We Bought a HOUSE!

So officially, 

Josh and I bought a house! 

Well, technically we are "building a house".. We are in the first stages of the home buying process. We get to go to a design center to pick out all of the interior aspects of the home :) It is probably one of the most exciting/stressful things I've done.

The home is beautiful and will be brand new! It has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a 2 car garage. The Master bedroom has a sitting room area and a huge closet and tray ceilings. The first floor will have a formal living area, dining area and family room. 

We can't wait to move in and be home owners!  

So, if any of you lovely readers have any experience with buying/building a home and can offer any tips/pointers/advice, I am all ears. :)

*I have attached some photos of the model home*
I can't believe this is going to be our 1st home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We actually chose a dark brown with light trim and a red door, but this is what the home will look like.

This is the layout of the 1st floor, we are thinking about building a half wall separating the dining room and the formal living room ( where the dotted lines are)

*Note that I also have a Harry Potter closet :)

This is the layout of the 2nd level except factor in the additional layout below for the Master Bedroom. We decided on the sitting room and tray ceilings.

This is the view if you stood at the corner of the kitchen and in front of the family room.

Formal living room 

  

These are photos of the formal living room which has the huge ceilings. 

Kitchen and Lanai photos 

This is the family room

The Master Bedroom with the sitting area 

 This is the Master Bedroom w/o the tray ceilings.

 
Guest Bathroom

Master Bathroom
 
Hallway area separating the bedrooms, you can look over the top into the living/dining area which I love!

 Bedroom 1

 Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

An Angel in Heaven

Happy Birthday to an Angel in Heaven

May you rest in the Lord's arms forever

Heather Bates-Hall 

November 21, 1983 - November 14, 2012

The Sea of Hopes and Dreams

In the past few months I have felt more alive than the past few years. I truly feel the power of God working in all angles of my existence. We go through different trials to show us, or perhaps even remind some of us, what each of our blessings are. The Lord is the ultimate provider without which I know I wouldn't have anything today. 

I am thankful for learning this. 

With that said, the past few months have perhaps been some of my most favorite yet. I understand now that all I need is my family and friends. October was filled with corn fields, sunflowers, pumpkin patches, baby laughs, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, apple cider, costume hunting, parties and more.

I almost felt at times I was standing on the outside looking in. Observing the extraordinary, but "extra - ordinary" life that I live. Watching the small things that in reality are very huge things. I love my life, my God, my family, my friends and the happiness I have found within them all.

Letters

Something I found cleaning out the old Mac..

Letters to you;

December 3, 2011

Dearly Beloved, 

We are in no way, shape or form gathered here today to witness the spell bounding love that has been built upon the last 2,602 days we’ve confessed ourselves to one another. Well, shall I speak for only myself when I say that.. 

Instead 2,602 days later I am hoping for one last shred of evidence that love still exists between us. Is the only thing pulling us together the financial security and informal closeness between us? More than anything do I want to close all open gaps between us. Become intertwined in every earthly, spiritual and scientific way possible. I want the love I have with you to be something fawned upon by onlookers and hoped for by the casualties of heartbreak. Now something I seem to be struggling with is the knowledge of your intentions; whether they be cruel, captivating or mutual. 

One thing that is for certain is that I want to love you. I want and in every way, need a connection with you.  A connection that we have not yet seen in our lives. I felt that was already achieved but little did I know there is more. More then to ever be imagined. Your fingerprints cover my soul. 

It’s like drowning I would imagine. Having the breathe, the life, pulled out of you. In those final seconds, seeing everything that made your life special flash before your eyes. Scanning through the images, hoping and praying to God, and afraid of loosing everything. Out of 7 billion people, I chose you and you chose me. 

I fear that this may be the end of something that would have been one of a kind. A genuine love that many of us are unable to find with each other. Something that would have been magical and free to run wild under the stars.

8 Years, 8 Years

Wow..

What can I say? Today marks 8 years of love, laughter, tears and joy with my wonderful beloved, Josh.


8 years.

I still can't believe how much we've made it through, how much we've conquered and experienced... yet there is still so much! It excites me, excites me beyond words. I cannot wait to begin spending the rest of my life with you.

I love you, I've always loved you and I will always love you.

Higher then the sky.

Forever and ever and always.

Better Late Then Never..

What better place to blog then sitting in an airport terminal on standby for 3 hours?

And let me just say how irritated I am that I arrived 1 minute before my flight left and they would not let me on yet they have called these damn Buffalo, NY passengers like 3 times and the flight is becoming delayed.. They must've been flying first class. Bastards.

It has been quite a while since I have updated on my life. In the past few weeks I have been consumed with work and moving. We moved back to Brandon on the 10th and I absolutely love this apartment. I have never had anything that wasn't facing automobiles and looking at a lake is quite nice. (Now I see what all the fuss is about)
I am really enjoying all the extra space and I know my pups are too. It is nice not being cramped on top of eachother.
We stil have some projects around the house that need done but that's another day.

I am still really enjoying my job here in Brandon. It is challenging everyday but it gives me the rewarding feeling that I am finally where I want to be and slowly I am making some sort of difference..

BTW that is the reason I am at this forsaken airport in the first place.. Flying to ATL yet again for a training course on a program that I have now had 5 months of one-on-one instruction with. But can't complain about free hotel, food and 3 days off work :)

All in all I feel like life is getting back on track and it feels so good to know that my family is right down the street. I don't think I could ever move out of state unless I packed them up and took them with me.

I have been turned onto this obsession with plants. They are now all over my home, inside and outside, I am not sure where it came from but I am obsessed. I will take some photos once all the rooms in la casa are complete.

I will now direct my attention to Fifty Shades Freed.

Until next time..

Yours Truly,

JW

This Night of Breaking Heart

As I watched him pull out his boarding pass and look hopefully into my eyes.. I was fighting hard, with every thing I had, not to let the tears swelling in my eyes pour down my face. I haven't said Goodbye in so long, in so many years.. After everything.. it seems that I've forgotten how. It was a very difficult day, to watch the guy I love fly away.. I fled back to the elevators, then to my car and cried so hard. I cried when I scanned my ticket while leaving, I cried crossing the bridge. I cried all. the. way. home. 

I hate being 1000 miles from him. My heart aches for all the men and women that have to endure this regularly. There is no way I am strong enough for this. I cannot wait until he is home. 

 

October 04, 2010

In this world of unknown and uncertainty, there is one thing I know that will last for eternity. It brings me hope for others in pain to have something so beautifully insane. 

Our love could run wild through universe after universe. Sailing the stars. 

The only thing that brings me unbearable, excruciating pain is not knowing if I will be able to touch his face after our existence here is over. The human life span is not long enough for all the time I need with him.

We have adventures to take on 

experiences to try on

mistakes to learn from

love to pass on.

We could conquer this world hand in hand.

Live your Life

This weekend consisted of: 

Probably the best seafood pasta I've ever had.. Father-Son Comparisons, Sweet Tea, pretty little girls with pretty pink nails, shopping for luggage, non-planned Cracker Barrel run-in's, delicious Orange Cream Soda, Myla and Koda's first beach trip and pirate costumes .. 

What a wonderful life we live.

     

This evening at Target, as the school supplies isle reeled me in, Josh pointed out to me that I have an unnatural addiction to the collection of agendas and day planners. This is my newest one :o)