Can it be true???

That we will be homeowners of this house before the end of October????? Can it really be true??

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Go to www.realtracs.com and search for MLS 896831. Then click on the house, then click on the picture of the house for pics of the inside

Yes, I think it might actually be true! We put an offer in on this house tonight! We will know by 10am tomorrow morning if the offer has been accepted. I was dragging my feet about looking at houses late this afternoon. I was tired and cranky (not me, LOL). We looked at one house that was ok (like all the house we saw last weekend that were ok, nothing jumped out at all). Then we drove up to this one and my first thought was that I really liked the neighborhood but the house didn't do a ton for me on the outside. Then we opened the front door and "WOW" was my reaction!!! A single mom currently lives in the house and has WONDERFUL taste!! Every wall is painted (mainly dark chocolate browns and light browns that coordinate so well). Beautiful hardwood dark floors, dark cabinetry throughout, tile bathrooms, awesome light fixtures and ceiling fans (all that has been updated from when it was built in 2002)!! This women has incredible taste. I said to our realtor "I haven't developed a style yet b/c I haven't had my own house.... but this is it!" Oh, stainless steal appliances in the kitchen. The living room, kitchen, eat it are the 'open floor plan' that so many love which I have always said I didn't like... mainly because I like to go against the norm, LOL. But I really love the look!! We seriously thought we were not really seeing straight or something when we kept looking around! It is 3 bd, 2 bath + bonus upstairs. For the price, we have looked at homes in the same price range... and none compare with the character that this house has!! I can't get over the fact that I love the paint colors! I love color but have NO clue what would work.... with this house, I don't have to worry about that!! Oh, Kaya gave it her seal of approval too, LOL.

While there are still the details to finalizing (hoping they accept our offer), we put in that we would close on October 26th!!!! Keep your fingers cross everything goes well tomorrow!!

Another sign from Jenna...

I woke up yesterday morning thinking of Jenna.. as I have done many mornings, but not for a little while. Thus my post yesterday. I have had a lot of signs from Jenna over the last three plus months, and yesterday was yet again another one. Mark, Kaya and I went to Target yesterday afternoon. I had to use the bathroom where I found Margie and Joshua. I told Joshua that Kaya was there, and it was too cute seeing the smile on his face. As Margie, Joshua and I walked out of the bathroon... Margie looked up and saw Jenna's three kids with Mark's mom. I instantly thought "Thanks Jenna... I see you". It was so good seeing the kids.... it has been too long. Seeing them just helped me feel like "yes, life does go on". While I hate seeing them without seeing Jenna, I feel a part of her in each of them... so that helps me feel her too.

Ash, Kaity and Jake look wonderful!!!! Dawn, along with your mom... are doing a wonderful job taking care of your kids!! Thanks for the visit yesterday!

Time heals all wounds??

This is what people say, but I think there are some wounds that cannot be healed. I have a few wounds that are just too ripe for me. Living in this world without Jenna just doesn't seem right. Having such a short period of time with Jenna just doesn't seem right... I feel selfish in saying this... but this is how I feel. I feel truly blessed to have known Jenna at all, and to have known her as well as I did... but I feel robbed in what was to come. I feel all of life was robbed though too... someone who had such passion for doing things her way and not looking back... we are all at a loss without that kind of person. Between not having her to chat with about anything and everything... to night's out that are just not the same.... to Jenna's ability to find humor in any moment... to night's when I would love to bring pizza over to her house so we can just hang out together and let the kids run around.... gosh, I have had countless nights where I have wanted to call her last minute and see if she wants to do that again..... to just having the opportunity to see her smile.... there are many moments and reminders that are just too ripe for me. So, does time heal all wounds?? I say no... simply there are just some wounds that are not able to be healed. Yes, time helps... but time can make it harder to face reality too. As three months have gone by since Jenna passed away.... I find myself still in denial. I have pain when I think about Jenna's three beautiful children, her husband, her mother, her sister, and all of her family... along with those that were closest to her, even for those that barely knew Jenna because we are all affected by the loss. I do hear her telling me that 'everything is ok' and see her smiling..... but damn it I want to say to her that everything is not ok. I keep remembering multiple conversations Jenna and I had at the beginning of this year when Mark and her were having some troubles. My heart just went out to her when she was going through that because after all she had been through with her first battle with Leukemia, this between her and Mark seemed to scare her more than anything else. Jenna was so stong, like she was with everything... and she did exaclty what she needed to do... she took care of herself and her children. Then she got pregnant... which was the most amazing sign that life was an amazing power... then she found out she was sick again which was a sign that life can be so cruel. Again, Jenna took this all with stride... I am a firm believer that positive attitude makes ALL the difference! Jenna's positive attitude did make a difference... my memories of her during this time are happy memories... as I think many feel that way... Jenna was Jenna through all of this, never getting down for too long. She would tell me 'sometimes you just have to greive and then move on from it' when she would have down moments and I would try to comfort her.... so true, yes we all have to grieve and then be able to move on from that. So this is what I attempt... to have my moments where I greive... and then remember Jenna telling me to move on... while I will never be "healed"... that is ok... beacause I would much prefer having to not be healed by losing Jenna then to have never known Jenna. I miss you very much girl!! Thanks for being you!!

Happy and content Jenna in March of 2008...

Babe Lovell #2 at 10 weeks

Well... here is Kaya's little brother/sister as a little 3.5 cm peanut. Our first picture! Mark is in Reno this week, so when I called him after the ultrasound I tried to convince him we were having twins... but I didn't last too long! The little guy (or gal) bounced around a few times on screen... so that was really cool to see!!! I must admit... I was pretty emotional seeing little one #2 for the first time!!! Kaya liked looking at her little brother/sister too!! I love the little diagram on the left to help you ordinate what body parts are what!

Keep it up....

Two names you go by
1. Meredith
2. Mere (by a select few, lol... just kidding)

Two things you are wearing right now
1. tank top
2. pj pants

Two things you would want (or have) in a relationship
1. Respect for each other
2. Lots of humor... a given with Mark, lol.

Two things you like to do
1. be outside doing anything
2. laughing

Two things you want very badly at the moment
1. a house that we can do with as we chose
2. surprisingly... for hubby to be home now

Two things you did last night
1. bought plane tickets for trip to CA in October
2. stayed up too late

Two things you ate today
1. Wendy's, lol
2. Special K bars

Two people you last talked to
1. Kaya
2. hubby

Two things you're doing tomorrow
1. first prenatal appt
2. picking Kaya up early from school!

Two favorite holidays
1. Halloween
2. Thanksgiving... love the food!

Two favorite beverages
1. Raspberry ice tea
2. red wine... same here Shannon!

Two jobs I have had in my life
1. Head graphic designer.. what were they thinking hiring me?? lol
2. nanny... one of my fav past jobs

Two movies I would watch over and over
1. Grease... I have it memorized
2. Ever After... something about the Cinderella fairy tale

Two Places I Have Lived
1. Chico, California (gotta love those Chico students)
2. Iowa City, Iowa

Two of My Favorite Foods
1. Italian
2. Mexican

Two places I'd rather be right now
1. in bed asleep, lol
2. Australia

Home here we come.....

We got our official pre-approval financing today... so now we just have to find our home!!! I am very excited for the whole process! I think this will be the best move we have ever made... a move into something we can call ours!!!!!! We are going house hunting with an agent this weekend... with a number of houses in mind. We are not going to be too crazy with racing through the hunt... but at the same time we are just so anxious to finally be home owners!! Oh, I have to call the rental company tomorrow and confirm the process for getting out of our lease.... we have asked before and there isn't a penalty b/c we renewed the original lease... but then I want to make sure of that of course, LOL. I can't wait to have a house warming party!!!!!!

Watch out!!!!!

Two posts in one week...... I think the media needs to be alerted!!! LMAO

I booked the tickets tonight for our trip to CA in October!! Yeah... it seems like we were just there... time does fly!! Mark and Kaya will be flying to CA on Sunday 10/7. My mom is going to have Kaya all to herself until Wednesday 10/10 when I fly in. She is really looking forward to the alone time with Kaya. I must say... I am looking forward to that time for both of them as well! There is nothing better for a little child than their grandparents!!! Kaya is one lucky kid!! My mom, myself and Kaya will be taking the train to San Fran on Wednesday after I fly in... the train will be fun.. and it definitely beats driving through the bay traffic! We will hook up with Mark after he is done with his conference for the day.... then Thursday is Kaya's 2nd bday... not sure what we will do for sure... but with San Fran and the ocean at our disposal... I am sure we will think of something, LOL. We will stay Thursday night and then come back to Sacramento (Mark included) on Friday. Spend some time with our Sacramento friends (can't wait to see you Hill... Kaya and Nat will have a blast celebrating their bday's together!!). Mark will have to drive to Reno sometime Sunday night (only a 2 hour drive).... then my mom (yes, I guilty her into flying back with us, lol), myself and Kaya fly back to Nashville on Monday. My mom will stay through the next Saturday. That will be SO nice to have her help that week while Mark is gone. It will be a quick trip to CA... but we are all really looking forward to it!! I think all of that should make up for not having an official bday party for Kaya, LOL. I debated... and decided the kid will have enough with the trip and everything else. I will probably make her cake the weekend before we leave and have a very small "party" at home...... speaking of home...... we are REALLY close to buying one of those, LOL. Our financing is almost all in order.... we have a house picked out.... but unfortunately so does someone else... and they beat us to it, LOL. Oh well.... there are other options. I am just SO excited that it is all in our very near future. My hope is to be moved in by early December... Mark's plan is by Thanksgiving... that works for me! I cannot wait to paint walls of my very own home!!!!!!!!!

WOW.... 10:20pm..... way past my bed time, LOL!!! Happy Dreaming!

Lions, Sun and Single Mom Life....

I started the weekend out like I would love to start out every weekend.... a Friday night out with the girls!!! We went to Fuji's Japanese Steakhouse in M'boro. It was a blast!!! I loved watching our 17 year old cook make lots of fire.... poor kid had to listen to 7 mom's when they are out and away from their kids... that must have been fun for him, LOL. He was a great sport and played it up. The weather was absolutely BEAUTIFUL this weekend!!! We decided to go to the zoo on Saturday... Mark's first time to the Nashville zoo... and I swore I wouldn't go on a Saturday again, LOL. That place was a zoo of people!!!! Sunday... we spent almost all day outside... or at least I did.... Mark and I have sunburns to show for it. Mark mowed, I weeded... and then I just sat outside and read while Kaya napped. Kaya loved playing outside.... including helping me weed. Mark and Kaya spent this morning together before he left for Reno (he is enroute from Dallas to Reno now) for the week. That was nice for them. I am in week 2 of 3 straight weeks of the single mom role...... I don't like the job, LOL. I do have a lot more respect for my mother... yes, you read that right mom..... and all the other single mom's in the world. I am just SO tired at the end of the day and ready for bed by 8:30!!! Speaking of.... I better whined down for bedtime in an hour, LOL. Hope everyone has a great week!!!!

Hello... is anyone here?

Yes, I am here! I have done such a great job of keeping up with this blog!!!! LOL Yes, I know... I have not. The month of August zoomed (or as Kaya would say "zoom zoom") by at warp speed... and it looks like September is doing the same! It is FALL though!!!!!! Yeah.... I can feel it and smell it in the air!!! I am appreciating this wonderful weather even more this year... mainly because of the horribly hot temps of late summer!

Well, I have a hand written list of things that has kept us busy over the last month plus... the list is growing! I will get a post in about all of that soon. I just wanted to pop in fast and say "HELLO!".