So if you know Nate and I's history you know we have been togeather now 5 years.. It is amazing to think now five years.. can't wait to say 25! We're newly weds in our first home and it was a foreclosure that needed a ton of TLC and just when the house was getting to the point of finished.. our home was damaged by Hurricane Ike. After Ike we saved what we could and charged all other expenses for the house to get it back to code.. hole in the roof, leaks, mold damage, walls ruined, fences down.. you get the picture. So now our house is back to the norm we are still paying off some of Ike's damage..don't get me started on insurance companies and what they cover!
While all this was going on I was working in accounting and going back to school for a degree in accounting. My undergrad is Psychology. I love behavior science and working with children. While in school and working fulltime we planned our Hawaiian Wedding! In this whole transition I figured out I should have listened to my hubby and my heart after undergrad and should have become a teacher. I nannied thru out college and loved it.. but the business world intrigued me.. I took a job at a small company. When I first started there I was under a different boss and I loved it. He left and I soon got a different boss life soon changed there after.. the stress, the hours of work, depression and hating going to work each day got me on the kick to dig deep on what my career should look like. I can honestly say my mom did a great job at raising me knowing the foundations of life- Family, God and Love.. and I felt my career as well as my life should reflect that. I decided I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to make a difference..so when I meet my maker I can honestly say I used all the talent you gave me to the best I could. I took the test to be certified for elementary education..passed and took my current position a month before school started!!
Nate and I both are teachers now.. we're not rich in money.. but our lives are rich in everything else! We both are now so content in our careers that it has a huge impact on our relationship! We both truely enjoy waking up and going to work and we love to share with each other the experiences with our students. No day is the same.. but with all the good there is always bad. My students are reading Esperanza Rising right now and a great literal saying in there book is "There is no Rose with out thorns" well it is in spanish but you get the picture. Nate and I have experienced many thorns in our relationship- the loss of a father, my mom being diagnosed with cancer (and she kicked it's ass), me struggling to finish school due to financial reasons, buying a house pouring our savings, sweat and love in to it and it being destroyed by a hurricane, lossing family members and one month before our wedding having one of our friends child's drown in a pool..I found him and Nate and friends administered CPR.. we have had the thorns and made it. Last month was prolly the worst thorn month I have experienced in a long time. I am dealing with my loss daily and it has molded me..
The experience of last month has really shown Nate and I what we want for a home, a family and life. We openly talk about these things and it has really helped me move on from my ( I should say our) experience. So we have started making a list of things that need to happen before kids. I know everyone says you can't plan kids.. but we're planners so we are going to try ;).
First off I am realistic in the fact that I want a house that is comfortable and liveable..I want kids to be able to play in every room and my house be truely enjoyed.. but with that said I won't be able to afford to make any major changes after a baby comes so we have a list!!
The list is as follows:
1. Pay off all credit cards & Tricia to finish Masters in Education (Feb. 2012)
2. Hold only one car note (the toyota is almost paid off so we are trading in the mazda for an SUV).
3. Take a great vacation before .. you know it won't happen after!
We have two extra rooms upstairs.. one is a guest room and the other is being habitated by the cats (litter boxes) and all nate's books for his business. So you'll understand the next lists.
4.Move Plywood from garage (whole stack)
5. Move bookshelves from 3rd bedroom to garage
6. New light fixture in 3rd bedroom -fan motor is dead and a fan is a must in houston!
7. Paint 3rd bedroom
8. Install closet doors in 3rd bedroom. Currently closet has no doors I hung a rod with curtains and litter boxes are behind.
9. Install Kitty door to garage and move kitty boxes out there..
10. Regrout tile in guest bath and master
11. Add tile to guest bath - it is wood..umm not practical with kiddos
12. Install Bamboo Roman Shades on all windows in great room to replace verticals (4 windows at 72 inches and a huge bay window) already priced and saving
13. Hang burlap curtains in great room-DIY project to look like Pottery Barn!
14. New Dining room table that is all wood and can be used daily(we're working on it)
15. Add Chairs to dining room set and Oversized floor mirror to reflect light from french doors in dining room
16. To install safty latches on top of all french doors that lead to pool
17. To install safety net on pool(we cant do a fence because pool is immediately out of the doors.. not enough pool deck)
Since we have no playspace and our two guestrooms are on the small side we need a room that doubles as living space plus play room and if needed a second guest room since we're losing one for a babino(we're talking next 3 years here).. currently in our great room there is a living room, formal living room and dining room.. off of it is nate's office sperated by french doors and the kitchen.. The formal living room is not used at all.. It has a pool table in it.. I let my hubby have it. As he says the kids are taking it away.
19. Move pool table to the garage.
20. Add a sleeper sofa in tan linen to formal living room, shelves with wicker baskets to conceal their mess and a wicker trunk to conceal toys and double as coffee table..
There you have it I have made the list..Alot of the list involves updating the house to kid friendly but still grown up beautiful and making the guest room/guest bath ready for a lil Embley. Our plan is to have this all completed by August 2012.. so I will be updating you on our progress..Obviously some of these won't be happening immediately.. but we plan because we live on a budget and I am a smart, savy budget shopper!! Hope you enjoyed my crazy rant.. if you made it this far spike the coffee now ;) See ya soon!
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