Hello

Hello there! It's been a while. I actually blog all the time... on my other blog. Yes, we have class blogs at preschool. So this one has gotten overlooked. Oops! One of these days I'll do a major Life Lately post with pictures of what we've been up to. Until then, check out where most of my life and energy is spent:

The children painted this donut and then I took a picture of them with it and we mailed it to their dads as an invitation to Donuts with Dad. Here my co-teacher and I were having fun before the children arrived.

This was the easiest project ever. I let the children draw on these paper leaves and then I sewed them together and hung on a branch. 

This is what happens to Indian corn when you leave it in water. So cool!

Leaf people.

One of my sweet little ones made this. I loved it!

Our homemade tree! 

Have I mentioned how much I love preschool? I do. I mean, don't get me wrong, 14 three year olds are sometimes exhausting, but they're so, so darling and delightful.

Update on Rozzie

It's been a week! I am finally sitting on the couch after this morning's Race for the Cure, and I don't plan on moving all day. {Plus I have a Gamecock banner I really need to finish. I think we're like 6 games in... oy.} We were at the beach with my family last weekend and ever since we returned it's been nonstop. I'm so thankful for time to rest.

Yesterday we went over to Rozzie as the Inspector was looking around. We hadn't been to the home since early July so it was great to finally be inside. Some rooms were smaller than I remember and other things surprised me like how much work the builder put in the details. We're hoping for a good report from the Inspector on Monday.

 This is a picture from the far side of the great room. I love the kitchen except I'm not crazy about those sconces on the bar. Oh well. The least of my worries at this point, though.

This is the view from the kitchen/great room. In some ways I feel like we overlook a countryside. But don't let that fool you. Our neighborhood is very rough around the edges. It will be quite a transition as we leave our beloved Myers Park. But we're excited to see how the Lord will use us in Biddleville. Plus we have lots of friends in the 'hood and have already been invited to a neighborhood block party in a couple weeks.

Rozzie is not a done deal yet. We keep reminding ourselves of that. But it sure was good to be there yesterday. I hosted Cocktail Club at our apartment last night and realized that this might be the last time my home is mostly decorated for a very long time. We will have to buy so many things for Rozzie {rugs, beds, side tables, couches, the list goes on} but have to start with the basics like blinds, shower rods, and all that. So it will be a while. But that's ok. I'd much rather decorate with patience and buy things we love than quickly put it all together.

Now about that Gamecock banner...

Hardest thing about getting married

Was changing my name.

No, I'm not kidding. Let's go back to last Saturday, ok? We're helping our friends Craig & Janet move into their in-between homes apartment. A few of the guys went back to fill up their cars with things leaving myself, Janet, her mother, and another friend Ashley to line the shelves with paper, put things away, and unpack.

I was getting a few things from off the kitchen bar counter when I saw a folded piece of paper. It was a note from the apartment complex/realtor and then I saw her name. Carrie Cole. Oh my gosh, I almost burst into a thousand pieces. I probably gasped then told myself you are crazy, hold it together. I told them that this was my old name and even though I'm close enough to my two friends to fall to the floor in tears, I don't know Janet's mother well and I mean, Carrie, it's been 18 months. You would think I'd be used to it. I do love my last name and a preschool parent even said it was the most perfect preschool teacher name, but I really do miss being CCC. 

I was reminded of this when I read Cup of Jo's post today on changing your name. I don't think I would've kept using my last name but being CCC was part of my identity so I think {I hope} it's normal to miss something I had for 27 years. Leave and cleave, I guess.

All that to say, Andrew and I are going to visit this new brewery in town soon. :)

Best news in the entire world!!

You know those times when the Lord asks you to wait and not just wait, but wait patiently? Well. It all started back in early July when we started thinking about what was next in terms of housing. I was terrified of buying a home. I wanted to leave our apartment and move into a house we could rent for a year. It felt logical that we would save enough money for a home. So we started driving around neighborhoods and long story short, fell in love with this one home.

Turns out it was a short sale and from what I would learn meant that nothing is ever short about it. We decided to try it out. Everything seemed to be a good fit: price, neighborhood (minus a few things), lots of friends in the area, and the size of the house.

We were in NYC this past summer when we got a call that we needed to submit our offer asap (something to do with short sales, banks, it's all fuzzy, I dunno). We were actually sitting at the Starbucks near my old office (Suz, you remember!) and I was on the phone with our realtor asking crazy questions like "There's nothing mentioned about sewage. Is that taken care of?!?" before we signed on the dotted line. That evening we enjoyed dinner with Mir and Chris and talked to them about it. Thought about it even more and on our way home in PA we managed to find a FedEx to scan and send in our offer! Just in time.

While two and a half months doesn't seem that long, it is when you're waiting to hear about a place you might call home. We thought we were going to hear on Friday and didn't. I was so disappointed. I've been reading through the Psalms and Proverbs in my quiet time which has been very encouraging. I read this verse:

Hope deferred makes a heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs13:12

 I had to trust that in His perfect timing we would know our answer.

We found out today! We got the house! I think we've felt a wide range of emotions: joy, panic (holy crap we have to buy a fridge, washer/dryer, blinds, and so much else), sadness over saying goodbye to an amazing neighborhood and a cozy lil apartment we've loved these last 18 months, and of course we've felt excitement about what's to come.

Here are some pictures back in August when we went with Andrew's mother to show her Rozzie:

Look at that front porch! I need to be on the lookout for rocking chairs.

Who knows if we'll get it!

We got it!! Now, the yard needs tons of work after not having an owner since it was built and we have all the things such as inspection, appraisal, all that. So I guess there's a small chance something could go wrong... but for now, we're on our way to moving into Rozzie in a month if all goes well. We're already dreaming about Saturday morning pancakes with neighbors, praise and worship on the front porch, dinner parties, and visits from family and friends. What a blessing a home is whether it's an apartment or house! 

Life Lately {in August}

Good grief I'm way behind in blogging! 

I've been making this bread a lot lately. 

Ben's birthday celebration!!

Kristin & me 

 

I took a sewing class and it was pretty helpful! I would love to take a quilting class next. 

We're still trying out new restaurants in Charlotte. This was a good one!

Another visit from my MIL, niece, and nephews!

Adia and I had a coffee date and then went to Park Road Books.

Emily's bridal shower at my parents home. Al & Gin did such a great job decorating. Hooray for getting married!

Happy

I really have so much to post but guess where I've been? I've been in my classroom, sitting on the couch working on lesson plans {and making the wreath below for our classroom door}, hugging sweet children, and saying things like, "Oh really? I never thought to put mustard and ketchup on my watermelon!" {play kitchen}.

It's been the busiest two weeks ever and you know what... I love it.

This has to be love

So I'm sitting on the couch with Andrew when he tells me he has a surprise for me. I kind of hate surprises and have to know immediately what it is. He said I had to work for it so I go through 20 questions to get it, although it was probably like 40 questions. 

I finally get close and then guess this:

And I'm right! Andrew pre-ordered the Smitten Kitchen cookbook for me as a congrats on being a preschool teacher gift!

The best and sweetest part is that he spends so much time doing odd jobs on Mechanical Turk that he finally had saved up enough to buy it on Amazon.com without me even knowing! 

So thoughful of him. Now I'm super excited to get it in two months!