Anticipation

Samuel Johnson once said that, "No mind is much employed upon the present: recollection and anticipation fill up almost all our moments."

Anticipation is my current theme, and more than once I've caught myself singing Carly Simon's "Anticipation," which is unusual because typically the only Carly Simon song in my repertoire is "You're So Vain."

I haven't blogged in a week because I have been busy making eternal promises and signing blood oaths for the kind people who're financing our new house.  Thus, the new house euphoria is mired in paperwork at the moment.  It's a tad frustrating to have finally found a house I love (& one on which my husband & I agree), sign an agreement to make the largest purchase I'll likely ever make, and sit around and talk about it and fill out papers about it for a month or so before finally getting to play with it and make it mine.

In anticipation of our upcoming move, we've made a few purchases.  The ceilings in our (new) house are tall.  I'm not sure how tall, but Trey will need a ladder to change bulbs & I'll need a step ladder to reach the top shelves in the kitchen . . . so being the hip couple we are, we made a trip to our local Home Depot last night (it wasn't crowded given that Game 7 of World Series was being played, & anyone who wasn't interested in that was at a local high school football game):

In addition to the tediousness of purchasing a home, I find myself pointedly focused on future events.  After a week of hype, inspirational videos, & cute pictures floating around the internet, I am over the build-up to the LSU/Bama game.  Let's just not talk about it this next week.

I haven't had much time to indulge my Twilight obsession since Reagan arrived, but I am growing increasingly giddy over the upcoming release of Breaking Dawn, which, as you may've noticed, is imminent.  More on this in a forthcoming post (you didn't think that was all I had to say, did you?).

In the coming months, I will wrap up this semester of teaching, throw Jessica a bridal shower, celebrate Reagan's first birthday, enjoy Christmas in our new house, and serve as Jessica's matron of honor on New Year's Eve.  Somewhere in the middle of all that, Reagan will enjoy her first Thanksgiving, we will move, &, if memory serves me, both Trey & my father celebrate their birthdays in December.  I hope to spend a Saturday evening in December watching LSU win the SEC . . .

At the end of each church service, my preacher usually reminds us of the next meeting time, and then adds, the Lord willing.  I constantly remind myself of this verse in James as I make note after note in my iPhone about what I need to do, and when.  I'm striving to take a page out of Reagan's book.  She doesn't know we've bought a house and that soon she'll have a new place to explore.  She has no notion that her birthday is approaching & plans are being made to shower her with gifts, attention, & her first real dose of sugar.  She is only concerned with the present, & she is, with few exceptions, always happy as a lark.  When Jesus said we need to become like little children, He certainly was referencing their innocence, but there is a lesson to be learned from their total lack of worry over the future.  If Reagan is warm and fed, she's satisfied.  She typically doesn't even whine when she's tired (another area in which she outshines me).

The simple life . . .

She loves unpacking her diaper bag:

She's discovered she can crawl under the kitchen table & chairs:

She's mesmerized by many a TV commercial:

Today, I am thankful for my current home.  It's small but cozy, and, truth be told, I will probably shed a tear when I start to pack it up.  Trey & I were standing in the kitchen when I told him I was expecting.  Reagan spent her first year in this house.  I walked these floors with her at night (& still do at times).  She had her first bath in the sink in the front bathroom, learned to crawl on the wood floors, and can now lap the house in about a minute.

Come January 1, I am not sure what Reagan & I will be doing once I have no moving, teaching, shower/party, or wedding obligations, but it likely will involve a day or two of sleep, coffee, and football, followed by some time with Trey's truck and a Weir's furniture store (or two) in the Dallas area.    

AZ

On The Move

When I was in high school trudging through my science requirements, I did pick up a few things.   I vaguely recall the term kinetic energy, which has something to do with an object's forward motion, & were I to pick a theme for this past week, I think I'd go with something that had 'kinetic' in the title (I am not picking a theme, so just keep reading) . . . 

Reagan is a force all her own.  Below, smiling at me before proceeding to strew her clothes all over the floor of her room.

Here she goes . . . 

Looking for somewhere to roam:

Turning her head away from the spectacle of daddy's dark socks/running shorts combo:

Hallway romp (note Sophie, who almost always moves in the opposite direction of Reagan now that Reagan likes to 'pet' her):

Last Friday night, a throng of Reagan's relatives assembled at The Warehouse to celebrate mine & Reagan's aunts' birthdays.  After dinner, I was not moving much at all.

During dinner, Reagan contemplated the meaning of one of her books:

And made the predictable decision to eat it:

Saturday, we sat around & watched football all day:

On Sunday morning, I got a call from our realtor, who informed me that we had an offer on our house.  By Sunday afternoon, we'd reached an agreement with the interested buyer & signed a contract on our house.

On Tuesday, I ran in Tuesday Morning to check out their selection of infant Halloween costumes, & stumbled upon these for $3 each:

I thought they'd be a great addition to all of our stuff we'll be packing up in a few weeks, so I bought them.  They look great with tea light candles burning in them!

After returning home with my loot, I browsed local real estate listings online, something I've done daily for, oh, a good while, perhaps with the exception of the day Reagan was born (I did have my MacBook with me in the hospital, so perhaps not).  Tuesday, I changed up my search criteria a bit & happened on a home I loved.  Loved.  Within an hour, my mom & I had loaded Reagan up & were driving to said home, where we picked up a few flyers (& maybe did a little squealing).  We then headed to Trey's parents' home where we all crowded around the computer & looked at online images of my discovery.

Wednesday, Trey & I went & looked at the home . . . made an offer . . . & today, reached an agreement with the current owners.  Translated: we bought a house today.  

In other local real estate news, this morning our home (the one we just sold) was inspected, so Reagan, Sophie, & I piled into my Civic & headed to my parents, where Reagan played:

And read:

And pondered life:

Once we returned home, it was time for Reagan's nap, which, as usual, went a little something like this:

While Reagan 'napped,' I threw a party for one to celebrate the momentous week we've had:

Reagan & I have both been trying to move for a good while, & with patience & persistence, we've both seen phenomenal results.  On a side note, if any of my readers have boxes they'd like to donate to Trey & I, we'd kindly accept them.  

AZ

Happy Anniversary to Reagan's Parents

Today Reagan's parents have been married 2 years.  We've yet to have an uneventful anniversary, as last year I was 7 months pregnant & this year, we sold our house.  That's right, we sold our house yesterday.  My anniversary gift to myself is that today, I don't have to make the bed & ensure the house is clean & in order in case someone wants to see it.

Some of my favorites from the day:

The date was carefully selected after consulting The Farmer's Almanac & LSU's football schedule.  After a soggy start to October, our wedding day was sunny & unseasonably cold for a Louisiana October day.  This worked out well for me since, had it been a few degrees warmer, I'd have wilted under the weight of my dress.  

I intended to have this quote from Homer  on our wedding programs, but forgot in the flurry of wedding activity, so I'll post it now.  I believe it's from The Odyssey:

There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.

As we move forward and look to buy a new house, we'll be further exploring the "two people who see eye to eye" portion of the quote.

AZ

10 Months

Today Reagan is ten months old.  Her day went a little like this . . .

Her victory sleep this morning after landing herself in bed with mom yet again:

Table For One

This week, Reagan and I both add a '1' to our digits.  Tomorrow she will be 10 months old, and on Saturday, I will be 31.

Circumstances

Herodotus is quoted as having said, "Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances."

I admit I'm only familiar with the quote because the character Niles on Frasier uses it in an episode, but nonetheless, I don't know that I agree with Herodotus' fatalistic view.

Last night I was busy doing something in the kitchen when I heard a ping from my iPhone that I recognized as the sound my phone makes when my Drudge Report application notifies me of breaking news.  Drudge is good about only sounding the alert when there is actual breaking news (unlike FoxNews, which I love, but they really have become the network that cried Breaking News).  I picked up my iPhone & read that Steve Jobs had died.

Flashback

Today, the undefeated, #1 ranked LSU Tigers play Kentucky.  In the fall of 2007, the Tigers found themselves in the same situation.  Trey & I watched the beginning of the game at Chili's with a few friends before we all attended Trey's 10 year high school reunion (& missed most of the game).

LSU's quarterback at the time was a young man named Matt Flynn.  As we sat in Chili's watching the game, he threw an interception, which prompted me to say, somewhat loudly (in Chili's), sh*t.  It is an incident others ('others' meaning Trey) occasionally bring up in conversation, which I suppose I will take as a compliment considering it is only memorable because I rarely curse.  I am confessing now, before Trey or anyone else has a chance to remind me today.