Forever

Oh my goodness it's been forever since I posted!  Partly because I've been really busy and with a crazy work schedule, but partly because I'm sad I don't have a ton to update on the house, so I've left quite a few fun things un-blogged.  (That's totally a word, right?)  So I'll let some of the fluff go & give you guys the condensed version to catch up.  In a nutshell, this photo is my house: 

This is a photo from the upstairs landing. clear back to the back.  Finally completely gutted.  That.  Took.  ForEVER!  Each of those bags you see are full of plaster, each weighing about 50-100 lbs, and each have been loaded by countless truckfulls to the dump.  Saved a lot of money?  Absolutely.  But good lord that took a lot of time & effort.  And we also have a driveway full of lath boards that have all been pulled from the walls.  Hello craigslist?  Please send some weirdo who wants this stuff to take it all NOW!  Thanks! ;) 

So we're at this stage now that I really truly hate.  A whole bunch of little things going on, a lot of things started but nothing completed to speak of, and a lot of work with nothing to show for it at the end of the day.  Poor Matt.  We've had a lot of "discussions" lately where I vent that I want it all done, like, yesterday, but it seems to be taking forever... then he feels the need to defend himself on why it's taking so long and all he really has accomplished... then I apologize profusely because I don't mean to make him feel badly... and so the cycle goes.  But hopefully all of those little things will start falling into place so the big things can get started, and then we can really see some progress.  He swears we'll be done by the end of the summer.  I'm not holding my breath. 

On the subject of Matt though, I haven't updated on his back stuff in a while.  It took two months but he finally got in to see a pain specialist & is finally getting treatment.  MRI showed that he now has two bulged disks and they are impinging on two nerves (See!  I told them he did something new & no one believed me!).  PT is helping some, but what's really helping now is the steroid injections.  I don't know why he's never had them before, but they are making a world of difference!  He's been literally stunned by the lack of pain!  He's not pain free & perfect, but doing so much better that the pain in his back isn't the first thing he thinks about when he wakes up & the last thing he thinks about when he goes to bed.  I'm so happy for him! :)  

Okay, on to more fun stuff.  Who ever thought that my Kansas-born boys would be playing Lacrosse of all things!?!  Well they are!  And Mark especially LOVES it!!  Like seriously can't get enough.  I think he's just happy to be allowed to hit people with sticks to be honest with you, but he's having fun all the same! lol   

This year is just "skill building" so they don't have any games just yet.  (So this momma can breathe a sigh of relief for one more year until the real fun starts!)  But they really look forward to Thursdays & Sundays right now lemme tell ya! ;)

Last but not least, in case you didn't see it on good 'ole facebook, Matt & I got tattoos!  Yes, you read that right.  My husband got a tattoo.  I've corrupted him (he he!).  I've been wanting his name in Farsi for many years.  He's protested this whole time.  But after a lot of discussing & negotiating, he finally agreed to let me get it, and volunteered to get my name on his wrist too!  Holy cow!  So now, if we weren't committed before, it's in permanent ink now! lol  (Just kidding.  Hell, if anyone can get through all of the crap we've been through & see the light at the other side of that metaphorical tunnel?  Then I think we're good! lol)  So anyway, mine is on the left "Mathew" and his is on the right "Stacia."  I'm a little jealous that my name translates a little prettier that his name, but that's ok.  I was going to put "Mathew Jason" because it's prettier, but the small & subtle I think looks nice.  :)

If you don't agree, well then lie to me because I can't change it now! lol

So that's all I've got for now.  Next week we're heading to Florida for the wedding of the year!  My sweet brother-in-law John & his beautiful fiancee Caroline are getting married, and then we're all going on a 4-day cruise!  We are pretty excited!  So more than likely my next update will be after then.  TTFN!