Here's What's Happening In Our Neck of the Woods...

**Pictures posted at the end**

I noticed that my background was expiring and not knowing what exactly that meant, I thought I'd better "grab" something else really quick. Since I was here already, I thought it appropriate to give a quick update. Before I get to the update, let me just say that this background is temporary. I really did just grab something new quickly. I don't have time to work on it right now. So for the update...

I'm pretty sure this has been one of the craziest, busiest, most hectic, stressful, summers of my life with the past week being the height of it all. It definitely ranks very high on the list at minimum. You've heard it said, "when it rains it pours." Well it's been pouring on us!!

The biggest thing has been the fact that 7 weeks ago today our van died. It had been on it's last leg for quite a while. We had decided that when the next thing happened, we would not do any new repairs requiring more than just a few dollars. It is/was a 1994 white (my favorite color for a vehicle) Nissan Quest that was given to us 5 years ago. It was perfect for our family, not a lot of bells and whistles, easy to get in and out of, decent cargo room for a mini-van, and more. We did not fully appreciate it like we should have. It's not completely dead, but the repairs will cost more than it's worth. At 260,000 miles in it's current condition it's valued at like $500. Whoo Hoo!!! Another thing about this mini-van is that it would for sure not fit another child. That fact surprises a lot of people, but with car seats and booster seats it just won't work. So, it wasn't going to work after Elizabeth was born anyway.

SO, last Monday we set out to buy something new. We truly expected to come home with a new vehicle that day. I had done an extensive amount of research. Wesley had done an extensive amount of research. Wesley had also already done some browsing on his own. We had a good idea of what would and would not work. We set a budget. We printed blue book prices. We had several print outs of actual vehicles to go and see with a set of map quest directions to most. We packed a lunch and planned to be home with a new car for dinner. About 10 hours later we returned home. Ragged. Worn out. BUT, driving possibility # 1. It wasn't perfect, but we were willing to settle. All we needed was a clean bill of health from our mechanic. Wesley had to put in a few hours of work on Tuesday morning, but then he planned to swing in to the mechanic and head back to the dealer with a check. An hour later he called with a pretty bad report from the mechanic. It wasn't that the dealer had been dishonest. He told us that he had just received this vehicle as a trade in the day before and it had not been check out. That fact was obvious as it was pretty lived in. You know, what I mean? So, we took it back. Wesley took off the rest of the day and we decided to hit the roads again.

Day 2 left in the afternoon. Returned home without a vehicle bedtime. Only the second day had been WAY more taxing that the first. The kiddos were tired of riding around in pursuit. They were basically in the truck (borrowed Expedition from precious friends) ALL DAY LONG for the second day. They were tired, hungry, bored, frustrated, whiny, fighting with each other, and driving us crazy!!! Right before time to call it quits and come home, another precious friend called my cell phone to check on us. She could hear the stress and tension and the crying and whining (them and me) over the phone and offered to take the kiddos overnight for us. We quickly agreed!!

Day 3 I had an appointment with the diabetes control center to monitor how my diet and sugar levels were doing. Wesley went to work for the morning again. After my appointment we decided since we didn't have the kiddos, we would try again. Day 3 ended with us picking up the kiddos late and returning home again at bedtime with still no vehicle!!

Day 4 Wesley really had to take care of a few details at work, and I had a big meeting to prepare for that night. So we kind of took the day off from car shopping, but not really. I still was looking at all the used car sites and finding new prospects.

Day 5 Wesley went to work in the morning then drove a couple of hours to look at a very promising prospect. Me and the kiddos stayed home to recover. I knew enough about this vehicle to know what I'd be getting. We both fully expected he would drive this one home. We started making plans for how we could get both his car and the new/used one home. This one was from a individual seller, so we wanted to have a mechanic look it over. Wesley took it to a local place, and guess what. It also received less than a good report. It was an older model and based on the report, we just felt it wasn't going to be reliable.

Today was day 6. By this point we were just scratching our heads trying to figure out what next. We are weary. No, not weary. Exhausted!! We did set out again with kiddos in tow. BUT, once again we returned home at bedtime empty handed.

For us "summer" kind of ends tomorrow meaning that we start back to school full time on Monday. Wesley's schedule also gets cranked up starting Monday. All his athletes will be back and 2 a days start Monday. We both said last Monday that we couldn't start this coming week without a vehicle. BUT, that's exactly where we are at. We do have at least one other prospect, but again it's with a private owner so we will need to take it to a mechanic. It's also an hour away. Oh, boy. And don't forget I said that this is just the biggest thing that's happened recently. There have been others. I just don't have the time or energy to write about all of them.

On another note, Elizabeth is doing great!! I went to my OB at 32 weeks and all was well. I go back this coming week at 34 weeks. I can't believe how close it is to her arrival. And I know I say this like every post, but I can't believe how not ready I am. Everything feels a mess. Everything is out of order. I'm wondering how I'm ever going to get caught up, especially after this past week. But I also know that it's all going to be fine. Sometimes I'm really, really stressed about it. Other times, I imagine holding this sweet girl in my arms, touching her, smelling her sweet baby skin, looking at her and it's in those times that it feels all is right in the world. I get really, really excited about just meeting her. Then all this other "stuff" just doesn't seem to matter!

OK, so for fun here's a few pictures...

32 weeks


Grace mothering Bella Peace who is sucking on a baby doll bottle and riding in a doll stroller.


Our garden


Sunflowers that Grace planted as part of her birthday wish in April


Sweet and silly Mary Ruth with a watermelon from our garden.


My husband the funny man with a huge zucchini squash from our garden. This one just might hold a record!! Hey, I just realized we took all these pictures this week!! The ones in the garden were taken after getting home one of those car shopping nights. We managed some good times after all!! :)


Practicing his technique for Elizabeth



Now, what's been happening in your neck of the woods??