Friday, April 14, 2006

We're like hairdressers on fire around here

As you can see, Sam has been busy lately. And the rest of us have too. Since matching a few weeks ago, we've been working on the following family task list:

I. Sell house.
II. Find apartment in Akron.
III. Arrange to transfer to grad school in Akron or Buffalo.

Looks like a short list, doesn't it? I thought so too, until I got to item I (sell house) A (clean house) part i (interior) subsection a (bathrooms) item 2 (upstairs) part a (chores that must be done while on knees scrubbing with a toothbrush) number 1 (grout). Then it didn't seem like such a picnic.

As exhausting as this process has been, I am happy to report that we have made progress on all of the items on our task list.

After contemplating selling our home ourselves, we decided to list with a local realtor. We followed her advice about tidying up a bit, and managed to transform our home from this:


To this (cue angelic choir):

Perhaps you recognize the chocolate cake displayed on the table in a completely un-staged, natural fashion.

We've had several prospective buyers come through this week. So far, I hate them all, because they insist on coming during Sam's nap, or show up half an hour late (after I've already awakened Sam and exhausted all his patience walking around the block in the freakish April heat (Seriously! 88 degrees! In Iowa! In April!)). But I'm sure I'll become fast friends with anyone who makes an offer. Unless the offer is too low. Then I'll still hate them. (Clearly I don't have the stamina to sell real estate professionally. This may be the last home we ever sell. Ever.) Anyway, I believe the point of this paragraph is this: we are making progress on list item I. I hope so anyway.

Now on to item II, shall we? We drove to Akron a couple weeks ago to look at apartments. While there, we were able to enjoy one of Akron's most coveted amenities: proximity to Grandma and Grandpa. This is how great they are: Mom promised to cook us breakfast every Saturday NO MATTER WHAT, and Dad ran all over the county looking for a book on CD for us to listen to on the way home. Nice, huh?

Mom and Dad also watched Sammy while Coach and I looked at apartments. They took him with them to General Conference, aware that he might not make it through the whole thing. ("He won't nap outside his crib," I assured them. It would be up to them to decide if they'd tough it out with a tired baby or take him home.) Of course, in the classic kids' tradition of proving their own parents wrong in front of their grandparents, Sammy laid his head down, told Grandma "night night" and snoozed comfortably on the chapel floor for 3 1/2 hours. No blanket, no backup blanket, no second backup blanket, no Bear's Big Blue House or Go Dog Go to read, no stuffed dog, rabbit, or bear--no sippy cup of water to clutch to his bosom. No crib. No--Sam slept without any of these necessities. And he has not done it again since.

I've digressed, haven't I? So anyway, we went to Akron, saw several nice apartments, and came back home and stewed for a week. Then we got online and found another apartment--a wonder apartment!--that seemed to have everything we were looking for for less money than any place else. Mom and Dad checked it out for us (see, I told you they're great!), and verified that the complex was neither built out of lincoln logs nor next to a sewage treatment plant. It seemed too good to be true. And it was, a little bit. Although the apartments are apparently nice and cheap, the property management company is a little, well, difficult, going so far as to insist that we sign an agreement promising to abide by all of the terms of their lease, but refusing to provide us with a copy of said lease. "It doesn't leave the office. Them's just the rules, ma'am." Yeah.

But anyway, managerial insanity aside, we sent in our application and the application fee (sort of a deposit on the deposit! How fun!), and plan to be spending the latter half of this summer by the pool. Come see us there!

As for item III, I persuaded my academic advisor to accept a class offered by another department so that I can have enough credits to earn my degree from Iowa but finish my classes at University of Buffalo so our whole family can live in the same state so I won't go crazy. (You can see why my advisor found my argument so compelling!)

And there you have it. That's where we've been. You'll notice that I made no mention of staying up-to-date with this season's 24, or working on the term paper that's due next week. That's because these are things I have not done. So no spoilers! (Unless you tell me what my term paper is about. I could probably use the help.)

And finally, have you seen this? This wonderful, fabulous, cozy little haven of a nursery that Coach created for Sam? If you haven't you really should, cause it's something else. I'm sad to leave it behind. And I know Sam will be too. He'll get through it though, as long as we bring along his blanket and his backup blanket and his backup backup blanket and his stuffed puppy and bunny and bear and all his favorite books and a sippy cup of water.

7 comments:

Ree said...

your home looks great. I love Sam's room. Hope it sells easily. I doubt I can help with your term paper, but I'm sure you'll do great without me. Go Dog Go is also Emma's favorite book.

Taffy said...

Can you do your term paper on Go Dog Go? That would be fun! I also think your house looks great. Mine still has a lot of work to go before it is ready to put on the market in a few weeks. Sammy's room looks awesome. I would hate to leave it too.

MMA Lady said...

I do love Sam's room, and I am convinced that somehow, some way, ya'll will eventually move to Houston! And that will be great because then, not only can we hang out and have bbq's and such, but ya'll can help me make such an outstanding room as Sam's for my own kids! I wouldn't know where to begin on something like that. I'm like, slap up a shelf and put some Precious Moments figurines here and there, I'm done. So blah. I hope that there will be a family with a special little boy to enjoy that room after ya'll are gone. Anyway, good luck with all the thousands of things you've got to do. I know all about those term papers and I can truly empathize, also with preparing to move with such a small child and all the minute details that go into everything. Know that I'm thinking of and praying for you all!

Peanut said...

I'm not feeling very well-read right now--I've never read Go Dog Go, and apparently it's great. What have I been wasting my life on? I'll miss Sam's room. It was fun being a part of its creation. I know I don't have mad painting skills or creative vision, but I'd be happy to help with the Sam's room version 2.0 (which I'm guessing won't be in the apartment in Akron)

Anonymous said...

Hey! I'm feeling left out! How 'bout if you swing by Richmond next time you have to go to Ohio so this other grandma can have a chance to spoil Sammy? We really need to get to know that boy. I'll even buy a copy of Go Dog Go if it will help......

CAROLIONESS said...

Your house does look very good. When are you moving, do you know yet?

Boss said...

Carolioness -- Glad you asked. We just made the arrangements today. We plan to load up June 19, travel June 20, and unload June 21. We could definately use a hand if you're up for a road trip. ;) Shane will be in Chicago June 8-14, and I plan to get as much packing done while he's gone as I can. So that's a good time. Or whenever.

Mom Z.-- For some reason, Mapquest's route from Iowa to Ohio doesn't take us through Utah! Who writes these programs anyway? We're looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks, and if it's any consolation, we're being extra strict so Sam has all his spoilin' saved up for when you get here! :)

Sonnet -- you probably have read Go Dog Go before. I think I've had it since I lived in the dorms. It may not be as memorable as The Stinky Cheese Man, but it's a classic in its own right. Please do come help us with Sam's room 2.0, which we expect will be installed in Buffalo, sometime in 2007.

Amy -- I'll promise to move to Houston if you will promise it won't be too hot, and there won't be any tornadoes. If that doesn't work, maybe a visit will do. We'll wear our paiting overalls. (Shane will, anyway. He's the nursery mastermind.) Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers!

Taffy -- What a brilliant idea! My class is on library classifcation schemes, and Go Dog Go is all about organizing and classifying information -- red dogs, big dogs, dogs in the water, dogs over the water, dogs in hats, dogs in cars, dogs stopping, dogs going. And since I practically have it memorized, it'll save me a bunch of time with citations! Thanks for the tip!

Anne Marie -- Emma has great taste in literature. But I'm sure you know that! We're also hoping for a quick sale. We've got another showing on Thursday--we'll see!