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We met over 8 years ago at church as Shaun was walking in and I was walking out. The few words exchanged sparked an interst that kept Shaun coming back. When we FINALLY began dating 4 years later we soon knew there was something special here. Our first year quickly flew by and we both decided we never wanted to spend another year with anyone else or without each other. We married in the place where it all began on January 1, 2011 (1/1/11) and gave birth to our beautiful daughter Ava Marie on September 22, 2011 our next little one, Clara Rose came 16 months later on February 11, 2013. This blog began with our preparation with our wedding and has entered into recording the days and events of our newlywed life and new motherhood.

The Happy Couple...

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Ava Marie

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Clara Rose

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Gabriel's ticker

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Monday, February 4, 2013

Due Date... *Updated*


(Taken just a couple of days ago...  I heard black was slimming ;)

TODAY... February 4th... our new little one was DUE.  The number on the ticker to the right says "O" days left, so every day hereafter I could blow. 
(If I showed the other side of my belly my stretch marks look like someone dragged a RAKE across me... oh well)
 
I know I haven't written in over a week, but it's partly because things have been so busy here and partly because I've developed sciatica down my left leg that seems to be brought on more by sitting at the computer seat.  When it really comes on I can barely stand, sit, walk or find a comfortable position, so blogging is out of the question.  At the moment I'm listening to Daddy sing Ava to bed over the monitor and feeling just well enough to try for a quick post.

First off... thank you to everyone whose been praying for me.  I am so appreciative and ask you to "keep it up".  She continues to be "quiet" most of the time but moves (or hiccups) just enough to keep me from going completely over the edge with anxiety about her well being. 

I still remain in "semi-denial" that I could deliver anytime.  I haven't even packed my bag yet.  Sheesh...  Shaun said to me tonight as I was driving to Home Depot, "Are you about to give birth?  Cause you're not acting like a lady who could give birth anytime" 


Today, we were in the middle of full blown gutting/demo work at the new/old house (you wouldn't BELIEVE how much they've done) and after meeting with a ton of contractors and plumbers and other types day after day... I decided to stay home and "take it easy" on my due date at least

And I did.

...Until I recieved a phone call from Shaun saying "We have bad news".   Apparently "someone" had called the state (not even the city, but the state) on us and said we were illegally disposing of asbestos in our dumpsters and there was a representative there at the house right now putting a "Stop order" on everything.  So I quickly got dressed (thought lounging in pj's was a possibility at least today) and headed over there to "put the fires out" as I knew we were doing no such thing.  We had been very careful to NOT do that very thing!

I'm not sure who reported this but we have our suspicions but I initially wasn't too concerned because we'd pulled permits on everything and tried to do it all the "right way".  Unfortunately, today of all days, some of the awesome guys there working had tried to be helpful (totally innocent) and had picked up some of the asbestos shingles that had broken off of the house (before we even purchased it) and started "cleaning up" and tossing them into the dumpster.  This woman from the state was evidently parked down the street watching them work and waiting for just such a thing... and at that moment swooped in and shut everything down. 

"ghaaaa" *Marijanna slaps forhead*

As of right now, all the work has come to a complete standstill until we can find a "lead/asbestos abatement contractor" to come and empty out the entire dumpster and pick out each piece of asbestos that may have been tossed in there (and wrap it in plastic and toss it back in... evidently that's much better) and pick each piece up from the yard, etc...  to the tune of thousands more dollars...

We also need to have all the lead paint addressed (which we planned to at a later point when we were able to get a loan for more funds... but now we need to do it NOW) that may be on the house.  We went by with lead test kits after she left and it looks like everything inside the house is NOT lead (ie: anything that was thrown in the dumpster), but the window frames outside the house might have been painted with lead paint and therefore need to be removed by a lead specialist... so no new windows can be installed in the house until then... and the windows are so old that some were literally blowing out of their frames into the house and shattering... thus the need to replace them... and soon.

We also found old "knob and tube" wiring when we began gutting that had been made to appear like updated electrical. 

I had a feeling something like this was behind the walls and that is why I was so happy to buy an old house and take it apart and put it back together the right way.  We had an electrical fire when I was 13 and our whole house had burned down due to a shortage in the walls, so I'm extra cautious about stuff like that lurking behind "pretty walls".  Just today Shaun had said we needed to call an electrician right away to come and remove that and rewire the house, but the woman from the state said we couldn't even remove it because there are a few sections that are wrapped in an "insulation" (that black section on the right) that might contain asbestos, so until we can hire a specialist to test it... we can't remove the old wiring either. 

Great.

Please say a prayer that we find someone soon... who's good... and not very expensive.

I guess I should say that I'm thankful that the baby did not come today because it might have been a BIT more difficult for me to take care of all of this while I was giving birth.

Still... as for the new baby?  We're very excited she's coming and can't wait to meet her after a safe, quick and painless delivery! 

One can wish, right????  Right???

Oh... and for those of you who are wondering what happened with the showing of our other house?  The day before he was supposed to come it all fell through.  Which is ok.  Maybe God knew that adding "moving in 28 days" to my "to do list" would be a little much. 

Thanks God.  YOU are the best!

*UPDATE* After a long day of MANYphone calls and meeting asbestos removal contractors at the house, So far additional costs with the new asbestos issue (not even including the possible lead) is around $9000 and quickly climbing... *sigh* ...looks like we'll be staying in our old house for quite a bit longer...

12 comments:

  1. Keeping you and your baby girl in my prayers!!

    I usually don't comment, but I just wanted to say that I love reading your blog!

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    1. Awww... thanks Evita! I SOooo appreciate the prayers. Seriously could use them. I'll keep trying to post whenever I can "sit" and will post as soon as there are pics of the new babe.

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  2. I am so glad that you posted an update, Marijanna. What a load of stuff to deal with on your due date!! Perhaps it was God's way of keeping the due date off your mind :) If you are like me, I was miserable at the end and in tears when my due date (three times) passed with my kids.
    I will keep those prayers coming and hope that you are blessed with a most perfect labor and delivery. Much love and hugs and eagerly awaiting little girl's birth.

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    1. I've SO been meaning to post! It's funny because all the asbestos removal guys I met with today and such were like "you seem so CALM with all of this..." Yeah. Take it one step at a time.

      I want her to be healthy... that's all. Just want her to be healthy ...and I want to be blessed witha "most perfect labor and delivery" :) That's all!

      Thanks for the hugs and prayers.

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  3. I'm so happy for the update too! I figured if you'd had the baby at least Colleen would post something for you?

    So sorry about your house stuff--what a headache! All those little details, that will disappear when it's all done!

    Keeping you in prayer--you look wonderful!

    I hate that butt muscle thing---you poor thing! (that's what I call it, the butt muscle)

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    1. Good idea about Colleen posting. I won't have a laptop and the hospital has terrible reception anyway. Still, I'll ask her to put up something!

      Headache... yeah. It was going a little toooo easily for almost a whole week!

      Thanks so much for the prayers. And that "butt muscle thing" ugh... not fun.

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  4. You only have stretch marks on half your belly? Lucky you! We were praying for you in the car this morning and I reminded the kids that you were supposed to be giving birth any minute and J-P was all upset like "Why didn't you tell us she was going to have the baby NOW?" That boy. We've been praying for you for 9 months and he got upset that I wasn't giving him the countdown to the due date each day. You must feel super pregnant since you went so early last time. And that is so annoying about the house. Nuthin's easy. Boo.

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    1. Mostly the other half. Totally looks terrible. I didn't really have much with Ava (probably because my belly was so "flexible" it had plenty of stretchy room) but definitely do now. Shaun calls them my "beauty marks" *sigh* love him!

      J-P... tell him I SO appreciate his enthusiasm and am expecting super amounts of prayers. Wish kids could come to the hospital, so they could visit when she's born. Can I say that they're "family"? They sort of are.

      I do feel super pregnant.

      It is super annoying about the house

      BUT... after reading your post about your "Martin Morning" I guess you're right... nuthin's easy.

      Love ya!

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  5. Yikes, you certainly have a lot on your plate! It's a good thing you didn't go into labor on the day everything was shut down....but perhaps that's a sign of labor to come? :-)

    Scary about that fire--how horrible for you! My husband is constantly worried about those electrical problems behind the walls too.

    Praying for you as the labor day draws near! It could be any day now! Pack your bags!!

    (BTW, I always say I'm going to be prepared, but I tend to pack my bag as I'm having contractions,haha.)

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    1. Becky... I think I probably WILL be packing as I'm having contractions. *sigh* SUCH a procrastinator!

      It was definitely better that I've been "available" the last couple of days!

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  6. Oh my Lord, you have a very full plate!! I'm surprised the stress of the house alone hasn't put you in labor.

    And don't worry about packing the bag -- I had my bag ready at 35 weeks with my first and then I never packed a bag early again. Every other kid was late and I just started to say I had a "due month" instead of a "due date" :) I got into the habit of throwing some things in a bag on the way to the hospital and I let Rob bring me anything I forgot.

    Hang in there, mama, the end is so difficult for so many reasons. We're all pulling for you! :)

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    1. Thanks Aimee! It is quite full. I wrote a letter to the lady from the state trying to explain that they needed to understand how even when people "want" to comply with all the new regulations, etc... the cost alone can be crippling and could they consider doing anything to help?

      As for the stress of the house? It is stressful, but I suppose I expected our fair share of nonsense and headaches (though the timing is quite bad). Still, overall I tend to handle "big stresses" with more ease than little things. Little things will get me more often than the bigguns.

      Thanks so much for your support and encouragement, though. Would love to see more pics of Septimus and whenever you find time to write your birth story, I'd love to hear it! (Though I'll probably be late on mine!)

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