's Prayer with Eliana at bed time ever since she was a little baby, so now she's starting to repeat it with him. What a beautiful gift the word of God is to our children! I hope we keep up the good work and don't get lazy in that area of parenting.

Speaking of lazy parenting, however, I do NOT want to potty train my kid. Those who know me well know I don't like messes. And let's be honest ... even if you do the "3 day potty training," there will be messes. I know I'm doing a disservice to my very smart 2 year old by not at least TRYING to potty train her, but I'm waiting for the spirit to lead me, so to speak. ;) Rather, I'm waiting until I have at least 40 more Pinterest articles under my belt before I begin this mammoth task. If I were a more driven individual, I would absolutely start a "Potty Train My Kid, Please" business. I think it would make millions. There must be other moms out there who would love to pay someone to potty train their kid. I haven't even tried yet but the idea of beginning the process terrifies me. What if I do it wrong, and my child never learns? What if it takes too long and my lack of patience gives my child anxiety? They say the best method is to stay home for a week and hang out around potty, giving your child lots of juice and no pants. But my subconscious responds with, "...who wants to sit around a toilet all day? ... I need to go to work ... I need to leave the house ... I don't let Eliana drink juice ... what if Elle is too cold without pants on! Etc... etc... etc." You can see why I never get started.

Parenting is hard and seems to magnify all my craziness. But hey, what's life without a little crazy in it? There is never one way to do something, and children have survived long before Pinterest and WebMD. Every parenting style is different and each child is unique. I'm sure what I do with Eliana is wrong at times, but the general consensus is that she is smart, loving, and joyful. What more could I ask for? Zach and I must be doing something right. More specifically, we must have a merciful God who helps raise up our children despite our shortcomings. #amiright

Enjoy the New Year, everyone!

Xoxo, Liz

Water

What a simple word. W-A-T-E-R. These two syllables define a clear liquid with no color, taste or smell. It falls from the clouds in the form of rain, and we drink it. So what? Before this week I didn't care one bit about this word, but now that my daughter has learned how to say it, I am smitten. Never has there been a prettier sound. Water! Eliana's baby diction makes it sound more like "wah-ler," but she's getting better. She knows exactly what it is, and asks for it often. Her favorite way to drink it is out of Mommy's glass with a straw. Water...... WATER!

Just another day in the life of a mom. Gone is my desire for fancy cars or expensive dinners. What really gives me joy is watching the daily accomplishments of my daughter, including but not limited to the "W" sound. Last week she successfully pulled herself up onto the couch all by herself. She already knows how to get down from the couch, so now I sit there and watch as she climbs up and down, up and down. Gaining strength to climb up even higher obstacles, I'm sure. With a growing toddler in the house, every week has a little bit of "new." Sometimes it's a new food she has learned to enjoy, or a new word or animal sound she has mastered. Each event feels like a momentous occasion, and a cause for celebration!

Do other parent's feel this way? I'm sure they must. There is something a little magical about watching someone learn and grow right in front of your eyes. And the exponential learning rate of a small child makes it all the more interesting. I bet that's why teachers find their careers so rewarding. There is nothing quite like being the person a child learns from. What an enormous amount of responsibility! Although, I'm sure it also yields a great sense of pride.

I'm proud of my little peanut, and not just for speaking or climbing. I'm honored that she lifts people's spirits and cheers up everyone's day. I love that she can make even the grumpiest of men smile, and knows how to rally the most awesome dance party. She obviously brings Zach and me incredible joy, but she doesn't stop there. Eliana is a force of love that brings happiness to everyone she meets. Forgive me if I sound like I'm bragging, but these words are not for me ... these words are for HER! I hope someday Eliana will read this and know just how blessed we are that she is who she is!

My sweet baby is currently napping beside me as I write this. When Eliana naps, I usually run around the house like a crazy person. This is prime time to shower, make lunch, clean the kitchen, straighten up the living room, do the dishes, do the laundry, pay the bills, etc. But today felt more like a "write a blog post" kind of day, don't you agree? Maybe it's the weather. The New England leaves are changing beautifully, and pumpkin flavored everything is out in full swing. Fall-my favorite time of year. Tis the season of long sleeves, puff vests, and most importantly ... SCARVES. Of course this past weekend was still 85 degrees, but there is hope for a cooler future. Hey, it's still in the 100s in Arizona, so it could be worse!

I video chatted with my Sister-in-law from AZ this morning. Even though it was a brief conversation, it was so wonderful to see her and the kids. I'm grateful Eliana is growing up in a time when far away relatives can be just a video screen away. Of course if you all REALLY loved Eliana, you would move home to Connecticut so she could see you in person! ... Am I right, Ben, Crysty, Dave, Sarah, Chris, Alie, Sue, Gus, Sarah, and Rachel??? Okay, enough of the guilt trip. Eliana is waking up so I need to go! Have a great day everyone. Enjoy life.

xoxo Liz

Eliana

We have officially been parents for an entire year and I couldn't be happier. I can honestly say being a mom is every cliché in the book and more. "It's the hardest job you'll ever have, but the most rewarding." Truth. But it's also the most fun job I've ever had. Why didn't anyone tell me parenting would be like this? I would have signed up for this gig a lot sooner had I known that. It's so much fun to raise Eliana with my husband. It's a joy to have play time and laugh time and cuddle time and bath time. It's hilarious when we trip over baby gates, or forget to buy diapers, or have nonsensical conversations with our little munchkin. Doing this whole "mom" thing with my best friend has been a riot so far, and I can't wait for each new stage of parenting to begin.

I remember the day of her birth well. And why wouldn't I? It was only a year ago. ;) I had so much anxiety and anticipation for the unknown. What would my baby be like? What would motherhood be like? What would the car ride home feel like?? (lol) :) But the moment she was born, the anticipation was finally gone. Things were happening so quickly that I had no choice but to live in the moment. Be a mom right then and there. No more planning, no more waiting, but finally acting and doing. It was liberating.

I'm reminded of those feelings now as my family prepares to travel to Texas next week for my dear brother's wedding.  So much anticipation surrounding this trip. So many plans made, and altered, and changed again. So much researching, collaborating, reserving and confirming. So many checklists checked and then double checked. So much packing to do, so much traveling to do. But soon we will be there, living in the moment, enjoying a beautiful celebration of new beginnings. What joy!

Sometimes too much planning can be a bad thing. What if everything changes? What if things go wrong? What if nothing happens the way you planned? If Eliana has taught me one thing (and I'm still learning) it would be to roll with the punches. I plan and anticipate, make lists and prepare because it's fun for me and I'm good at it. But there's a side of me now that doesn't stress over things being perfect anymore. Eliana's birth was not perfect, but here she is one year later as wonderful as can be, making her parents feel happy and blessed. This trip to Texas won't be perfect, but in the end a bride will marry a groom, and that's all that matters.

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet baby girl. You have no idea how you rocked the world I thought couldn't get any better. Your beautiful, loving presence in our home is more fantastic than I ever imagined possible. How does someone so small make everything feel so wonderful? What a blessing you are to us, Eliana. WE LOVE YOU!

xoxo Liz