Happy, Happy, Happy

If any of you have not seen Duck Dynasty, yet, I strongly suggest you watch it.  It’s good for the soul!  One of my two favorite characters (they’re actually real people, but sometimes, it’s so hard to believe) is Phil Robertson.  He’s always talking about things he does or his wife, Miss Kay, does for the other that makes them “Happy, happy, happy.”  Well, their show makes me happy, happy, happy.

And that is how I have been this week.  The last few weeks have been quite awful at times.  Don’t get me wrong, there have been some wooooooonderful (another story about Todd’s cousin, Kathy, inserted here) moments.  However, there have been some of the lowest moments I have had in many years.  Basically, I have been fighting some deep depression.  However, Todd has been home this entire week, and we’ve made some changes that seem to be getting me back on track.  I’m very glad about that!

Thank you for checking on me today, Carri.  It made my day!  J

On another note, I have given up boot camp…for now.  My joints just can’t handle it.  However, I have taken up water aerobics.  I am hands-down the youngest participant in the class.  I have taken two classes and enjoy them kind of.  Honestly, I get bored doing that for an entire hour!  Todd is taking me this weekend to show me how to get a workout swimming laps.  Maybe I’ll enjoy it better.

Good news…I had my last shot a week ago today.  I’m thrilled!  My nurse, Kelly, says I can go back to boot camp in about 3 months.  I’m hoping that she’s exaggerating, and it will be more like 4 weeks.  J  I go back to see Dr. Bundren on January 2.  At that point, he’ll put me on birth control pills to normalize my cycle and “plump my insides back-up” (as the nurse put it).  I’m just very happy to almost be moving onto the next phase of this process.  That’s one step closer to Making Baby Provence!!

Getting Pathetic

I Facebooked with a girl this week that I have known forever. She's pregnant after lots of fertility complications. Anyway, she said to me that this journey can be really lonely at times. I couldn't agree more! I'm sitting in my car, in the garage, in the complete darkness, dreading going inside. My house has never felt as lonely as it has this week without Todd. I have pretty much done anything I could to avoid going home every night this week. I have cried on and off for the last 3 days. It's been a very lonely week! These mood swings are kicking my tail!! So glad Todd comes home tonight. I wonder how long I can stand this darkness...

On a happier note, Audrey, your notes this week were a happy spot in my week. I'm so excited for you and your pregnancy! I can't wait to catch-up on your blog!

Todd...

...I miss you something bad right now!

Our House is a Very, Very, Very Fine House, Fine House

Our house has been put back together! Last Wednesday, we got carpet. I love it!! It's just what I wanted. It's so soft. Sometimes, when I'm walking between rooms, I just want to stop and lie down on it. Thank you, Sherwin Williams...er, Carpet One, for finishing putting my home back together! J

For the record, one of my girlfriends informed me that Sherwin Williams does have a flooring department.  Who knew?  Well, subconsciously, I did.  J

The Zingo is Back in Town

Let me preface this entry by saying that I really don’t like writing negative thoughts.  I don’t even like thinking negative thoughts.  However, if someone that is going to take Lupron reads this, I want them to have as much information as possible.  It helps when preparing for this ordeal.

Also, I would like to mention that my in-laws came for a quick visit this weekend.  I have been trying to find a cute hand fan to keep in my purse since we found out I was going to be on Lupron.  Ta da, my sweet mother-in-law brought me one.  It’s gorgeous and just perfect!  She got it from a friend that lives in The Phillipines, and I love it!!  Thank you, Judy!  I love you.

Okay, so the not so fun stuff.  Lupron is not the cakewalk I thought it would be.  I know I’ve said it before, but I mean it even more, now.  I have tried and tried to be strong through this process, but it’s finally getting the better of me.  I feel officially beat today.  The two symptoms that are killing me are my joint pain and my mood swings.  For those that aren’t familiar with the Zingo, it is a rollercoaster that was in Tulsa for like 200 years.  By the time they closed the amusement park, it was pretty rickety.  It’s like me…up and down and rickety.  J

I have been on Osteo Bi-Flex since November 8 for the joint pain in my knees, wrists, and feet.  I thought it was getting better, but then it started getting worse.  I called Kelly, my amazing nurse, yesterday.  She said that she’s concerned that I’m pushing it too hard at boot camp.  I have been going five days every week since I started (with the exception of when we went to Austin, and I could only go four times that week).  She said I have to tone it down to three days a week, but I can walk for 15-20 minutes on my “days off”.  At first, I was devastated.  I called Todd on my way to Edmond yesterday in tears.  I never thought I would cry from being told by a doctor that I had to take it easier on workouts.  However, this is the first time I feel like I’m really succeeding at a workout regimen, and I’m scared that I’ll slip back into my couch potato ways if I don’t keep it up.  Todd assures me that he’ll walk with me on my days off if he’s here.  I know my mom will walk with me when he can’t.  Or we can all three walk together.  J  I’m going to work with the trainers to get some exercises I can do off of my joints, too.

The mood swings are the worst, though.  Last night, Todd came home a day early from his work trip.  I was ecstatic.  We ate dinner, and he was asleep by 9:15.  He hadn’t slept in over 21 hours, so I was glad to hear him snoring this time.  J  However, by 11, I was in hysterics.  I don’t know why.  (It might have been the awful Google search I had done on Lupron that set me off, but I’ll never admit it.  That was the first thing Kelly had told us not to do when we learned I was going to take the shot.  It’s terrifying!)  Anyway, after crying for a little while, I decided I couldn’t stand feeling so alone.  Mom wasn’t answering her texts, so my last resort was to wake my Sleeping Beauty.  I told him I just needed him to hold me, so he rolled over and let me nuzzle into his crook.  Within 30 seconds, I heard the snores again.  At least it made me giggle a little.  Anyway, I cried for a while longer and woke-up crying this morning.  I’ve cried on and off a few times today.  It’s like I can’t control it.  (I’m actually tearing up just writing this.)  A couple of years ago, I read an article from Stephen Covey about the 90/10 rule; basically, it says that your moods are determined 90% by your own mind and 10% by what happens to you.  I’ve tried to live by this principle, so I’ve gotten better at staying pretty consistently happy and positive through most things.  Not now.  I feel like I have zero control over my emotions.  I don’t even feel like the same person.  It’s awful, and I hate it!  I will be so grateful when this medicine is out of my system…and then I can start the IVF meds.  Ha!

I am lucky, though!  Most of the time, Todd or my mom have the time to talk me through my episodes.  A lot of the time, I’m able to lean on Samantha and Rachel (my girlfriends that are currently pregnant) through texting.  I appreciate these people so much right now!!  Sometimes, just talking (or texting) it out can make all the difference.

Anyway, so sorry for the Debbie Downer post.  Maybe I’ll write another one in 30 minutes when my mood is back at the top of the rollercoaster, again.  J  Happy Thanksgiving!!

We have baseboards!!!

One thing I forgot was an update on the house.  We are having baseboards installed today!  Yay!!  So excited.  I’m  hoping they will get painted this weekend, so we can get carpet at the beginning of next week.  I can’t believe we may be officially getting out of the concrete jungle soon.  Woo hoo!

Also, we are using Carpet One for all of our carpet.  Throughout this process, I have been calling it Sherwin Williams, which is one of my vendors I use at work.  It’s been pretty funny!  The best part is that I’m completely unaware when I say it that I’m wrong.  Again, I love my mushy, Lupron brain!  J

Tiff and Stew Say I Do

*I'm going to add more pictures to this post when I get them off my camera.  This is just what I had on my phone.

Last weekend was an amazing weekend!...well, mostly.  J

We went to Austin to see our dear friends, Tiffany and Stew, get married.  Tiffany and I have been friends since college.  She’s one of the greatest friends a girl could have, and I’m not exaggerating.  She lived in Tulsa until earlier this year when she moved to Austin to be with Stew.  She is one of the only three friends that always made an effort to come to Dallas to see us.  Several times, Tiffany has given me clothes that she no longer wore.  Inevitably, they end up becoming staples in my wardrobe.  Recently, she mailed me a top that she had loaned me to take to Mexico last year.  I kept asking her what the brand was, so I could look for one like it; she ended up just giving it to me.  Anyway, at her rehearsal dinner, I fell in love with her dress.  Todd teased me and said, “Maybe if you ask her about it enough, she’ll give it to you someday.”  J  Anyway, all of this is to say that Tiffany is great.  We both adore her, and we adore Stew.  We couldn’t be happier that they have found each other…even if it means she has to live so far away from us.

About a month ago, Tiffany decided she was giving up on finding an Elvis impersonator to marry them and asked Todd to do it.  I know, awesome, right?!  Todd got ordained on the Internet and was ready to go!

He left on Wednesday to head to Austin for work.  The house didn’t even float away!  J  I left Thursday night, so I could be there to spend some time with Tiffany on Friday and go to the rehearsal dinner.

To back-up just a step, though.  Todd was awoken at 4am Thursday morning by Austin Police.  Apparently, Todd resembled a fugitive one of the valet guys had seen on TV.  His name was even similar.  They questioned him for about 40 minutes before deciding he wasn’t a fugitive.  J  Here’s a guy with status at this hotel that has accumulated thousands of points over the last few months, and the manager couldn’t figure out it might be a mistake?!  Anyway, they had told Todd there were no upgrade rooms when he had checked in.  Guess what magically came open later that day for us?  An upgraded room!  We were in a suite!!  It had an entry, living room, bedroom, and TWO bathrooms.  I even had a vanity.  I loved it!  So nice to get the travel perks!!

Friday morning, I woke-up with a very upset stomach.  I ended up having food poisoning.  I missed breakfast with Tiffany and Stew and our other good friends, Angela and Adam.  (Tiffany brought me a gift bag full of snacks, drinks, and medicine.  Even on her wedding weekend, she’s taking care of me.  See, I told you she was great!)  About 6 hours later, I had expelled the demon from my body.  We made it to the rehearsal dinner and had a fabulous time!  We were supposed to ride The Big Brown Bus with the group, but I wasn’t feeling it.  Anyway, we drove out to Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.  It was a huge barbecue place with multiple buildings and lots of outdoor seating.  The food was great, even though I was only able to take a couple of bites of everything.  Afterwards, everyone else got to go celebrate some more, but I had to go to bed.  I was swamped from the days’ activities, and I had a headache.  I knew that if I was going to enjoy the next day, I needed to get some sleep.

The next morning, I was starting to feel myself, again.  Todd and I had awesome waffles at the hotel breakfast, which my stomach much appreciated.  Then, we met Tiff and Stew at the CTC Gardens for their rehearsal.  The place was perfect for Tiffany.  I couldn’t wait to get back there that night.  The only problem was that mosquitos were alive all over the gardens that morning.  (They seemed to be gone by the time we arrived later in the day.)

Oh, the mosquitos!

 Then, was the wedding.  It was perfect!  Tiffany had planned this wedding to be just like the two of them from the programs to the music to the decorations.  They even had a food truck serve hamburgers and French fries and another one serve awesome cupcakes with the best frosting!...and I consider myself a frosting connoisseur.  J  Instead of a guest book, she had everyone sign a basketball.  (They got engaged while playing basketball together.)  Tiffany’s dress was perfect, too!  She looked so happy.  She made a perfect bride.  Todd did a fabulous job.  He had rehearsed the ceremony with the two of them, and he added a few personal touches.  During the vows, he actually made Tiffany say, “I, Tiffany, take thee, Stewbert.”  She got the giggles.  It was priceless.

Overall, the weekend may have started out rocky, but it ended wonderfully!  I’m so glad we were able to be there to celebrate with such an amazing couple.  I’m so very happy for them.

 

 

ADDITION:  We, also, had Tiffany's bachelorette party in Dallas two weekends before the wedding.  It was a blast!  There were about 8 of us.  We stayed at a boutique-esque hotel in downtown Dallas, Hotel Indigo.  We went to dinner at The Chesterfield.  Then, we hit Uptown for some celebrating.  Tiffany is a great sport at posing for all of my pictures!  J

The silly bride

I Love My Lupron Friends and Nurses!!

Well, yesterday was my third Lupron shot.  As usual, the shot was easy-breezy, but boy, did we learn a lot about what my body is doing.

First of all, I have been having pain in my knees and wrists lately.  I thought it was because of my increased boot camp.  However, it turns out that the Lupron is literally sucking all of the fluid from my joints.  It’s one of the awesome side effects of menopause.  I didn’t even know this might be another symptom until I talked to Chelsea (the used-to-be-stranger that commented on one of my blog entries).  She just happened to mention that if my joints started hurting to increase my fish oil.  Because of Chelsea, I asked Kelly, the nurse, about my pain yesterday.  She equated my pain to old women that seem to walk around all scrunched up from pain in their joints.  I knew what she was talking about exactly!  I’ve even heard my mom and grandma talk about how it can hurt to sit and stand sometimes.  Mimi makes lots of “ooo ooo” sounds as she moving.  Anyway, Kelly prescribed me Osteo Bi-Flex and told me not to do any jumping for the next few weeks, at least; I could actually damage my bones from trying to do too much without the fluid in my joints.  Thank goodness Kelly seems to have an answer to all of my symptoms!  (Thanks for the heads-up, Chelsea!)

The next thing we learned was that every 3 weeks or so after a shot, my body may start to actually go into withdrawals from not having Lupron.  This can cause pretty bad mood swings.  For the last week, I have had a much harder time keeping my moods stabilized.  I was actually in tears when we got to the doctor yesterday from stuff that normally wouldn’t have made me cry.  When I went to the restroom before my appointment, Todd told Kelly that I was “having a bad day”.  Luckily, she had an answer for this, too.  Increase my Fish Oil and Vitamin B6.

Hopefully, in about a week, I’ll notice my moods getting better and my joints being less painful.  I’m so very thankful for my Lupron friends and awesome nurses that can help me through this!  The first six weeks of this, I thought it was going to be a cake walk.  This last two weeks has really started taking a toll on my body.  I just hope Todd can withstand the mood swings.  J  Maybe I need to be buying him flowers!

Happy Friday everyone!

It’s a girl!!

I have been waiting until the mother said I could announce this, but she made it official by putting it on Facebook today. Then, I was waiting for Todd to call me, so he could be the first to hear the great news. However, he’s too busy gallivanting on the golf course today. So, I’m blogging it first!!

Todd’s childhood best friend, Michael, and his wife, Samantha, are pregnant! They are the first text I blogged about weeks ago, and I said I had to wait at least another 6 weeks to tell their names. They went through IVF, too. Another success story!!! We are so excited for them! The best part is that they are getting a little girl. Todd said Michael has always been great with the ladies, so I know he’ll be a great father to one. J

For those that don’t know the back story, Sam and Mike have been back in our lives for about 5 years, I think. Todd and Mike had lost touch because they didn’t have their awesome wives to keep them in contact with each other. J When I started dating Todd, I kept hearing about this Mike guy. He told so many stories about them growing up together. Anyway, I decided to look on MySpace (yes, we were still using MySpace, so maybe it’s been longer) to see if I could find him. I did. He only lived about 20 minutes away from us at the time, so I sent him a message. Sam happened to be the one that checked their account and called him to tell him some girl was messaging him about a guy named Todd Provence. He asked if Todd looked like Ben Affleck (I still don’t see the resemblance, but it’s a funny part of the story), and Sam agreed that maybe he did. Anyway, we made a dinner date for them, and they were reunited at Uncle Julio’s in Addison, Texas. They are seriously adorable together. I love watching their relationship and how Todd lights up when he gets to talk to Mike. It’s like talking to a brother for him. Mike was in our wedding, and that really meant a lot to Todd and me.

Samantha and I have a special bond because she’s been through IVF, and I’m going through it…plus, our husbands are secretly in love. She’s one of those people that are beautiful inside and out, and I know that sounds cliché. It’s so true, though. She’s like a real-life Barbie doll. J We’ve always gotten along so well, and I’m blessed to have her to answer all of my questions about IVF, too! Between her and Rachel, I tend to blow-up their phones anytime I need to know something. Thanks for being so great, Sam!!

Todd and I feel blessed to have them as friends and are elated that they are going to be parents soon! Congratulations, Sam and Mike! We are so thrilled for you!!

(By the way, I asked Todd the other day if he was sure he was still up for the challenge of having more kids at his age. Not that he’s old, but I wanted to make sure he still wanted to do this, again. His response was, “If Mike can do it, so can I.” They are so cute together!)

The Happy Parents

The time has come...

…that I can tell you which of our IVF friends was pregnant weeks ago.  Then, it was a secret.  Now, it’s Facebook leading news!  Yay, Rachel and Dustin!!  We’re sooooo excited for you!

Rachel is another patient of Dr. Bundren’s.  She’s also in my Bunco group.  She and Dustin both grew-up in Sand Springs where I’m from.  She’s the main reason we decided to check-out Dr. B, and she’s been wonderful during my process.  She’s always very patient with my numerous questions.

The real exciting news is that Rachel and Dustin aren’t just going to have one baby…they’re going to have twins!  Yay, yay, yay!!!  Look at the cute way she announced their pregnancy…

They're going to be such wonderful parents!

Dustin and Rachel

Facebook Rules, Mood Swings Drool

*I updated the name of this entry. My creative juices just hit me!

Today, I put a simple post on Facebook that said, “Blogging is therapeutic.” I have had the most awesome response from it. Several people have messaged or commented to encourage me on my journey. Some of them have actually gone through IVF while the others are just amazingly sympathetic. It’s crazy how many people have gone through fertility issues and you never knew about it. What I have learned is that my blog is helpful to at least one other woman. I said from the beginning that I was writing this blog 1) to help me remember what all I went through (since my pregnancy brain has kicked in with Lupron) and 2) to hopefully help someone else going through the same thing. Mission accomplished!!!

The other day, I was asking my mom if this many of her friends had trouble getting pregnant. Back when she was having my sisters, IVF was unheard of. With me, it was still so new that I doubt she had ever heard of it personally. I asked her what they used to do when they couldn’t get pregnant, and she said they adopted. However, it makes me wonder why it seems that so many more people are turning to infertility treatments nowadays then adopted back in the day. (Does that make sense, or am I rambling, again?) It just dawned on me. Women didn’t used to wait as long to have children as we do now. That’s probably it. I bet the average age of mothers is higher than it used to be. Nothing wrong with that, though. I’ll be 32 before I get pregnant and close to 33 when I have the baby. That’s just the first one! (Todd, don’t even start on the “we’ll have one and see how you do before we have the second”. J He loves that line as much as I love the “You have kids?!” line that I use when he tells someone about our first three. Such comedians. ) Anyway, so I just went through an entire train of thought while typing. Must be fun for any readers I have. In this paragraph, I basically stated and solved a problem. Yay, me!

So on another note, Todd is learning to handle my mood swings very well. This morning, I told him I was having an emotional day…again. He said, “Did something happen or just Lupron?” J He’s learning so well! For the most part, my mood swings haven’t been anything different than what they were before. I think after we’re through with all of this, he’ll still be saying, “Did something happen or just because you’re a woman?” J

Floating house update: Our wood floors are still there and stained. Nothing else has happened. Basically, there is no update to give. I just wanted everyone to rest assured that our wood floors haven’t gone anywhere. J We should be getting baseboards tomorrow. My husband is diligently working to get our home put back together, which means he still isn’t traveling. Yay for no traveling!! Tonight will be our first night back in the house, so pray that I don’t step on any tack strips in the dark. Yikes!

Day of Chelsea

I know I only have three of you that read my blog regularly, and I appreciate it, Mom, Bradette, and Heather!  However, I had my first random person leave me a comment yesterday:

I stumbled across your blog, searching for Dr. B info. I started this journey in April (with Dr. B) and just completed my 6 months of Lupron injections, after the surgery to remove endo/cysts. Going in to the shots with a positive attitude makes a world of difference on how they affect you, in my opinion. Stay optimistic and keep a good fan nearby, and you should be good to go. ;-) Good luck on your journey – bringing baby Provence in to your family!

Her comment literally made my day better.  It’s always nice to talk to or hear from someone that’s going through something similar as you are.  I’m basically doing the exact same thing she did, just 4 months later.  Thank you, dayofchelsea, for making my Monday a little less Monday-esque! (which in my world means “no fun”)  J  And, thank you for taking the time to show me you were thinking about me.

It’s a Hate-Hate Relationship

One of the things Dr. Bundren’s nurse said would help me with my Lupron side effects was working out every day.  Man, am I trying!  I have a friend, Elizabeth Taylor (no, not the famous one), that lost something like 30 pounds doing boot camp five days a week.  So, I joined.  They actually had a Groupon going, so I’m still under that window.  However, I went ahead and signed up for my yearly membership with the gym because I enjoy it so much.  I have been five days a week for the last 3 weeks and twice this week (it’s only Tuesday).

At the end of every week that you go for at least five days, you get to sign and date the wall.  I love that part!  (I have three dates next to my name.)  AND, at the end of two consecutive weeks that you’ve gone five days each week, you get a coupon for a $25 hour-long massage.  I love that part even more!!  (I have earned one coupon.  Yay!)  If you check-in on Facebook 10 times in one month while at the gym, you get a prize at the end of the month.  Last month, it was a water bottle.  I know that in the past, it has been tshirts.  (I have already done my 10 check-ins, so I’ll get my prize on Thursday, I hope.)  I just love these little motivations.

I started out going at 5:35am (which means I’m getting up at 5am, and for those that know me well know that this is a huge deal for me to do this).  However, I’ve had a few evenings free, so I have started rotating between going in the morning and after work.  I actually feel like I get a better workout if I wait until after work, but I know you burn more calories in a morning workout.  Plus, some nights, I just can’t go.

So it sounds like I really love it though, right?  And I do.  Well, most of it.  Except the burpees.  I hate burpees, and burpees hate me; no hurt feelings.  If you don’t know what a burpee is, google it up.  They are no fun whatsoever!  However, if they will help me reach my goal weight, I’ll keep doing them.

I do love my bootcamp gym!!!

 

Oh, and I'm still taking yoga on Saturdays.  I convinced Todd to go with me once, he loved it!  He actually uses the breathing techniques when work gets stressful.  He even went back with me a second time and insisted we find time in our day to make it to class.  I love that he loves yoga!  I love my yoga man!!

Flowers for Algernon

Todd’s company did the sweetest, most timely thing for me.  The day after our house flooded, I wasn’t actually at work.  I had stayed home to help Todd move furniture and other items out of the way of the disaster restoration team.  Anyway, Multimedia Games happened to send flowers to work for me to thank us for our continued support of the company.  Basically, they were saying, “Sorry your husband travels so much.  Here, have some flowers.”  J  I got them the next day when I got to work.  It was a lovely bouquet.  Thanks, MGAM!!

It's Getting Hot In Here...

The hot flashes have started.  Yay, me!  I’m one lucky girl.  J  I honestly can empathize with women that have gone through menopause, now.  I actually don’t mind them…when I’m outside in 40° weather!  It’s the middle of the night when I’m all cozy and deep asleep that I mind them.  Todd has asked me what they’re like.  It’s hard to explain.  It feels like someone has turned a heater on inside of my body.  It starts in my calves and works its way up to my face.  At work, I have a fan on my desk that I can turn on and off.  Anywhere else, I just look for something with which to fan myself.  They’re definitely uncomfortable but totally worth it if I can have a baby soon.

“Your House is…floating!”

I know it’s been a while since I have blogged. Things have been a little crazy with us for the last 2.5 weeks. Let me set the scene…

On Tuesday, October 9, we were in the midst of a pretty busy week. Todd had left that morning on a flight to Chicago for business. I was anticipating my annual Bunco hosting event that evening. We had spent a decent amount of time over the previous three days preparing the house and menu for this party. I think Todd likes it to be as perfect as I do since we don’t get to host very often. Anyway, I had scheduled Adela, our housekeeper, to come clean the house that afternoon. Thank goodness I had! (Keep in mind that the first time Todd met Adela, she couldn’t spell her last name out loud for him; she had to write it on her hand and show it to him. Her English is a little shaky at times.)

Anyway, I was meeting with a vendor, and we had made it back to my desk to review some things. My cell phone started ringing, but since I was with a vendor, I ignored it. Then, my work phone started ringing (which I later realized was just a coincidental call from my mom). Again, I ignored this call since I was busy. Next, another call came in on my cell phone. At this point, I started wondering who was trying to reach me so frantically. I looked, and it was Adela. She has never called me, but we text regularly. I got a little worried and asked my vendor politely if I could take the call. Thank goodness I did. Now, I won’t tell you our conversation because it wasn’t nearly as good as the voicemail she had just left for Todd. However, the message was the same. Todd was on a plane at the time, so luckily, we will have this voicemail in electronic history forever. It went something like this:

Hello, Mr. Todd. This is Adela. I just got to your house, and it is…inundating. (She can’t spell her name, but she knows the word “inundating”. Ha!) There is water everywhere. Your house is…(wait for it)…floating!! Please, call me back.

So, as you can imagine, when I answered my call from Adela and received this information, I began to panic. Immediately, I called my mother. She ran over there, and I immediately left work. At the time, I had to contemplate if I should just stay at work, and I was wondering if Mom would care if I just moved my Bunco party to her house. Ha! Silly girl. Little did I know how bad it was.

The culprit!

A dishwasher hose had come loose, and the entire first floor was floating, not flooding. J When I got home, Mom was already hard at work trying to push water out of the tiled kitchen area into the garage and out the back door. There was a good inch-and-a-half of water standing in my kitchen, mudroom, pantry, and laundry room. I got to work with her. Shortly thereafter, Mimi and Bill showed up. We spent several hours just moving water with brooms, dustpans, a shop vac, anything we could find to push water out. Then, we moved the furniture off the wet carpet and onto the tile and hardwoods. (I really owe a huge thanks to Mom, Mimi, Bill, and sister, Jenny, for helping in these efforts. Also, a big thanks to Rachel for even offering to help. All of us at the house took note of how sweet you are!! Bradette, I know you wish you could have been there!...you were in spirit.)


This is what my kitchen has looked like since the flood happened, and Farmers' think it's "livable"

 

Here's Mimi taking her dinner break

 

Mom is funny!

My entryway

Our cute blue shoes

Hours later, the disaster restoration company came and started tearing out everything, and I mean everything. They took all of the carpet, hardwood, and baseboards from the living room, office, master bedroom, master closet, entryway, and the girls’ bedroom/closet.


Our bedroom without carpet

Our living room with the fans

Our bathroom with the fans

Alvin tearing up our hardwoods.  I hated watching this!

Kaleb's room...the only place the didn't flood downstairs, so it gets to be storage.

The girls' room



Our new dishwasher...the hose outside and the sun

Dad showed up a little after the disaster restoration people, and Todd made it home about an hour later. Oh, when Todd landed in Chicago, he had a “911 call me” text from me. J You’re welcome, honey. He didn’t even leave the terminal in Chicago. He turned right around, and caught a plane home.

When he got home, one of the first things he said was, “Well, I guess I finally got my boat.” J Later that night, he told me that if I didn’t want him to travel, I could find something better than flooding the house to get across my point. Even in stressful times, he makes me laugh.

That night, we stayed in a hotel because we didn’t finish with the disaster restoration people until 1 a.m. I wasn’t interested in waking Mom and Dad that late. However, every night since, we have been at Mom and Dad’s (with the exception of the one night we were both out of town). Thanks, Mom and Dad, for your patience and hospitality. Not every parent would be so generous!

Anyway, we finally got our hardwoods laid yesterday. It wasn’t easy, though. They had about 50 machines in our house for five days. It has taken almost 2 weeks after that to get any work done at the house. We will have baseboards finished next week and carpet the week after.





Our living room and kitchen drapes during the hardwood reconstruction

 

Our new hardwoods before stain

Our new hardwoods after stain

I am very frustrated with our insurance company, our builder, and the flooring place. Unfortunately, we could only fire one right now, so we are not using Floorhaus. J I do have to say that I love Renaissance (our hardwood company) and Carpet One (our carpet company). They have been wonderful and fast! Oh, and the guys from disaster restoration, Service Masters, were pretty great, too. They were very patient with my questions, so we fed them Sonic and homemade brownies.

Yummy brownies!!

Anyway, so that’s our last two weeks in a nutshell. On a good note, it has kept Todd home since the house “floated”. Plus, I’m getting to upgrade my carpets and put hardwood in the office. However, as much as I adore my parents and love their home, there is just no place like your own home. Todd has refused to do anything besides live out of a suitcase for fear that it means he’s admitting that it’s going to take a while. I think he probably wishes he had just unpacked 2.5 weeks ago. J

Sorry for the long post. There has just been a lot happen, and I’ve left out the majority of the detail since the incident happened. I must go now. I have to plot my plan for what I will do next time he tries to travel. Mwah ha ha ha ha!!! (That’s my evil laugh.)