Dodging Bullets

For many of you homeowners out there you can probably relate when I compare unexpected home repairs to dodging bullets. This is especially true when your home is 50+ years old. You never know if a small project is going to cost $50 or $500. This past week was one such instance where a major bullet was dodged!

About a month ago Mr. L and I started noticing that our house was not as cool as it should be with our air conditioner set to 68. After fidgeting with the thermostat (which is also probably 50+ years old) and repeatedly checking the wall vent, nothing was happening, no air was coming out. GREAT! Fabulous, another unexpected expense (as some of you know we had just recently fixed a rather large water problem that we had in our basement). We discussed our options and then decided that since it would be getting cooler soon we would bear the heat for a few more weeks and deal with it in the spring.

To our surprise the warm weather didn’t last as long as we thought it would, fall has been a non-existent season this year and transitioning from summer to winter got us thinking about the possibility of our furnace not working as well. So one evening I decided to go through the same routine again...fidget with thermostat, check wall vent, listen intently for some sign of heat....nothing. Even better! No air conditioner and no furnace. We knew it was time to call in a professional since going through winter with no heat was not an option.

I called Arc Electric to make an appointment and they assured me that someone would be able to make a house call by the end of the week. A few days later I was sitting at work and got the call, someone would be at our house in 20 minutes. I rushed home nervously thinking about the dent that this visit could make to our precious little bank account. I showed the nice man in and took him down into the basement where our oldie goldie heater sits. First let me preface that anytime someone sees our HUGE, OLD Williamson furnace, we get the same response "Did you know that Williamson went out of business because their furnaces never needed to be replaced?" And couldn't you guess that Mr. HVAC repair man told me same thing with a cock-eyed grin on his face. Needless to say I was not amused. I wanted to say, "You better hope it doesn't need to be replaced buddy or you're going to see one unhappy lady!" All I could think about was the anxiety I was having over the cost of having this man in our house at all and the fated outcome he would share with me when he was done with his examination.

I was having a few ladies over later in the evening so I left the basement to work on some things in the kitchen and let the man work in peace. To my surprise he was standing in our dining room 10 minutes later filling out paperwork. I was preparing myself for the worst, he was going to tell me that it would be $500 or $1,000 to fix, I just knew it. "That'll be $77.50, ma'am,” he said. WHAT! I almost fell over...$77.50? He explained that we just had a faulty on/off switch that needed to be replaced. That's when I started noticing the smell...usually an unpleasant smell to most, you know, that burnt smell that comes out when you turn your heater on for the first time in the winter. To me though the smell was sweet, sweet knowing that we got heat for only $77.50! Praise God! And the even better good news was that the simple fix also solved the problem with the air conditioner.

We definitely have someone above looking out for us young newlyweds. Now let’s just pray it lasts through the winter! For now though Mr. L and I will be enjoying our “cheap” heat while remembering to be thankful that we have heat in the first place.

A weekend of nothing....

Hallelujah! This past weekend Mr. L and I had NOTHING, absolutely nothing that we had to do. It was glorious! Don’t get me wrong we probably had plenty that we could have done or should have done (i.e., the house projects we have been putting off, laundry, organizing, etc.) but it was so nice just to take a weekend to relax. Looking back at my calendar we haven’t had a completely free weekend since right after our wedding (and for those of you that aren’t aware of that date, it’s June 14th) in JUNE and it is now October. Being young and in your mid-twenties means every possible weekend during the summer-ish months is spent either attending wedding functions (your own or your friend’s), going to the lake, traveling to visit friends, or hanging out in Lex. It has been quite a fun and jam packed summer and as the weather starts to change comes a sigh of relief of life on the weekends getting back to normal, and not a moment too soon. Here are 5 things I am looking forward to doing with Mr. L on our upcoming weekends now that we have the free time to do it.

1. Go on an actual date, just the two of us, to a nice restaurant and possibly followed by a movie. I can’t remember the last time we did this.

2. Carve pumpkins to decorate our front porch for Halloween

3. Pass out candy to trick-or-treaters

4. Put away our outside furniture and get things ready for the winter

5. Have a lazy Sunday where we stay in our pajamas all day and do nothing but watch tv and lay on the couch!

Just for Lauren...

Today I decided to write about one of my very best friends who just embarked on the biggest adventure of her life. Last Thursday she packed up the car and headed west with her love to start a new life in a new city. I was able to talk with her for a few minutes last night to find that they have arrived safely and have found an apartment that will meet their needs.

I am so proud of her and excited for her in this new chapter of her life. As I get older and witness more and more the horrible things that can happen in life unexpectedly, it's hard not to reflect and realize that life is about LIVING! So many people sit on the sidelines in the game of life and let time pass them by. I think we can all learn a lesson from her about getting in the game and being brave in situations that can be scary or unknown. Lauren, I am so excited to be in your cheering section watching your game play out. I know it seems like there are a lot of miles between where you are and home but just remember that encouragement and a familiar voice is just a simple phone call away! Love you!!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

This weekend we celebrated Mr. L's birthday (his second 25th birthday according to him). Isn't it funny how when we reach a certain point in our mid 20's, we don't anxiously anticipate growing a year older, instead we try to relish in those fabulous college years that according to Mr. L was "living the dream". Alas, for the past few years in celebration of his birth we have traveled back to that magical place where four years go by in the blink of an eye, where the color blue runs in your veins, and where bourbon flows like water. This year was no exception.

We started the birthday festivities with a family dinner at my parents' house with the whole crew. My mom prepared a fabulous meal and we finished things off with the cake I made. I think I did a pretty darn good job for an amateur.

Friday we took off work and headed south to watch the ponies run. It was a beautiful day and I think a few people in our group even won a little money (and when I say little, I mean little...ha). I can't even justify betting anymore because I never win, so I just hang out, partake in my fair share of people watching (there are all kinds to see), and help cheer on the horses of those who have actually decided to part with their money in the chance that they might get lucky. Oh...and not to forget about those bloody mary's and all beef franks, a definite must! We closed out our Friday at our usual spot when visiting the heart of the bluegrass, Redmons.

Saturday we got up early and headed to campus for one of our other favorite UK traditions...tailgating. We met up with good friends and had yet another beautiful day. We were able to try out one of Mr. L's birthday presents, his portable Weber grill. Thanks to Mr. L's brother B and his fab grilling skills, we dined on delicious hot dogs and cheesy metts. Our seats at the football game couldn't have been any better, we were fortunate enough to be in the shade the whole time! Unfortunately our Cats lost but we didn't let that get us down. After a much needed nap, we were headed back out for the evening to hang out with friends and check out the other nightlife options that Lex has to offer.

All in all it was a great weekend and I'm sure we'll repeat it again next year...when Mr. L turns 25 for the third time :-)

Alpha Gamma Delta- 100 years of beauty

This past weekend Mr. L and I headed to Lexington to celebrate the Centennial of my sorority at our alma mater. It's hard to believe that Epsilon ladies have been running around campus for 100 years! Since I was a legacy to Alpha Gam, my parents came along too which made the weekend even more eventful and fun. It was so cool to see my mom reunited with her class after so many years. It makes me hope so much that I remain close with the ladies who truly are my sisters.

We started things off by going to Keeneland, followed by a dinner dance that night and then breakfast and ritual at the sorority house the next morning. The time went by so fast but it was great to see faces that I haven't seen since I graduated and hang out with the close friends that I love so much! Below is my favorite poem from our preference day of recruitment. I love how it totally sums up what makes my sisters so great and what has helped us to sustain sisterhood on the campus for so long.

What is an Alpha Gam??

Between the innocence of girlhood and leading to the wisdom of maturity, we find that amazing young woman known as an Alpha Gam. An Alpha Gam may be short or tall, big or small, blonde, brunette, or redhead, with a variety of talents, attributes, and personality traits; yet all are joined together in the meaning of sisterhood.

Alpha Gams are found in tennis shoes and loafers, bathing suits and formal, in campus offices and community service, wearing an apron or a crown, behind a trophy or in a kitchen, but always with a “special charm” about her.

She’s a little bit of devil, a large chunk of angel, she’s a party girl, a heartbreaker and a true love, a class clown, a fraternity sweetheart and a student body president; but most of all she’s an Alpha Gam.

You can count on her to bake a dozen cookies or feed a hundred people, run a car wash or preside over Panhellenic.

She can soothe a crying baby, yet knock an All American fullback off his feet.

She can study harder, play longer, sleep less, think deeper, yet always keep that “special” way about her.

The crowds admire her, little girls idolize her, classmates respect her, and men love her.

She can take criticism with understanding, praise with humility, and disappointment with a smile.

She’s loyal, sincere, truthful, and kind, a follower and a leader.

No one but an Alpha Gam can wear a pearl pin so proudly nor so truly know the meaning of a buff or crimson rose. An Alpha Gam has the world and its treasures, but she also has a special corner she shares with her sisters.

She knows that sisterhood is laughing and crying together, and it is far more than words can say.

She’s everything and a little bit more. She’s your’s and she’s mine, she’s an Alpha Gam girl!

For better or worse...

This post is not the easiest one for me to write. I have been reminded many times over the past week that my plan may not necessarily be God's plan but that we have to trust in him because he has the bigger picture for our lives in mind. I thought a few times about just deleting my previous post so that each time I logged on I didn't have to be reminded of the heartache we've endured but I felt like that would be like trying to erase part of our lives and that's not why I wanted to start blogging...so, instead I decided to try and write a follow up and maybe it would in some way be therapeutic for me.

Many of you know about the excitement Mr. L and I had over the new addition we were making to our family. Last Wednesday came and went and bringing our new puppy home was such a joyous occasion. She was full of life and loved exploring her new home. When it was time for bed, we set her cage up in our bedroom next to Mr. L's side of the bed so that we could easily comfort her if she got scared during the night. Mr. L was such a good puppy papa turning the lamp on to check on her at every peep. Around 2am we were both awoken by the sounds of our little baby getting sick. She continued to get sick throughout the night and when she wouldn't eat or drink the next day we decided that Marley needed the attention of a vet. To our dismay our tiny little puppy was diagnosed with an awful virus called Parvo. After discussing our options with the vet and the extensive treatment she needed we felt the best choice for everyone would be to take her back to the shelter. Our hope was that they would have the resources that we did not to treat her and that our sick puppy could one day be well again. Giving her back was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. We had bonded with this little sweetie and knowing how sick she was completely broke our hearts.

Over the next few days we kept in contact with the shelter to get updates on her progress in hopes that she would show signs of pulling through. I received the sad news Monday morning that Marley did not make it, she passed away sometime Sunday night. She was just too tiny to fight the nasty virus. It is hard to find any good or see any bright side in this situation. How a virus that we had never heard of could turn our lives upside down in a matter of days. The one thing that this experience has taught me is that I can 100% count on Mr. L to be there for me...for better or worse. Comforting each other and knowing that we were in this together got me through a few rough days and hopefully in the days ahead we'll get to have more better than worse. Rest in peace sweet Marley, we know you're in a better place.