Realtor 411

We all know the story of the house hunting debacle.  It was a mess.  But, hello...this is me...so of course I'm going to tell you about the silver lining.  Get excited.

Long story short, I saw a listing for a house in my desired area, but no pics were listed.  So I went to the listing realtor's site to see if there was anymore info there.  Negative.  But, they had a sweet little button that said "request pictures".  Check that, Roger Rabbit.  I filled out the little mandatory contact form and got a call from the listing agent about an hour later.  Turns out, his daughter (also a realtor) was going to be at the house that night to take some pics and would be happy to meet me there so I could see the place.

I met Chaley, and we clicked instantly {the house and I...not so much}.  She was awesome!  I told her a little about my financing issues and the house I was looking for.  I had a list of houses (different from what I'd been shown before!) in my inbox before I even got dinner done that night.  She was on top of it.

Turns out she and her fiance, Derek, work as a team at Hamilwood Realty.  They showed me some houses together, and they were both very nice and incredibly helpful.  Lord knows, I'm picky...especially when it comes to houses!  They never made me feel rushed, or like I should settle for less than exactly what I wanted.

When I found THE ONE, Derek was the one to show it to me because Chaley was already booked.  Just another bonus of using a "team" of realtors...no waiting!  We wrote a contract on the spot, and from that point on, Derek has been my go to guy for all things "house".  I couldn't have asked for a more attentive, go-getter, of a realtor.  Even though I'm on a lease-to-own contract at the moment, he still calls me to check in, and offer possible financing solutions and ideas.  We can close this deal this summer, but he still hasn't stopped working for me.  I cannot tell you how above and beyond he's gone.

So, if you're looking to buy or sell a home in Oklahoma, I can 110% endorse Derek Haffner and Chaley Watson!  Call them today - you won't regret it!  [P.S. Tell them I sent you...I want them to know I appreciate them enough to refer my friends!]

#1 Reason You Should Choose Hamilwood To Be Your Oklahoma Realtor...

We know how to sell homes and we do it every day! 

Face Lift

HMTH has had a little work done.  Nothing major...  We'll call it a little face lift.  Consider the site under construction at the moment, but let me know what you think of what I've done so far.

I've been so busy working on the house, I haven't blogged much at all.  And, sadly, what blogging I have done has been from iRene, my iPhone.  Thank goodness Blogger has an app!  [There really is "an app for that"!]

2012 will bring lots of new posts, updates on things past, pics of the house, funny stories, and new recipes.

I have so much to share with you guys, I just need a longer day.  Or, a rich {fabulous, Christian, loving} husband so I can be a full time blogger/SAHM.  Can someone get me that for Christmas?  Awesome.  You guys rock.

Buh-bye Boring

Hi y'all! I'm still here, just crazy busy working on the house!

I hope to have some updated pics for you soon, buuuut...that'd require at least one room be finished. My ADD hasn't allowed that to happen just yet.

My decor mood has changed a lot, much like my life, over the past year. I'm so over stuffy, fancy, matchy-matchy rooms. BORING! The theme in my life & my new house is FUN and FUNCTIONAL!

Here's a sneak peek at what I mean. Check out the before and after of my kitchen chairs and let me know what you think. (Pardon the crappy iPhone pics and all the mess!)

365 Days of Tourette's

It's been a year since this adorable little man was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome.

(Playing an inflatable game at his first OU tailgate)

365 days of struggles, tears, smiles, change, prayers, hope, determination and love.

So much has happened over the last year.  I haven't blogged much about his TS, more about the changes I'm making in our lives to ensure he has the best life possible.  TS may exist in Hayden's life, but I won't let it define him.

The doctor's said his tics would change, and come and go, and they were correct.  His repetitive blinking seems to be gone, and I thought maybe he wouldn't have any motor tics for a while, but now he's started licking his lips all the time.  I try to keep things as light as possible, so we just jokingly say his "clown lips" are back (he gets very chapped around his mouth from the licking) and double up on the chap stick and Vaseline.  Nothing we can't handle!  The head moving/nod is gone - which is awesome!  He still clears his throat a lot and hums.  But, I'm very thankful none of his tics are anything that most people even think twice about.  It could be so much worse...which has been my mantra for the last 365 days. 

The day the humming tic started, we were in the car.  I heard him hum, but I didn't think too much about it.  New tics don't really surprise me; all my research told me to expect this.  And so, I was fine, until I heard him do it again, and he caught my eye in the rear view mirror and he started to hum along with the song on the radio in an effort to cover it up.  It broke my heart.  I fought back the tears and told him a new tic is nothing to stress about, especially not around me.  He started crying and asked me why God would do this to him.  Hardest question I've ever had to answer.

It can be easy to tell people "There's a bigger plan", "God will work it out" or "All things work out for His glory".  But, looking into the tear filled eyes of your child, who is daily fighting a battle with a neurological disorder that effects his self confidence and self worth, is a totally different ball game.  A 7 year old who is just starting to learn about his faith and God, isn't quite ready to comprehend why bad things happen to good people.

So, I explained it as best I could while we sat at the red light.  I told him that God has a plan for his life, and I knew it was going to be an awesome plan.  That, sometimes, things that seem really hard or bad at the time, will end up getting better and other people will see how it turns out and it will help them.  I told him that most people don't know anything about TS but he could be the person who changes that and helps other kids who will struggle with TS in the future.  I also reminded him that all of these things are "big jobs" and God only gives these kind of jobs to people who are tough and can handle them, so God must think he's a pretty awesome little guy.

Then, we turned the radio up and sang/hummed as loud as we could.

The move was rough on Hayden; change always is.  He's seeing a counselor to help him work through what may be some mild OCD.  A very high percentage of TS cases also have a co-morbid condition; OCD, ADHD, ADD, impulse control, etc.  Hayden has impulse control issues, especially during times of change.  He requires a very routine life/schedule.  When things are very consistent, so is his behavior, and vice-versa.  We're working on some coping skills and anger management.  Seems to be helping.

We've settled into the house, and we're nearly 2 months into school.  Lakeview has been amazing.  Everything I hoped we'd find when we changed schools.  His teacher is a retired drill sergeant, so she has no problem keeping him on a daily schedule and routine.

Things are starting to settle down, so I hope to get back to posting more.  I've missed taking time to journal the changes I'm making!

Boxes...boxes...and more boxes

We're slowly settling in to the house. But, I've only painted my closet because painting the kitchen cabinets took so long. I refuse to unpack until I've painted because the thought of unloading a room to paint, after just unpacking, makes me wanna cry.

I hope to make progress on the painting starting next weekend. This weekend has been about rest and family. Just what I needed.

Here's a few pics to show you just how much crap I have. Enjoy!

Home Sweet Homestead

Sorry I've been MIA lately. But, I have a good excuse...

I've been working on the house! More details and posts soon.

Thank you so much to everyone who has prayed and supported me during this trying time. God has blessed us greatly with this home!

Love Notes

I mentioned before that Hayden had to pack his lunch for summer day camp, and I hoped to continue that into the school year.  Well, I have successfully packed his lunch every day since school started!!

Okay, maybe I shouldn't get excited since that's technically only 8 school days...but, whatever, I'm still proud of myself.  I could very easily send a few bucks and he could eat scary cafeteria food...that would be the easy route!  And, hello...this is Hayden.  He was the worlds pickiest eater until about a year ago.  But, I assure you, he's still a very reluctant member of the "taster club".  Packing his lunch ensures he actually eats something during the day.  Something...other than the roll on his lunch tray and a carton of milk.

Starting 2nd grade at a new school was thoroughly freaking me out, so I know he had to be somewhat reluctant too.  I've never packed his lunch before, so I thought now was as good a time as any to send him a little note in his lunch box.  I knew, if he was embarrassed by it, he'd have no hesitation in telling me just that.