Better keep my day job...

...cause I'm a horrible blogger! Three months! Really?! This year has been an absolute whirlwind. Life truly does seem to go by faster the older you get. Our summer has been jam-packed (and not with a vacation, but that's coming soon!). I suppose we are trying to get in our last hoorah's before life takes a big change. So, a quick recap:

• Racing! Clint's been doing lots and I've done a little. Clint has done several road races and two triathlons since I last wrote and I've done two triathlons. It's been fun! Our club race is in a month! I originally had high hopes for it, but there has just been so much else going on and I'm learning that triathlon just can't be number one like it was back in my single days and I'm fine with that. It's a hobby and should be kept that way! Clint is done with triathlons for this year, but is doing lots of road racing up through the first part of October.


• Job situation is still a big question mark and I just take it day by day. My boss has still not made any concrete decisions about the company and I'm okay with that. Whatever is to be, will be and we will be fine with it. Regardless of the company's future, I am out of here on December 16th! Having an official day makes things much more...well, official! I'm anxious, nervous, excited, terrified...but, I'm ready to tackle this next season of life.


• Vacation! We booked our last big 'adult' vacation for awhile to ARUBA! We can't wait! We will be going in mid-October and we are counting down the days!


• Nursery - I was a painting machine this summer! We repainted the walls, which turned out to be a slight issue on my part, but it all worked out, just involved more time. Then, I bought a glider at a garage sale and thought I would just restain it to a color I liked, no problem. Ummm, I will NEVER stain wood again! I had no idea how difficult it would be! Stripping alone was such a pain and in the end, I should have just bought a new glider. Darn me and my cheapness! The stain turned out horrible so I just painted it in the end. Then, I had this 'great' decorating idea. It involved lots of painting of frames and wooden figures. All of which needed a coat of primer and two coats of paint. In the end, it wasn't quite as 'great' as I had invisioned in my mind, but the room is finished! In the process we also bought a new crib (and changing table) since the crib my sister gave me was a drop side crib and they are NOT allowed for foster care, even if you brace the drop side. My mom also made the bedding and curtains and those are definitely the highlight of the room!


• Coaching - I took the USAT Level 1 coaching certificaiton clinic in Memphis in June. I've been so busy that I'm still working on the test, but should be finished soon. I'm hoping that I can do some coaching once I am no longer working. Will be great to keep my mind busy and I think will be lots of fun.


• Volunteering - I am slowly relieving myself of duties in various organizations. I still want to be involved and hope to hold leadership positions down the line, but with so much uncertainty and 'newness' of what next year will be, I'm trying to take a back seat for now so as not to be overwhelmed in the future. I'll need some time to find my new normal before I jump back in to things. I'm still keeping some things though such as working in the church nursery (3-4 yr olds).

Now, the most important of all, our foster to adopt journey. Obviously by the nursery talk, we haven't given up! It's just taken awhile to get our stuff taken care of with everything else in life we have going on. Well, we are ALMOST there! We had our fire inspection on Thursday and our last interview for the home study (and that was WAAAAAAAAY less painful than I thought it was going to be!) on Friday. Our case worker said she would have her report written up in a couple of weeks. After that, we have to get a health and safety inspection of our home and then 'fingers crossed' that is it! However, after thinking things through and talking with our case worker, we have decided not to submit ourselves for licensing until after we return from our vacation in October. Then, they are going to note that we would prefer to wait until I finish up work in December, but I just can't stand the thought of a little one needing a safe, loving home before then and there not being anyone that can take them and here we have everything completed! So, I need to start contacting some daycares in the area in case we get a call in the 7 week interim. I need to find a place that is willing to take in a young one at a moment's notice. Thankfully, that scenario will be short term!

So, right now we are enjoying are last weeks of being fancy free, getting our ducks in a row financially, mentally, spiritually, etc., and just enjoying 'us' because we hope it's not just 'us' for long! :)