House Hunting 101

Little did I know just how stressful house hunting would be.  We put a contract on a house that SJB and I both fell in love with and were riding on cloud nine until the inspection.  Inspection is now a word that I will be terrified of.  While we felt that our house would be perfect for us, the wall's insides and wiring had a different plan.  I am very thankful and relieved that we discovered this while we could still get out, but disappointed as I had my hopes placed on a pedestal and then knocked off with a bang.  I guess it's back to the drawing board for us!!

In the meantime, SJB and I have stayed super busy, getting back in the "school" swing of things (SJB, not I) and staying pretty busy.  We are both very excited to see the Auburn tigers kick off the season in Atlanta.  Also, I just returned from a trip from Chicago, helping host a DTreat Conference.  It was a great time and very exciting meeting new Dfriends and catching up with the old ones.  I am already excited for the future of our programs and feel proud to be on a team with such great friends!!  I also got to go to Huntsville for less than 48 hours to help my mom get out of the house (for the 2nd time since July 12).  While it was no easy feat, we were successful in our outing and even started some Christmas shopping!!

While this weekend doesn't include much, it will allow me time to dive back into the world of house hunting and hopefully find a few more appropriate prospects for us to peek at.  Cross your fingers and wish us luck!!

What DTreat means...

DLeaders at "The Bean"

The whole group.... by our school bus, on the way downtown!!

Just another weekend...

What a lazy weekend.  SJB and I semi-relaxed with the last weekend we both have before school starts... as if that matters with me.  We were able to meet with the realtor on Friday and see the house we are interested in.  It was fantastic and we both REALLY liked it.  And by really, I mean smiling, anxious and already talking about where we could put stuff really.  We actually met with the realtor again on Saturday to talk more detail with him and see if the seller would even consider some of our requests.  So, we will see shortly if we will proceed with this particular house.  It would be fantastic if we could, since it has everything we are looking for in a house!  Make sure you cross your fingers that everything works out!

Today, SJB and I went shooting.  This is something that I have never done with him, but it was actually fun.  I wasn't a huge fan of the people next to us having sonic boom-ish guns, but I excelled at the 9mm.  I felt better leaving, knowing that I could actually use it if I had too.  I feel that I will even improve as my hand heals from my surgery.

Coming up this week, I have a trip to Chicago planned on Thursday to help host a conference with some of my DFriends!!  We have spent many months putting together this event and I am really excited to see how it turns out and see everyone!  I fly out super early Thursday morning, so I will head to Birmingham to stay with Brett and her precious family!  I am ecstatic to see (and meet) her children!!  It will be a good time catching up with her and spending some time with them.

Sorry I don't have any pictures to share in this blog, but I should definitely have some in the near future.  I will also plan to update on our house hunt as we work our way down that road.  Feel free to shout out a prayer for things to go smooth!!

Home is where the heart is...

SJB and I have recently been on the house search and let's just say... it might be more stressful than planning a wedding.  We are looking in the Lee County area, more specifically, Smiths Station.  This would serve as the median for our places of work, as well as providing a great school system (for waaaaaayyy down the road in our future:))  I am not quite sure what I thought the house hunt would be like, but it is not easy.  Luckily, we have a realtor who is very honest with us about builders, locations, etc and it helps that SJB is familiar with the area. 

It seems that house hunting has brought out my OCD in full form.  I see a house I like, but then notice a small imperfection.  I guess that could be a good thing, but it probably stresses SJB out, as well as adds time to our search.  So far, we have only gone to 2 houses, but hopefully we will get some more scheduled in the next week.  Luckily, SJB and I have very similar interests in houses, including don't want a "cookie cutter" house, don't want our neighbors too close, no above ground aquatics, and definitely don't want to have to "flip" a house before we move in.  We are not excited when we see wallpaper or fluffy carpet, so it has been easy to make cuts off of our "to see" list.

I think that both of us are getting antsy in the condo.  While it has been a great space for us to spend the first 2 years of our life together, both of us are ready to move forward.  I am ready for a laundry room and having space for my fine china and SJB is ready for his shop, man cave and most importantly, yard work (this is actually the truth)!  I am most definitely not excited about the actual moving process, since I moved every year that I attended Auburn, but am definitely ready for the final result.  Feel free to cross your fingers that the perfect house falls right into our lap and exactly the right time. 

Regardless if we stay in our lovely and petite abode for the next 40 years, it will be complete, as long as we are together.  Simply stated.... home is where the heart is.

                         

Just pecking away...

Let's just say that I have never been more thankful for my seventh grade typing class.  Let me explain as I peck my story away...I recently had surgery on my right hand (my VERY dominant right hand) to correct my "trigger finger."  I have definitely had to rely on SJB to do everything from household chores to cooking and even playing beauty shop to help me wash and fix my hair.  None the less, I am thankful it is over and I am looking forward to a complete recovery and better use of my hands and fingers.

But to fill you in on the past few weeks of the Browns.... I will provide you a bulleted list of the high points.

SJB finished up his tenth week at Camp ASCCA. Thankfully, he was able to make it home in time to play nurse/babysitter for my surgery.

I was able to go to camp and help out with Prom, which was amazing. I was able to channel my inner "Ms. Gaye" (of course with the help of Mollie and Big E) to help with decorations and flower arranging. Stuart and I got to experience another prom at the greatest place on earth!! It was fantastic!!

Our traditional prom photo:)

Zoe & Andie!!

The  cutest Eli ever!!

 

• SJB, my dad and I attended the Neshoba County Fair in Mississippi.  While it was my first trip back to the fair in 20+ years, SJB and my dad were able to show me the ropes.  It was incredibly hot, but a good chance to see family I haven't seen in ages and have a nice little vacation.
• SJB and I celebrated 2 years of marriage!!  (can't remember if I already blogged about this or not...)
• We have gotten ourselves knee-deep in house hunting.  Now that he is home from camp, we are planning to buckle down on our search and hopefully the perfect abode will fall in our laps!!

While I know we have had much more going on... my mind is blank.  It is hard for me to think about the past when football season starts 4 weeks from yesterday!!  Yahoo!!  We are very excited about the upcoming season and crossing our fingers for the best!!  Until then....WAR EAGLE!!

Life Lessons...

First off-- get excited, Mom! I think I actually ENJOY reading! Well... let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, maybe I have just picked some really good books lately. Right now, I am knee deep in the book, "Bloom. Finding Beauty in the Unexpected." It is A-MAZING!! I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

This book by Kelle Hampton is the true story of her family's story of finding out their youngest child has Down Syndrome when she was born. Kelle reflects on this life changing milestone as well as the important things that aid someone in surviving the tough stuff, friends that go that extra mile, family that knows your mind's racing thoughts and communities that support your ups and downs. I have followed Kelle's blog for sometime now, but this book has taught me more about life than my prior 30 years. Not only does Kelle have the most amazing and cute family, but she is also a fantastic photographer and writer. I have truly been touched by her stories of life experiences that has brought her to where she is today.

Reading Kelle's experiences forced me to recall many life lessons that I have been blessed with in my day to day encounters. I can't help but be thankful for the many lives that I have crossed paths with and reflect on the lessons they have taught me. Working in the field I do, I feel like I get to really experience life as it was intended to be. Life was intended to be filled with experiences that teach you something, whether good or bad. The Hamptons have taken everything thrown their way, embraced it, given it 150% and shared it with the world. It only inspires me to provide open opportunities to all of the adults I work with, providing them with a foundation and education to take with them and live their life to the fullest. Everyone deserves the right to succeed and Kelle and her precious family are striving their daughter, Nella, with any opportunity they can. I can only hope that I can have her positive and eager outlook to strive for the best.

I am struggling to find my next read, since this book has placed so high on my reading list. I will gladly take recommendations, as I am drawing a blank. Kelle Hampton has truly put her thoughts and songs of her heart into words and shared with the world. I truly hope that others can take this material and take as many lessons as I have to maybe "better" the world.

I wanted to share a song that Kelle shares in her book that one of her dear friends shared with her while she was still in the hospital. The song,"Add to the Beauty" by Sara Groves speaks loudly to me how the world should be. I can only hope that these words can speak to mankind, that we might be a little more kind, a little more gentle and a little more beautiful to those around us.

We come in with beautiful secrets.

We come with purposes written on our hears,

Written on our souls.

We come to every new morning with possibilities

Only we can hold...

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are.

And I want to add to the beauty

To tell a better story

I want to shine with the light

That's burning up inside...

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are...

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful

...an invitation...

Calling out our best.

Kelle & Nella Hampton

Friday the 13th and Impromptu Trips...

So working in Mental Health, I have become a firm believer of full moons, Friday 13th and all the other "twilight-ish" types of days.  Usually, it is a day that my co-workers and I dread with every ounce of our beings, but today... I was lucky enough to not experience this dreaded Friday at work. I (and my dad who was on a business trip and my Aunt from Mississippi) made a quick, impromptu trip to Huntsville, to be with my mom.  While my luck worked in my favor, my mom's.... not so much.  This will be a Friday the 13th that she will not soon forget.  After she suffered a fall yesterday, she required surgery on her compound fractured ankle this morning to install 7 screws and a plate.  She will most definitely set off the metal detectors at the airport.  Even though she came through the surgery beautifully, it is definitely going to be a long road to recovery.  She is not allowed to put ANY weight on it for 4 weeks... which I view as impossible.  I had to ask her if she would like for me to order her a Hoveround... you never know when you might want to visit the Grand Canyon?  Hopefully, the hospital and wonderful doctors and nurses are able to keep her pain under control enough tonight for her to be released tomorrow.  I have no doubt that the pain that she has experienced from her 3 fractures (one on each side of the ankle and one on the tibia) and dislocation (like rotated the wrong way...) ranks on up there with kidney stones and childbirth.  If you get a chance, feel free to shoot her a prayer for a quick recovery and easy, pain-free and crazy-free healing.  While I love being home and seeing family, I hate the circumstances. 

Since my Aunt and my dad are taking over doctor duty tomorrow afternoon, my plan is to meet Stuart in Birmingham for us to celebrate our 2nd anniversary.  Being that he is working camp and I will be in Huntsville, we won't get to celebrate much on the actual day, so we are having dinner and going to the Stardome to see Rodney Carrington.  I am so excited to spend the night with some great friends (and husband) and have some great laughs!



For Real This Time!!

Ok... I know what you are thinking.  But I promise, I'm for real this time.  My blogging bug has bitten me once again and I am back.  I know there are no real excuses, but I will say that my summer vacation the past few/many weeks have been all work AND all play!!  I was able to get a bit of time in at CSH (my home away from home), trips to the pool, trips to the lake, Fort Rutger graduations, endless nights with friends, fun days at work and many more.  It's hard to think that the summer is half way over, but that only inspires me to enjoy it even more!!  SJB has been at Camp ASCCA since Memorial Day, so I have hated enjoyed having a quiet, empty house to come home to where I haven't had to cook a soul dinner or do absolutely anything.  He gets to come home every Friday-Sunday, so I definitely enjoy my weekends with him!  In the next few weeks, we will be enjoying:  our 2nd anniversary, trip to Birmingham, trip to Monroeville (just me:)), trip to the Neshoba County Fair and much, much more!!  I will have plenty to share over the next few weeks... I can only hope I have time to share it!!

Here are a few pictures from our past few weeks...

Olympic night at CSH

Zula's (& Joe's) Hug Booth

David's Helicopter School Graduation/Pinning

The 4th at the Lake

Liam or Langston....

4 kids under 8 months

The whole gang:)

Andie was a GREAT entertainer!!

Me and the sweet Suzanne:)

So... as you can see I have not just been sitting at home, choosing not to blog.  Well, maybe I have, but needless to say.... I'm back.... again!!

I have a lot coming up in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for a lot more fun!!