Merry Christmas!

This is to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May you rejoice in the birth of our Savour, Jesus Christ.

Home Study Completed & Submitted!

Well, we received word today that our social worker has submitted our completed home study report to the adoption agency. Mike and I are really excited about moving forward and officially start the wait for a match.

Mike has also told me I can start looking and shopping for some of the infant necessities that we will need for our home and when we are matched with a baby.

It really is wonderful, exciting news to know that for Christmas we can look forward to the second 1/2 of our journey to parenthood!

Adoption Calendar Fundraiser...

Today I finished a 2009 calendar of the Outer Banks Lighthouses. I really hope that friends and family will enjoy the calendar. My hope is that they will consider buying the calendar as gifts for themselves or other individuals in their family. It would also be great if word could be passed on outside our immediate network of friends that the sale of this calendar helps support our dream of becoming parents providing us with the financial means by which we can adopt.

The average cost of adoption per child in the United States is between $15,000 up to $25,000 and in the rare occasion can even be more. We are open to adopting a sibling group but the adoption fees due at the time of placement would be doubled.

Again, we would appreciate your help in our desire to become a forever family through adoption. Please consider supporting us through the purchase of the 2009 Lighthouse Calendar.

As an FYI... more products will be added in the very near future. I hope to add individual photographs that would be made available for purchase as well as several other calendars and possibly a cookbook.

Best wishes and sincere thanks,

Pam & Mike

Radioactive Iodine Treatment

After meeting with my Endocrinologist, we have dates set for my Radioactive Iodine Treatment. RAI will be the last week in October into the first week of November. The worst part is probably going to be the low iodine diet that I have to be on for almost three weeks as well as the "relative" isolation for 7 days.

For 3 of those seven days, I must keep all contact with people to a minimum and it is especially important that I have my own bathroom. After the three days, I can be in the same room as my husband but must be separated by a minimum of 6 feet for the majority of the time although we can share very brief hugs (no more than 1 hour a day of close contact).

I think my cats will have the toughest time dealing with my isolation since they cannot be near me for the full 7 days.

Cancer Confirmed! Trusting God in all things...

Well, it is confirmed that the Thyroid did contain cancer on the Right Lobe but the left lobe was fine. Also, 2 lymph nodes that were removed indicated that a small amount of the thyroid cancer had spread to these lymph nodes.

The next step is to continue to monitor my calcium levels then return to my Endocrinologist to find out about doing Radioactive Iodine treatment (RAI). Based on research, I believe I'll be doing the RAI the end of October or early November.

At first I was very upset about having to do RAI especially since I was and still hope to breastfeed our adopted infant (assuming we adopt an infant). However, today, I think I've had a break through finding peace with whatever happens regarding the adoption and breastfeeding. I have discovered that it is OK to breastfeed as early as 6 months after RAI. There is also no guarantee that we will be placed for a child until mid to late 2009 which means I would be able to breastfeed.

This process is reminding me of the importance of trusting God with all aspects of my life. He is in control and really does know what is best for me, my health and my family. Peace is mine to have and accept when I put all my trust in Christ.

Pam

Home after Surgery

The Total Thyroidectomy is done! I no longer have a thyroid. Surgery went well but it was horrid staying in the hospital overnight. Sleep was, generally, not to be found! I didn't get much more than a total of 3 hours of sleep.

Today I was released from the hospital around 11am. We were hungery and decided to go to Bahama Breeze for lunch - Good News is that we found a wonderful restaurant! The food was excellent even though I wasn't able to enjoy the soup I ordered. The soup was very good but the "heat" hurt my throat when I would swallow. Now, I really enjoyed the Chocolate Banana Shake! Yummy... Felt wonderfully cool on my throat.

After lunch, it was time to go directly home and take a nap. I only napped for about an hour but it helped. I've been up for about 3 hours and feel good other than having a soar, achy throat. Sometimes it hurts to talk.

I'm glad to be home! Pam

Thyroid Surgery...

Today I met with a surgeon that specializes in Thyroid Surgery for a 2nd consultation. I have decided to have Dr. Faust do my thyroid surgery. From the moment he walked into the exam room I was very comfortable with him and impressed with how thorough he was in explaining the procedure to me. He also agrees with my endocrinologist that we should do a Total Thyroidectomy.

Now my next decision is where to have the incision on my neck.

Surgery is set for Friday, September 12th.

Pam

A Pain In The Neck!

Today was another exhausting day. This morning I had an appointment with an Endocrinologist that my Internist referred me to since he didn't feel comfortable prescribing Armour Thyroid in addition to the Levothyroxine. The appointment was with Dr. Julia Warren at Carolina Endocrine. I have to say that I was really impressed with Dr. Warren and instantly liked her. She was also very open to having me remain on the Armour Thyroid.

We discussed the Thyroid Cancer and her immediate response was to have a Total Thyroidectomy. After discussing the Thyroid Cancer with her in greater detail, we've decided that I should get a second opinion regarding the surgery with a Dr. Faust who is affiliated with Duke Medical. Dr. Warren isn't familiar with Dr. Catz and definitely felt I should see Dr. Faust for a second opinion also since he is a surgeon that specializes in Thyroid & Parathyroid surgery with a high success rate.

With today's appointment Dr. Warren also did another ultrasound to look at my thyroid specifically to measure the size of the nodule on the thyroid. Based on the size of the nodules, she said the size would possibly indicate Stage 1 to Stage 2 Thyroid Cancer. This was also an opportunity for her to look at the surrounding neck especially the Lymph Nodes. She did find one Lymph Node next to the right lobe of the Thyroid that looks to be enlarged and that she would recommend having removed.

Now... for the literal pain in the neck! She decided to do another biopsy. While doing the ultrasound she found a small mass that may be related to the thyroid so she decided to check it out to make sure it wasn't cancerous. If it is cancerous, it would also have to be removed which would mean the whole procedure would become a bit more complex since the small mass is on the lower left side of the neck near muscle.

I have to say that I'm really glad that my Internal Medicine Dr. sent me to Dr. Warren. We now pray that the small mass is not cancerous, that I can get in early next week for an appointment with Dr. Foust and that God would guide Mike and me with the decisions we need to make over the next few weeks.

Pam

Family Room Photos

Decorating our Home!

Well, Mike and I have been in our new home almost 5 months. We love our house and are definitely making into into our "own" comfy space. The only painting we've done is in the Family room and a portion of the Office. We painted the family room walls a Pale Creamy Yellow - Mike says it looks like "mustard" but it isn't that dark! Yellow is the Primary Color with a warm blue being the secondary color with darker red and warmer green as very small accent colors. I really do love the cozy and comfortable space that we've created. The hardwood floors are wonderful!

It is so easy to pick-up the animal hair off the floor. We plan to paint the 2 remaining walls in the office a Burgundy color to match the window shades.

Here are some photos taken specifically for the adoption process but people have been asking...

The Kitchen

I'm thinking of painting the kitchen/breakfast nook a warm apricot color to compliment yet have a light contrast against the family room but I haven't made up my mind yet and have also been considering more of an aqua blue (same color as the sofa) for the kitchen/breakfast nook.

The Dining Room

I love our formal dining room. My original thought was that a formal dining room was a "waste of space" but I've fallen in love with having a large area for family dinners or entertaining. No color has been formally decided on, but I'm leaning towards a darker blue below the chair rail with a light tan above the chair rail. We have a great black and white photo that I want to highlight.

The Big "C"

Well, it seems that the Big "C" is back in my life but this time it is the Thyroid. This past Monday, I received the news that it appears the nodule on the right lobe of my Thyroid is "highly suspicioius of Papillary Carcinoma."

Surgery is scheduled for September 10th and I'll be in the hospital overnight. The plan is to remove the right lobe of the Thyroid along with taking a small cross section or biopsy of the left lobe and if the pathology report is suspicious they will remove the left lobe at the same time. I'm of the frame of mind to have the Dr. remove the thyroid completely although I know that can make it more difficult to regulate hormones.

Since dealing with the endometrial cancer and now the thyroid cancer, I guess I'm not sure I want to leave even a small portion of thyroid in place because that leaves it open for continued cancer concerns with more surgery in the future. Not my idea of fun.

My prayer is that this will not have any effect on our moving forward with adoption. That is what really scares me, I've dreamed of being a mom for so long. Could the fact that I've had 2 forms of cancer (although the endometrial is technically consider "pre-cancer" and is easily cured permanently by a hysterectomy), put an end to our dreams of a forever family? I hope and pray not!

Pam

Twenty pounds lost and feeling great!!!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Pam and I have been on Weight Watchers for the past two months and I love it!! I have lost 20 lbs and Pam has lost 22 lbs in less than 60 days. I want to thank my wife for insisting that we start this plan with Weight Watchers at the end of April. I was skeptical at first, but it really has been great. I love the fact that the Weight Watchers online version has a recipe builder that allows Pam to select ingredients and portion sizes to calculate WW points. It is such an easy system. You will lose weight if you eat less than your allowed points per day.

I like the flexibility - the points system is based on calories, grams of fat and fiber. It rewards you for healthy choices and punishes you for non-healthy choices. Yet, even in this, there is freedom. You can choose the non-healthy option, but have a smaller portion. Or you can splurge occasionally and then eat lighter and healthier in the next few days.

One nice feature in the WW plan is the ability to have a (lowfat) dessert treat after dinner. Both Weight watchers and SmartOne's offer low fat ice cream treats.

Of course, both Pam and I started exercising regularly again since we have a fitness center with a pool in our subdivision. Pam is more aggressive than I am in exercising, typically working out almost every day. I try to work out at least 3 times a week.

I am half way to my goal weight of 150 lbs. Pam has longer term goals of losing even more weight and I am confident that we will both achieve our weight goals.

Randy and Lori, Pam's brother and sister-in-law are also on Weight Watchers and I look forward to hearing their sucess stories as well.

-Mike

Cool Quote...

Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose...
***Tennessee Williams

Pam

Staples Family Adoption Fund

Well, it is official. Mike and I are starting the adoption process and have selected our the adoption agency we are going to use. We will be going through Amazing Grace adoptions located in Raleigh, NC. They were economically priced and we liked the fact that they are located locally so we wouldn't have to travel long distances for educational courses.

The minimum we would probably expect to pay for an adoption is around $15,000 upto $20,000 based on the information provided. We have decided to start the process even though we do not have the required funds and are trusting that God will provide us with the ways and means in which to pay for the adoption. In the meantime, I've applied for a part-time job to help pay for misc. expenses related to the adoption process.

We are planning on creating a cookbook and other items for sale through Lulu.com but have also set up a "widget" to accept donations towards our adoption fund. If you would be interested in the cookbook, photos or just donating in general, we would love to hear from you. To make a dontion, here is our widget...





Our goal is to raise approx. $10,000 towards our adoption fund in the hopes that it will cover at least 50% to 75% of our adoption fees. We would also like to thank all our friends and family that decide to donate towards our adoption fund!

God Bless,

Pam & Mike

Celebrating our 3rd Anniversary... Trip to the Outer Banks!

Outer Banks

For our 3rd Wedding Anniversary, Mike planned a short trip to the Outer Banks. We stayed at a wonderful Bed & Breakfast called the "White Doe." Staying at a B&B is quickly becoming an annual tradition for celebrating our Anniversary! I love staying at the B&B, relaxing and enjoying the surroundings to be explored.

We arrived on the Outer Banks ("OBX") Saturday afternoon which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from home. The first stop was at the Visitor Center just as you cross over onto Roanoke Island. The gentleman working at the Visitor Center definitely helped us plan what we wanted to do for the weekend. After leaving the Visitor Center we stopped for lunch then made our way towards our first tourist stop of the weekend.

Our first stop was Currituck Beach Lighthouse on the very northern part of OBX north of the town of Duck. Currituck Beach Lighthouse is one of the few lighthouses that you can climb. Mike and I enjoyed the climb to the top. The lighthouse is red brick without any paint on the outside. The view from the top was beautiful if not extremely windy! The photo on the left shows the lighthouse keepers home and in the background is Currituck Sound.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse Photos

Below are the stairs that we took to make our way up to the top of the lighthouse. As you get to the top they become more narrow. The center photo is Mike at the top of Currituck Beach Lighthouse. It was a cool, windy day! The last photo on the right is of me at the top of Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Have to love the blowing hair! It was definitely challenging taking photographs at the top of the lighthouse with the blowing wind.

The White Doe Bed & Breakfast

After an enjoyable trip to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, it was time for us to find our Bed & Breakfast and get registered for the weekend. Mike managed to keep the B&B name and location a secret from me up until the day of our departure. The B&B was located in Manteo (pronounced Meh-nay-o. The "T" is silent) on Roanoke Island. This is the website for the White Doe Inn: http://www.whitedoeinn.com/. It was a very quaint and friendly! We stayed in the Roanoak room.

Each morning, breakfast was served in the formal dinning room or out on the outdoor terrace if the weather was nice. Breakfast was a wonderful time to meet the other guests and chat while enjoying a 4 course breakfast. The "4 course" breakfast consisted of (1) fresh fruit, (2) Grits (we passed!), (3) Main Course, (4) Dessert! Our 1st morning found the fresh fruit to be wonderful and dessert was superb with it being an Orange Swirl Cheesecake . On our 2nd morning, the fresh fruit far exceeded the 1st day and the main course was outstanding stuffed french toast and dessert was also a nice Key Lime Tart.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

For our second day of adventures, we took the southern route to visit the lighthouses located along the southern point of the OBX! We decided our first stop for the day would be the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse since it was the other lighthouse that we could climb. The weather for Sunday called for cold, wet, windy and possibly stormy day. We knew we needed to do Cape Hatteras as soon as possible.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is one of the MOST viewed lighthouses in all of the USA and is extremely well known around the world for its distinctive black and white spiral stripes painted on the exterior as well as being the international symbol of the North Carolina coast. It is known as "America's Lighthouse." The brick beacon is the tallest standing lighthouse at 208-feet high and was built in 1870. In the background, note the nasty dark clouds heading inland off the ocean side of OBX. Those clouds were bringing in the wet, windy and stormy weather.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Photos

Ocracoke Island & Lighthouse

After leaving Cape Hatteras Light Station, we continued our drive south. We were hoping to take the 40 minute ferry across to Ocracoke Island. Our original plan was to stop for a quick lunch however our "lunch stop" was anything but quick with us being at the restaurant nearly 2 hours. By the time we were done it was just after 2pm. We were uncertain whether or not we would make the ferry and assumed the ferries ran only on the hour. Regardless, we decided to drive down to the ferry landing and see if we could get the ferry across to Ocracoke Island. To our surprise, the ferry ran every 30 minutes and we were in time for the 2:30 pm ferry crossing. The ferry was a quick 40 minute trip! In no time, we were on Ocracoke island. We just drove the car right onto the ferry where directed by the ferry operators then turned it off and set the parking break!

Once we were on Ocracoke Island, we drove to the small fishing village of Ocracoke to see the lighthouse. Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest, operating lighthouse in North Carolina. It is a quaint, small white lighthouse standing at 75 feet tall and was commissioned to be built in 1822. In 1868, the lighthouse was cemented and whitewashed giving it the appearance it has today. The light shines 14 miles over the ocean.

The Beach!

Ok... So what is a trip to the coast without at least a few stops at the beach? Not a complete trip! Of course we had to "enjoy" the beach! Needless to say, the beach was not a very welcoming environment this weekend visiting OBX... With the stormy weather, it was cold, wet and very windy on the beach. There was also LOTS of blowing sand. We did have the beach all to ourselves with not a sole to be seen for miles!

What I enjoyed the most about the OBX beaches is that there were wide expanses without any development... No HOUSES, NO HOTELS, NO BUSINESSES! Even with the yucky weather, the beaches were beautiful.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

On our last day in OBX, we stopped at our last lighthouse that we had yet to visit called the Bodie Island Lighthouse located within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The lighthouse isn't open for climbing but it is in a beautiful setting set along the coast towards the sound side of the island. The day started out beautiful and partly cloudy yet still windy!

I think the Bodie Island Lighthouse is probably one of my favorites especially since it was less commercialized with a nice walking and nature trail provided. Admittedly, the blue sky may have helped!

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Finally, we had to make a quick stop to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. There really wasn't enough time to do everything and completely take in the whole memorial. The Memorial is a wonderful tribute to the first days of motorized flight. It was cool to see the location of the 1st four flights that the brothers took and where they landed in relationship to each flight from the point where they "took off." The first 3 flights didn't go far yet they were a major accomplishment. The 4th flight was over 300 yards and just under one minute in flight!

Mike and I had a wonderful time on the OBX. We look forward to many more future trips to the area to explore, enjoy the beach and new adventures!

Pam

OBX!

We had a great time on the Outer Banks even though the weather was cold, very WINDY and a bit wet! We saw all but one lighthouse and also stopped at the Wright Brothers Memorial...

The B&B, the White Doe Inn, was wonderful and we enjoyed our stay.

Photo's to be posted shortly.

Pam

Our Home... Progress! A little homesick :(

Well, we've been in our new home for just a little more than a month. We made great progress initially with the unpacking but now it has slowed down as we get to the last boxes and try to figure out where to put those odds and ends.

We've also had confirmation that our new family room sofa and chairs should be delivered in approx. 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. It will be wonderful to have a sofa again so Mike and I can cuddle together. I also look forward to having the family room put together so I can move forward with the painting plans.

I deny being homesick but in the back of my mind, I miss going out to eat with my parents periodically or my friends. Barb... I miss our monthly trips to Sawatdee!!! Oh, do I miss good Thai food!

Part of the problem, is that I feel lonely for friendship here. I've been meeting neighbors but there are no established friendships yet. There is my neighbor, Elizabeth, that just moved in last week that I do look forward to getting to know better. She seems to be very sweet and friendly. Tomorrow night I think is BUNCO night for the neighborhood ladies, but I have to talk to another neighbor to confirm. In the meantime, I'm desperate to make friendships. I've been a little dissapointed with C3 in the lack of outreach to new members or attendees. I think I might have to wear a big sign on my back (or at least put the sign on the truck!) that reads...

HELP! DESPERATE for FEMALE Friends...

Love to Scrapbook... Talk to ME!

Love Bible Study... Talk to ME!

Love Thai or Asian food... Talk to ME!

Signing off...

Pam

Outerbanks this weekend!

Well, this weekend is our Anniversary trip to the Outerbanks. Mike has managed to keep the location of our Bed & Breakfast a secret other than I know it is on Roanoke Island. We are looking forward to the weekend get-away. Mike has also taken off Monday, so we are staying over Saturday and Sunday evening at the B&B.

There are no specific plans other than to enjoy the beach, visit some of the lighthouses and other sights to be seen. My hope and prayer is that this will be a relaxing weekend for Mike and I to regenerate and refocus our marriage on each other as well as our future.

Photos to follow!

Our 3rd Anniversary!

Overall, we had an enjoyable 3rd Anniversary on Wed. May 7th... Lunch out at the Texas Steakhouse in Selma then dinner at a quaint Irish Pub in Clayton. We went to church and heard a wonderful message from Stovall Weems, Senior Pastor at Celebration Church in Florida. The past 3 years have been hard on us as we've journeyed through infertility treatments and my Cancer.

Yet, we've been blessed with our move to NC and finding a beautiful home. We also have each other for support. It hasn't been easy but we are making strides each day.

I'm thankful for Mike's love, our pets and new home as well as our families.

Pam

Meeting Neighbors...

Tonight we went for another walk. Mike and I are enjoying our evening walks around the neighbor. We are slowly starting to meet neighbors. Gabriel is also enjoying the walks and meeting people.

This evening we actually enjoyed a long conversation with some neighbors that were working on some landscaping around their home. Of course, I can't remember her name but her husband is another "Mike!" We enjoyed a long conversation. Another neighbor, Alec, is a huge Colorado fan especially of the Avalanche and Bronco's. I think we will make plans to get together in the fall when the Bronco's play the Patriots on Monday Night football. Alec's wife is from Massachussett's!

Signing off... Pam

Father-in-law: Doing well after surgery!

Well, we heard from Mike's dad tonight and he is doing well after having surgery to implant a pacemaker & heart defribulator. He is at home resting and icing his chest to help reduce the swelling.

We were glad to hear that everything went well with the surgery and now he is recovering. Hopefully he will be able to start returning to work full-time after the 14th of May.

It really is wonderful to hear his voice and now he is doing well. Our prayers were with him and Betty. We will also continue to pray for them over the upcoming days and months that his recovery would go well.

New house photos on the way... Keep watching!

OK... Several people have asked for more photos of our new home as it comes together from all the unpacking. Well, I'm still unpacking and the house is coming together. We are just waiting for our family room furniture to arrive.

I'll try to post photos soon.

Pam

A New Day...

Wow, I feel good today! Last night Mike and I went to C3 for the celebration of the end of the 10 day Daniel Fast that the church was doing. Mike and I didn't do the Daniel Fast for several reasons but we did make a commitment to start working out and to loose weight with the 10 days being the start of getting back to a healthier lifestyle.

Since the start of IVF this time last year and through a total of 3 IVF Cycles, I had gained 40 lbs. I've hated every pound that I've gained especially after I had worked so hard to loose 65 lbs. back in 2006! I was determined not to gain back any more weight but loose those 40 lbs. with the intent to loose even more!

Now, you may wonder what our weight loss goals have to do with going to C3 last night...

It has a lot to do with having a new outlook for today, tomorrow and our future. I've realized how selfish I had been for some time. It was so easy to get caught up with the IVF cycles and focus on myself because that is what IVF is all about! IVF is about achieving our desire for a child through the latest medical treatments. Now, don't get me wrong, WE had to do the IVF and truly felt that is the path God was leading us down. Throughout the procedures, I learned a lot about myself, my husband and our marriage. Then there was the move to North Carolina. I've really missed Evergreen Community Church and our friends to the point that I had started to get frustrated that I couldn't find a church just like Evergreen. I know this was the wrong thinking and that every church is different and do not have the same strengths.

The first time I visited C3 I was SOOO excited and ready to join immediately. I loved the worship and, in my case, the first individual I heard speak was the youth Minister. His message was refreshing and on point. It wasn't until my 4th time at C3 that I finally heard Matt Fry, the Senior Pastor, speak. WOW! He is so dynamic and engaging with a strong biblical approach. However, something was holding me back. I was scared and uncertain of myself. My focus was on MY needs, MY desires for a specific type and style of Church and MY wants.

God touched my heart last night reminding me that the church isn't necessarily all about MY needs, wants and desires but about serving HIS needs, wants and desires. Mike has been ready to become a member of C3 since we attended the membership class whereas I was holding back. I'm disappointed that there isn't a more defined Men's and Women's Ministries but I need to get established in a Church, start meeting people and reaching out to share the Gospel by serving in a Church here in North Carolina.

C3 isn't perfect, but no church will ever be perfect. Even Evergreen wasn't perfect. What makes it as close to perfect as possible is that the church is God focused and biblical based! It isn't about us but about God. C3 is our opportunity to get connected, meet new people, serve and reach out to our new community.

So... Through the 10 days of fasting, I've recommitted to a healthier lifestyle, loosing weight and joining a new church.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ~ 1 John 4:7

Pam

Unpacking! General thoughts!

Well, we've been in our new home 2 full weeks now. The process of moving in and unpacking is actually going relitivaly well I think. We have a sleeper sofa in the office now and the office area is actually looking fairly put together. The Dinning Room is unpacked and the curio cabinet is in place and 90% full. I still have items I want to put inside the curio cabinet but will wait until I have more unpacked. The kitchen remains a work in progress but it does look good overall with most stuff put away. Most of what I've been doing in the kitchen is moving things around and re-organizing because I'm uncertain of where I really want some items located.

We have moved onto the 2nd floor and are expecting my parents to arrive tomorrow. The guest bedroom still needs some work but for the most part it is ready for guests. Our master suite is coming together and items are finding new homes. The closet is huge and it is nice to hang up most of our clothes and free up space in our dresser.

This weekend we purchased an inexpensive patio deck set. It will be nice to be able to grill and enjoy the outdoors while sitting at the patio set. Gabriel is enjoying the fenced backyard.

Later this week we should be getting our new window treatments. We've ordered cellular shades for most of the windows with a few windows having the top down/bottom up style. The back door will have wooden shades. We ordered various colors to mix it up a bit in each room.

Pam

Closing Today!

The big day has finally arrived! This morning at 9:30 we have our final walk-through then we close on the house at 10:30 am. Mike and I are really excited. Both vehicles are loaded up with stuff that we had over at the Corporate Housing Apartment. The movers arrive tomorrow - yippee!!!

Now we begin the fun process of settling into our new home.

Just a few more days!

Just a few more days before we close on our new house! Mike and I look forward to settling into our new home. The fence installation has been scheduled with our down-payment being made. It looks like the fence should be completed on April 7th.

We are already getting mail at the new house. It was fun to open up the mailbox and see our mail. There is still so much to do and it looks like we will be without blinds for a couple of weeks.

Furniture shopping in High Point, NC is definitely an interesting and overwhelming experience. I've found a sofa style & brand that I really like. The company is Rowe Furniture. They offer slipcover sofa's.

Pam

Snow Arrived! Leaving for North Carolina!

Wouldn't you know it! There was snow the whole weekend! We had about 8 inches of snow! Surprisingly, Mike arrived on time at 10:30 am on Friday.



I was able to leave Sunday morning for North Carolina without issue. There were a few snow flurries but overall the roads were in good condition.

On the first day of my drive, I made it through most of Kentucky and stopped just 30 miles from the border of West Virginia.

Today, I only had a "short" 6 hour drive. I arrived in Raleigh around 2:30pm. The kitty cats have definitely been missing me! MaCree is following me around everywhere throughout the apartment.

Pam

SNOW!

Wouldn't you know it! Snow is in the forecast for Easter weekend here in MN. The flight Mike is on is supposed to arrive at 10:30am and I hope the snow doesn't delay his arrival. Of course, it is going to be 75 in the Raleigh area and only about 35 in Minneapolis. Brrrrr.


The plan is that I will leave early Sunday for the final drive to Raleigh, NC. I'm praying for an uneventful and safe trip. Hopefully there will not be too much snow as I head southeast.
Pam

Townhouse is PACKED!

Yesterday was a very busy day! Our moving company arrived at 8am sharp to start packing and loading the semi for the move down to North Carolina. Our moving company is Allied (Siracusa) and our driver was Norm. When he said 8am, he defintely meant 8am. I was on my way to the townhome and decided to stop at Caribou to pick up breakfast and a Chai Tea Latte when I say the Allied Semi parked at the intersection next to the Holiday Gas Station. When I came out of Caribou they were already down the road towards the house. All of this actually happened at 7:50 am!!! It was a surprise to see how prompt Norm was and efficient.

I actually had a good time chatting with the crew as they were packing and loading. They are from Western Massachussetts. Norm and his other main guy have VERY large families. Norm is also in the process of adopting a little girl and his wife is pregnant. It was an exhausting day and very productive!

All I can say is WOW... What an experience. It was SOOOO nice to just stand around occasionaly answering questions and directing the crew as what to pack and what not to pack. With Norm, he does the packing and the loading all in one day. His goal was to do it in 8 hours but he went a little over that time frame - it took closer to 10 hours with a few breaks in between for lunch.

It was sad to see everything get packed up and put on the truck but exciting as well knowing that we were just that much closer to moving into our new house in North Carolina. I'm sad to be leaving MN but more because of all the friends and family that are in MN. Yet, I'm excited to start a new chapter in my life living in NC in a new house with a backyard. It will also be so much nicer being close to the rest of Mike's family.

Getting excited! House Photos!

Mike and I are really getting excited about the upcoming closing on our new house scheduled for March 31. The house inspection went extremely well along with the radon test coming back with excellent results! It will be wonderful to be able to move in and get out of the corporate housing.

We have photos!!!

This is a front view of our new home. It is a traditional colonial style home with 2315 sq. feet of space! The color is cream with black shutters. I love the fact that we have a nice cement driveway.

We will need to see about doing some landscaping but that is to be expected regardless of what we would buy and especially when buying new construction.

I love the fact that there is a nice front entry with protection from rain before people enter the home. We also have a nice spacious front foyer with a hall closet near the front door. The 1/2 bath is also conveniently located in the hall foyer area.

The Formal Dinning room and Office are located at the front of the home off of the Foyer with the Dining room to the left of the foyer entrance and the office to the right.

This is a photo of the office space (aka the Formal Living room but we will use it as an office/Den). The space at the stairs open up to either the family room at the back of the house or take you upstairs. The carpet will remain in this room.

The dining room is the same size but has hardwood floors with a doorway to the kitchen. There is also a chair railing in the dining room which I absolutely love. I'm thinking of painting the Formal Dining room a deep red either above or below the chair rail combined with a complimentary color such as a beige. I love the red that my SIL, Melissa, has in her formal dining room and I may just have to copy that color! The foyer from the front door also opens up to both the dining room and office.

... ... The KITCHEN ... ...

The kitchen (left) and kitchen nook (right) are also at the back of the house and open up to the family room. All the appliances will be black. I'm especially looking forward to having my new refrigerator installed on April 5th. I also love the light fixture in the nook! The floor is a nice linoleum that looks like a stone and the countertops look like granite. We do not have a food disposal as those are not allowed at this time due to the drought conditions. The kitchen photos below show the space for the Oven/Range which will be a self-cleaning oven (left) and the location of the Refrigerator (right). We've purchased our refrigerator with side by side doors. I just hope that it fits. The door in the kitchen nook goes to the large 23x23 garage.

... ... The FAMILY ROOM ... ...

The Family Room (2 photos below) is just off the kitchen allowing for an open and bright feeling. We have a beautiful view of our backyard and deck. There is also a fireplace with a T.V. Nook above. Eventually I would like to have doors that cover the TV so it can be hidden when we have company or when we are not using the TV in the family room. This photo shows carpet in the family room, however, we are having the builder remove the carpet and replace it with hardwood floors. It was a tough decision to make but I really loved the look of the hardwood floors so we opted to have them installed. I also love the fact that we have a ceiling fan in the family room to help circulate the air year round. The windows are wonderful and tilt in for easy cleaning. I've been thinking about what to paint the wall color in the family room and as I look at it I keep thinking that I need to keep the color light and fun such as a very pale yellow - a color that will keep the room bright and refreshing yet blends well with other colors.

... ... The MASTER SUITE ... ...

The master bedroom is huge measuring 18x13 with a vaulted ceiling and a ceiling fan. I have plenty of decorating ideas. At the moment, I lean towards painting the walls a beige with a chocolate brown accent wall since this color goes well with so many other colors - just about any other accent color I would use for bedding or furniture either now or in the future.

MASTER BATH

We have a separate tub and shower(photos below)with dual vanity sinks in the master bath. I love the window above the master tub with the glass brick. No window treatment on that window! We will paint a medium blue with the color originally purchased and intended for the master bath in the townhome. The walk in closet is very large and accessed through the master bath.

... ... The OTHER ROOMS ... ...

There are 2 additional bedrooms for a total of 3 bedrooms in our new house, 2nd Bathroom upstairs and a "Bonus Room." The bonus room could also be a 4th bedroom since it does have a closet. The Laundry Room located on the 2nd floor next to the Bonus Room. With water conservation being a concern in NC, Mike and I decided to buy front-loading high efficiancy Washer & Dryer along with 15" pedestal for both to sit to make it easier for me to do the laundry without stooping too low.

I will paint the 2nd bathroom the same yellow used in the 2nd bathroom of the townhouse since I love how it brightens the bathroom. Of course, all the accessories such as the shower current way along with the towels go with the yellow. Another nice feature of the 2nd bathroom is that there is a door separating the vanity area from the tub/toilet section.

I have no set plans yet for decorating the other 2 bedrooms since I'll wait to see how things progress as we move forward with the adoption route. At least one of the rooms will be for a new baby/toddler. The other room will be made into a guest room unless we end up adopting a sibling group - who nows! God is in control!

Our bonus room will serve a dual purpose as my scrapbooking room and as a 2nd TV room where Mike can play his Playstation 2. My thoughts on decorating the bonus room lean towards going with a MN Northwoods theme as a way to take a little bit of Minnesota with me.

Below are the photos in order from Bedroom #1 (left); Bedroom #2 (center); Bonus Room (right).

... ... THE BACKYARD PHOTOS! ... ...

The backyard is a great size and will be a wonderful area for Gabriel to enjoy along with any future children and visiting family to enjoy. We will be putting up a fence as soon as possible. We have already spoken with a company about the fence and will be installing the same fence that our neighbor has along with attaching our fence to his fence. There is also an 8x10 deck with stairs attached to the back of the house. It isn't a huge deck but it is a nice size for a patio table set and we can have our grill in the backyard. Due to the drought, the backyard will definitely need some tender loving care. The builder is going to "reseed" just before we move in but I have a feeling we will need to baby our backyard and possibly consider laying some sod at some point.

Photos above: Backyard (upper top left); Deck w/ stairs (upper top right); Deck looking through back door (bottom left); Neighbor's fenced backyard (bottom right)

Adoption!

We have also decided to move onto adoption and are considering domestic adoption or possibly embryo adoption. There is a lot to consider and we are in the very early stages still looking for the right adoption agency.

I think our first choice is probably Bethany Adoption Services.

Pam

New House!

Well, Mike has been in North Carolina for over a month and is doing really well. He is enjoying his new job at Talecris.

I was able to make it down to Raleigh, NC in early February to start the house hunting process. Two weeks later, my parents also came down and helped me look at potential new homes as well. I'm so thankful my parents were able to help with the search! It was a very overwhelming search with TONS of homes to look at with some meeting our requirements while many did not. It was while my parents were visiting that we ultimately found the home we would make an offer on. For a brief period of time the home had been off the market pending however that deal had fallen through and it went back on the market while my parents were visiting. It has a beautiful flat lot that slopes away from the home and a decent sized backyard for Gabriel. The home sits on .25 acres in the subdivision of Tralee in Smithfield, NC.

We will be emailing or sending out a letter to all friends and family with our address along with a letter updating everyone on the latest family going ons.

Ooops! Me BAD GIRL!

Sorry to friends and family out there that may be checking the blog. I've been really bad about updating the blog with the latest stuff happening in our lives!