A Rambling Update

So, who knew how very time consuming it is getting estimates and researching contractors/remodelers? I have no other life between that and the boys. Haven't even been to the gym (not even once!) this week!

Don't get me wrong, I am oh-so-excited about making our house the way Ive always wanted it, but it is surprisingly time consuming and more than a little scary to look at the estimates add up. And, what if my visions of interior design are not quite so lovely in reality? In the words of Dr. Phil, "I know enough to know what I don't know" which means I will not even attempt to envision any landscape designs...and do you know what landscape designers get paid????? HolyMoly! I picked the wrong career (actually, I don't have a career at all). they get $100 an hour just to come and dream up something and then give you an estimate...So, if you want at least three different ideas to consider...at least $1000 just to collect their damn ideas! AARgh. I do not mean to sound ungrateful. I am thrilled to finally be doing this. and I will probably sleep on my hardwoods when they are installed. Anybody want to come help demo the travertine?
In the months to come I hope to be able to post Before/Progress/After photos.

Other than that, my brain has been very preoccupied with loftier things. Do you ever feel that you have not contributed enough to humanity? I have certainly been feeling that way since finishing the book Same Kind of Different as Me. It is a true story that takes place in Fort Worth in the 1990s. It was very nice to be able to picture everywhere they go in the story as I frequent many of the settings in the book. As literature, it certainly does not compare to Faulkner, Tolstoy, and the like. However, what a story! I am not a very outwardly emotional person., and even I had tears trickling down my cheeks several times for various reasons. In the end, it gave me a renewed sense of faith in the human spirit, and a much deeper understanding of the homeless. Unfortunately, it was also quite a lesson in legal slavery dubbed as sharecropping. People who deplore Christianity may have trouble with parts of the book. I am annoyed when I feel as though I'm being evangelized by a book, but I did not get that feel from this book. It was more just a book about love, compassion, and dignity for every human. I just hope that at the end of my life I can feel that I have done something to contribute, and I often struggle with the fact that, as of yet, I have not. I could go on and on about this, but it would be circular ramblings...

In other news, I received Grant's acceptance letter to pre-K in the fall. Its not nearly as uppity as that sounds. Not that he tested in, just that there were limited spaces and he was lucky enough to get one. So, I will officially have some time with no children at home next fall. Strangely, I do not feel sad about that. I'm sure a little melancholy will creep in when the house is unusually still and silent, but for now I am so happy to see him growing up into a big boy like his brothers.

And, in other happy news, only 1 day til Spring Break and only 4 days til I get to see crazy Susan! Its been a long time, and now she is moving a mere 4 hours drive away. I assume Ill be seeing lots of her since the very small town she is moving to doesn't even have a Target. Definitely no Fresh Market or Whole Foods, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, etc etc...I'm sure there are many such amenities in OK City, but surely it is more fun to drive here and shop with me, right? I think I'm going to drive up and go house-shopping with her. I like the idea of spending other people's money instead of my own! Anyway, I'm just excited to have such an old friend so close. hey, maybe she wants to help take up some travertine tiles?