Tennessee Gypsies

Our family is officially homeless. Well, I suppose not officially. The house hasn’t technically closed but the fact remains that other people now live in the home on Mercury Boulevard. The couple that wanted to buy our house chose the 29th of May for their closing date because that’s when their lease was up on their apartment. The closing didn’t go through on the planned date and they were freaking out about not having a place to stay, so we wrote up a rental agreement with our real estate agent for a week because “They” tell us the closing will happen by the end of this week…here’s hoping.

After that, we’ll just be waiting on our loan to process (a seemingly endless task, even with great credit) and then it’s off to live in our new home. We drove by it the other day just to take a peek at the outside and were pleasantly surprised to see our six foot privacy fence already installed. During the walk-thru, the builder told us that they wouldn’t even start on it until we closed, which would have made it two weeks without a fence for Max & Mattie. We also peeked in the windows at our new appliances. This house comes fully loaded with a brand new stove, refrigerator, microwave, ice maker, disposal, dishwasher, and a washer and dryer! Not many builders throw in those last two. I’m totally excited.

When we do finally close, we will still be having that painting party I mentioned. I don’t know when to expect to close now so it may be a couple days notice for it. I know last minute doesn’t work for a lot of people but even one person helping is more than no people helping, so we’ll take whoever has the time to help out a pregnant lady with a one year old who isn’t really supposed to be painting. (How do you like that sympathy card?!) Yes, Emily, I know that looks like it says Jamie isn’t supposed to be painting.
I’ll provide pizza or something…wings, perhaps. When we do know when we’ll be closing, I’ll send out notice. Trust me.

Currently we’re vagrants roaming Tennessee with a car full of suitcases. We started at Tyler’s Granny’s house but she has a lot going on this week and doesn’t need the added stress of house guests. That lasted 5 nights. Sunday we headed west on a caravan to Henrietta. We’re now staying in the old double wide at my parents’ house. Good ole Cheatham County is quite far away from well, everything, but at least we’re in our own space and will hopefully not be stressing out my parents.

We discovered when we got here that Mattie stayed in the outdoor kennel for about two days before breaking the wire and escaping. She has since been living happily as a country dog on my parents’ property and is not the hundred miles away we would’ve expected her to be at this point. It’s going to be heart-breaking to put her into a fenced yard but we would hate to part with her, and she clearly wants to be with us. She spent the entire day curled up next to the sliding door of the double wide. Mom would’ve let Max out but he hates everything animal. He tried to attack her two dogs and would most definitely eat the cat and probably get stepped on by the horses trying to take them down as well. Apparently, he didn’t get the memo that he’s 20 lbs and about a foot tall. He’s always been very picky about his animal friends. If Tyler and I don’t bring them into his world for him then he assumes they are the enemy and must be stopped. Dogs. We're not sure yet whether Beans will be back to live with us or not. She certainly has a better situation at Boxwell than she would at our house but she's welcome to come back anytime, of course.

Soon all 5 of us, 6 if you count the baby (who I am convinced is Charlie) will have a home and a backyard and will not be right on a four lane road. I will be counting down the days to that!

Holy Moly Month

OH YEAH. I'M THERE.

Well, it would appear that it is time to start packing. Holy cow! I'm excited but really, of all months this year! The only one that could've been worse would've been November when the new Belew arrives. Here's a little preview of our days before the closing on May 29th and the move on May 30th were scheduled.


May 2-3: Drill Weekend for Tyler
May 3rd: Jamie's First Birthday Party
May 4-9: Tyler works shifts at Vought & the Guard base all day
May 9: Last minute shopping for our 9 day vacation to FL
May 10: Renaissance Festival (which is part of my Mother's Day and planned weeks ago when it was totally feasible)
May 13: Jamie's 12 month shots
May 14: OB visit for me
May 15: Hair appointment before trip and shower (1st time since last November so it's not like I'm being a diva or anything)
May 16: Host Erika's Baby Shower
May 17-26: Trip to Florida which is unchangeable at this point at only a week away and totally inconvenient. haha
May 29: PreK graduation and my last day at work

Now it is May 9th at 4am and I can't sleep because there is obviously much to do! I have a feeling there will be little sleep this next week. Next thursday a POD is being delivered so we can load up before the vacation. Next friday we have a walk-thru scheduled on the house we'll be purchasing. At some point in the next week, Tyler has to make it out to my parents' house to bleach down their outdoor kennel for Max & Mattie to stay in til the move and their brand spankin' new yard with a privacy fence! Also I have to pack an entire house before next saturday. Saturday morning Tyler will have to have a mini-moving sell to get rid of big items that we won't be taking and saturday around noon he'll have to load the big items we will be taking into the POD. Then sometime on sunday before we leave for Georgia, we'll have to drive to my parents to drop off the dogs! WHEW!

Then, when we get back we'll be staying with someone for a few days because we have to be totally out by the 29th which is the closing date for this house we live in now and on saturday morning the 30th we'll be closing on the new house and can start moving in, but first we want to get as much of it painted as possible on saturday so that we won't have to worry about doing it with little toddler hands living there.

As you can clearly see by now, we need help...lots and lots and lots of help. I'm not even sure if the previous paragrahs are coherent at this point, but this one will be. I need boxes. Loads. If you can spare them, I need them and I need them now. I will need patience from the ladies at work because I'm gonna need every second of packing time I can manage this week which means long days at daycare for Jamie. This is something I am not pleased about and never do. He's usually there about 2.5 hours a day! I feel like, if I'm not there, he shouldn't be either but this week it's a must. Tyler could use some Mega Men on saturday the 16th as I will be frantically assembling, hosting, disassembling, and trying to enjoy (which shouldn't be hard considering the company) a baby shower that's been planned since January. He will definitely need help around lunch on that day to load the big items into the POD since I wouldn't be able to help with that part anyway "in my condition." On the 30th, I'm gonna take a cue from the Wallaces and Host a humongous painting "party." We need as much painted as possible so anyone who can and is willing to wield a brush, I am asking for your help. I'll have pizza delivered for the hungry workers and we'll get as much knocked out as possible. Then we'll be set to move in to the house.

I'm at least, really thankful that my last day of work is the 29th for now so I can focus on unpacking and playing with Jamie in a more sane, less crazy-moving mom manner. Thanks so very much if you took the time to read this.

The Belews