I'm sitting outside on my daughter's patio while swinging my grandson, catching up with Fox News on the patio Flat screen TV and trying to post an update to all of you while typing on my daughter's laptop. Her keys are closer together than on my laptop so I keep hitting the wrong keys while my fingers try to adjust to someone else's laptop. Hers is also not a touch screen like mine...but at least I have a little time to post so I'm just going to do the best I can here. The trip here this past Sunday with my son-in-law's best friend was wonderful. There was very little traffic on the interstate the whole way from Lafayette to my daughter's home in Texas and while I thought we would not have very much to talk about during the ride...I was pleasantly surprised to find we talked so much I didn't even have time to read any of the book I had brought to read. It is one of the few times I can say I really enjoyed making this trip in a car instead of on the train. Monday morning I got up, had my cup of coffee and something sweet to eat and my daughter brought me my eight month old grandson to take care of while she went back to sleep for a couple of hours with my going to be 3 year old (in August) granddaughter. Of course you can absolutely get no packing, etc. done while watching an eight month old. But we did have a grand time getting to love and hug each other again...and this little one loves to give and receive kisses! So these couple of hours were definitely worth sharing with my grandson instead of packing. Later in the morning when my daughter and granddaughter woke from their beauty sleep and my grandson was back in their care I started in on the decluttering of her home so that they can put it up for sale. And that is when the "fun" really began! Trying to declutter, pack up the excess, and make rooms look neat with an almost 3 year old granddaughter trying to "help" you is an adventure in itself. For every one thing I packed away to declutter a room, my granddaughter would proceed to fill that empty spot with a few of her toys or stuffed animals, etc. all in the name of "helping" her Granny. It's a good thing this Granny has been through a few moves of her own with little ones this age "helping" me so it didn't bother me at all, my daughter on the other hand was about to pull all her hair out because she did not see how we would really get anything done with all this extra "help" from her little one. And yet we are getting things done. Half the garage is stacked with packed totes ready to be moved to Louisiana and the rooms are coming together just fine for "staging" when the house goes on the market in another week or two...although you will find a few of my granddaughter's toys in every room. I just know one day she will be a famous interior designer and her Mom will know why her daughter had to "help" us so much now. I was right not to bring my laptop as every day has been filled with packing, rearranging some furniture, helping with the grandkids, doing normal housework and laundry, etc. and when I hit the bed at night I am so tired I feel like I am twice my age. But I also feel like I am one day closer to having my daughter and her family back home in Louisiana...and that makes everything worth it!
On a serious note two days ago heavy rain hit our home town once again and my middle daughter's whose home got flooded last August very nearly experienced flooding again...and that is not normal. Evidently our City Government did not send anyone out after the flooding to make sure the coulee's, drainage ditches, etc. were not stopped up from all the flooding last year...so when this heavy rain came the day before yesterday the places that are "damned" up did not let the excess water flow through areas and the water came up to my daughter's carport. God answered our prayers by not allowing water to flood her home again, there is no doubt in my mind about this. But our City Government is going to have to get in there and do the job they should have done after the flooding last August so my daughter and her family and so many other family's in our home City do not have to go through this nightmare again! You can bet when I get home I will be talking to our Government Officials about this mess.
Thanks for the update...except for fun with the little ones I don't envy you. I helped my daughter pack up twice a day it wasn't fun at all...I too was exhausted and this was at least 16 yrs ago. Scary about your other daughter's house almost flooding...after all the time it took to remodel I would have been in panic mode if it was my house. Good that it didn't get in the house. How much longer will you be there?
Yes it is exhausting at my age now, in fact yesterday after a few hours of doing stuff I had to tell my daughter I was going to my room and taking the rest of the day off as I just could not go anymore. It would be alright if I was just decluttering, but I am helping with the kids, helping with the housework and laundry and doing most of the packing, etc. and I'm not the "Energizer Bunny" anymore. I don't know exactly when I will be going home yet, I was hoping to take the train home on Sunday but we will not be finished by then so my next target date I'm shooting for is Tuesday. A short while ago I was talking to my son-in-law and he wants my daughter and the kids to take me back to Lafayette and stay there so he will be able to touch up the areas that need painting, etc. ...stuff that needs to be done with us all out of the house. So I made not be riding the train home either if we can get things finished in a few more days and all head to Lafayette together. Believe me Chrissy my daughter was in panic mode! She had to go pick up her kids at school because the schools were closing early because of the heavy rains and street flooding. After my daughter picked up the boys and headed to her home...she turned onto her street and it was flooded and she could not even get to her drive way! She called us here in Texas from her car and she and the kids were all crying because they just knew their home was going to flood again. I called my sister, got the prayer chain going, and prayed with my daughter that God would not allow one drop of flood water to enter their home and God answered that prayer. For all the years my daughter has lived there they never experienced flooding until last year and to have that happen again would truly be a nightmare for them. So the City better get moving and unclog those drains and break up any dams that have build up in the coulees or there will really be trouble in our City.
It is good that the flooding is at least something that the city CAN fix, and all they need to do is to get busy and fix the problems so it won't flood again. Some places down there seem to flood over and over, and the city can't do anything much to change that. I think that after the hurricane flooded things, then New Orleans had more floods because they had to fix the dikes, too. Did your daughter and family have to stay somewhere else overnight, or was she able to make it home okay ?
We knocked out so much yesterday. My Son-in-law got a whole bunch done outside with pressure washing the patio area, cleaning windows, killing weeds, etc. He was really excited that all 3 of us were working together and he could actually see how much we all were getting done. Being at work all week he wasn't able to appreciate how much we were getting done while taking care of the "babie's and getting routine house stuff done every day too besides packing, etc. But he saw yesterday how much we have been doing...and he had a big smile and went and bought some donuts of us too! It's nice to be appreciated. The past two days my grandson has decided he will not let anyone put him for his afternoon nap but me. So this Granny rocks him to sleep while singing to him and then I let him sleep in my arms and on my chest for two hours while I watch HGTV. My daughter is happy because she can do what she needs to do during that time and I am happy because I get to cuddle with my youngest grandbaby...who probably will be the last grandchild I will have too. It's a win win situation for all of us. A few more days and my daughter, the grandkids, and I will head back to Louisiana while her husband stays here and touches up the inside of their home and gets the Realtor to come take the pictures and put their home up for sale. His last official day of work over here in Texas will be the last day of June and my daughter and the grandkids will probably come back here after our Florida vacation and some extra time in Louisiana. But by July 1st they should be home for good in Louisiana and I am thankful for this.
Hurrah! Tomorrow morning we will be heading back to Lafayette! I am feeling a little sentimental today as I pack up my extra clothes, etc. that I have kept over here so I didn't have to bring a big suitcase on the train every time I came to stay and help my daughter out with the grandbabies. For the past four years I have spent almost half of my time here so in a way I feel like I am making this move along with my daughter and her family too. These past four years have been chaotic and hectic and have left me feeling at times that I didn't know whether I was coming or going. Yet now that it is coming to an end I find myself thinking back to everything that has happened during this time. I helped pack my then pregnant with her first child daughter to make the move over here and unpack to ready their new home for the arrival of that first child. Then came back and forth when our grandchild tried to come into the world to early and spent my time staying in the hospital with my daughter and taking care of her when she was able to come home on bed rest. Three times I stayed in the hospital with my daughter and that third time my granddaughter was born! Then home again and another few weeks of helping out over here. My Honey was so sweet and understanding of my time away from him...God sure blessed me with a wonderful husband! My daughter's second pregnancy was a breeze compared to her first but she still needed my help often enough that I had plenty of train trips during that pregnancy, etc. too. Two beautiful grandchildren born here in Sugarland, Texas and since they may be my last grandchildren I am truly blessed to have had all this time with them to cherish in my heart forever. My daughter and her family are happy to be moving back home to Lafayette too where we will all be together once again, but we all are feeling a little sentimental as we prepare the home they have had for the last four years for another family to buy and live in. My prayer for this new family is that they will make lots cherished memories here in their new home just like we did.
https://www.coldwellbankerrealestate.com/property/113-PULLIN-DR-YOUNGSVILLE-LA-70592/32537967/detail This is one of the homes my daughter and son-in-law are considering buying here in Louisiana. The brand new homes have much smaller square footage and lot size which will not work for them. So they are looking at older homes that have more square footage, are updated, and have big lots too. They also are considering buying a large lot and building a home with the square footage they want...but this would be a last resort as they would have to rent something while that home is being built and then have two more moves to make instead of one. Here is the other one they like but this one needs some work and a privacy fence. And is already in the higher price range. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/118-Kentucky-Ln_Lafayette_LA_70507_M89929-76066 The first one is just a few minutes away from me so I of course am voting for that one.
http://www.har.com/11311-audrey-dr/sale_16366880?cid=ARMorris Here's the home they put up for sale in Texas which we spent so much time getting ready to show. We did a good job!
Gosh, it's hard to believe my daughter's Family moved back to Louisiana at the end of May. The home they thought they were moving into right away turned out not to be the home they would live in. And it has been a journey in itself searching for a new home for them. Having to think about renting an apartment if they couldn't find the home they wanted in a short time frame, having to pay the Mover's extra to store their furnishings while the search was going on for their home, and living with her sister and Family while they we all helped search for their new place. But finally it happened and on Sept. 1st they will be moving into their new Home. The search and having to wait for the right one was worth it as they got pretty much everything they wanted. The school zone they chose for their children and where my oldest daughter teaches, the large square footage and lot size they wanted. And it's practically down the street from me...so I got my wish too. Home Sweet Home! I hope they will have a wonderful Family life there.
My daughter just called me a little while ago. The people who own their home until Sept. 1st called and asked Ashly if she would like to come and spend more time checking all the rooms out, etc. at her leisure. So she is taking me with her tomorrow to see the inside and outside in reality instead of just these pictures. I will take more of the backyard which my daughter says is just beautiful and perfectly set up for outdoor entertaining. Hopefully it won't "rain on our parade" and I will be able to share those pics here too.
My daughter's new Home's back yard. There are 3 brick firepits in different niches in the yard. A gazebo and 2 or 3 arbors, a green house and fountain. And the swing which will be one of my favorite places to sit. There are also 3 pecan, and a Japanese Plum tree. Even in the front yard there are privacy screened areas with benches and landscaping. We will help them plant more bright flowers in and around the niches but even if we didn't do this...this place is a wonderful Eden.