Start from the beginning....

...Sunday Bart leaves for Cincinnati. (Not a planned trip)
Lucy is recovering from a yucky virus.
The rental house turn over produces a faucet (washing machine) left dripping and a 3 hour cleaning. (completely unexpected). We clean in a huge rainstorm...almost frightened we won't make it home because of the overflowing creek inbetween the two houses!

The following Monday consisted of checking the house, eye appt, a mail run, AtHome America cosutomer relations (an exchange in the Burger King parking lot), Closing on some land (with power of attorney), dropping bids off at to the best banker/loan officer in the world (who was out because his wife just had a baby), and a quick lighting consult, before Stone's school called with a 102 fever. My reaction......"WHAT?"

He caught Lucy's virus and ended up home for 2 days. The burn of your skin after holding your child and having contact with his/her skin is unforgettable.

I still had to figure out how to get Dante new shoes...(when you're toe sticks out the bottom that is not cool). Also the P.E. teacer complained of the black marks on her school floor to him. Stone recieved a new game for his downtime. Also allowing me to mow half the yard....

I knew it was time for Stone to go back to school when Snappy was riding the ceiling fan! This did not happen until Thursday, though!

Tuesday came the plumbers....no Mario and Luigi, but they did some work on the drain in the basement that overflows when I do laundry and then took my money and left.
Thanks to draft day...no football on Tuesday. I am able to finish mowing the other half of the yard.

I try out the laundry and dishwasher at the same time Wednesday and still have a water situation. I call the plumbers and leave a message. They show up an hour later and tell me not to run both at the same time, and that my washer is too good for the 2 inch pipe. So is this good news (great washing machine) or bad news (2 inch pipe)? They still were very nice!
Wednesday afternoon brings a call from Dante's school. Headache, low grade fever. I pick him up.

He recovers to go to school on Thursday because Football practice is BIG. He is a Dolphin and is not on our friend's team. My stomach hurt when I saw him run to this other team. I don't know much about the coaches. I find out it is the HEAD guy....so does that mean I bow, drop a knee, and kiss his hand before I speak to him?
There are other kids he knows on the team and a fellow baseball mate, who's parents are great too! Good news.

Stone finds a big drain pipe and along with 3 other kids...climbs in it!

Earlier in the day Stone, Lucy and I spent 2 1/2 hours in Walmart getting the tire fixed. Of course I have a flat the week Bart is gone! It was so flat I fired up the aircompresser (for my first time) and aired up the tire to get there. I was able to pick up the extra postcard needed for the April DTC (adoption) postcard swap, and tropical fabric for a quilt request....now I need to send them!

Our building project kicks off on Thursday... I have been waiting and waiting to have the BIG post about breaking ground....well not this week. They stake out the ground and with a little land miscalculation we are set back too far...No, we are TOO BIG for the lot. Digger coming Friday....now what?


Bart comes home. But is delayed due to the suicidal deer that ran out in front of his rental car! He had a camera and denied my site a picture of the deer! He is okay, tired shook up and still worried about the digger. After talking to all invovled (digger, land developer, foundation men....) we cease all movement foward and brainstorm a solution. Early discussions about taking out my porch, dining room, kitchen window (which I sacrificed anyhow) did not sit well, but I made it through the day with prayer and a positive attitude. The hotwings and beer helped too!



After changing locks at the rental, a final check of the leak, and picking up the swing set to bring to the ONE house! And the hot wings and beer......




......Final decision is to redo the plans (the architect loves us) for the 5th or 6th time, and make some changes to help the extra unexpected cost and smooth out some building challenges with the slope, walk out, driveways, bedroom windows.... Uf-dah!

The week ends with the neatest gift sent from my April DTC Secret pal. Kate's letters personally made to match the "Amy Coe Cirque des enfant" bedding I bought for her! They are the neatest 4 letters I have ever seen. Dante, Stone, and Lucy were spoiled with little (yea, who am I kidding, BIG) goodie bags. Cardinal bracelets for the boys, a purple big sis bracelet for Lucy. Chinese fans, note pads, chopsticks, stickers, a fun fortune telling fish. I have a great secret pal. THE BEST!












It is a good thing Bart did come home...I can do most anything...but spiders. My first attempt earlier in the week to KILL this girl (I assume from the sac of eggs) was unsuccessful!

What a week at the ONE house!