Normalcy Soon

It's approaching a year since I last posted something. I can't, and I can believe it since a lot has happened in that year. My baby turned 2, the decision to relocate to allow my husband to work alongside his family, a kitchen fire in the first 48 hours of living in our new house, hotel living for 2 months with 2 kids under 4 in a new city, and the surprise of a third child who will join our family mid December 2012. I've been having trouble finding my footing in our new place - the city, church life, new house, boxes still everywhere, minimal help from the hubs as far as unpacking and housework is concerned (yes, a candid tidbit for you) etc etc etc. So I've decided to begin journaling again. Something familiar and comfortable that I enjoyed doing and an outlet. Navigating to find a new routine has been tough and will be so nice when it's found. I haven't had a stove since we moved back into the house, about 7 weeks now. Never never never do business with AJ Madison. They are an online appliance company based out of New York. What drew me to them was the deal the were offering on a stove that, at any local home appliance store, I would have to spend $400 more. Well, that $400 cost me! Long story short, they delivered the oven 7 days later than they told me over the phone they would, packaged in a giant box at 5:55am. Upon opening the box lated that day, realized there was a nice size dent in the side paneling and on the low back, near the gas regulator. We aren't going down a fire hazard path again, sorry. I never could get to a manager, but the customer service rep agreed to send me new parts and call someone out to replace them. That took another 10 days. The repair man got here and said they shipped the wrong parts. AJ Madison refused to offer us any additional discount to rectify the situation. The best they could do was give us a free extended 2 year warranty, which was a $49 value. Yippee! We decided to have them ship a brand new unit to us and they could take the damaged one. Apparently it is due to be here on Wednesday. We will see. I've been without a regular cooking dinner routine for over 3 months, that it will take me time to get back into one. I've gotten so used to eating out, it's really bad.

I can't decide what to bake first... a chocolate cake or chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Oh I'm so excited! And nauseous. This go round seems different. Lots of nagging "I don't feel right" feelings. Nothing sounds good to me and so I don't eat. Then I get more sick because I have nothing in my stomach and it becomes a viscous cycle. I've learned if I can just eat then I feel pretty ok. Smells REALLY bother me, more so than first 2 times. Like the Ivory dish soap I bought before I found out. It smelled so yummy to me in the store. Now my stomach turns when I get a whiff of it. And our house - I can't put my finger on what that strong smell is. The new paint? New carpet? Kilz? Smoke? Yuckiness everytime I walk in the door. I was peeling an orange for Lilah today. That's one smell I love. Fresh and clean. I kept relishing in it and sniffing on the peel since it's pretty much the only thing I want to sniff on. Lilah and I had a chocolate cupcake treat today at a place called GiGi's cupcakes, since Olivia, A and Milan went to a soccer game. It was divine. Chocolate, I can never get tired of. Lilah thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, we went to the mall to shop for housewares. Forgetting it was Memorial Day weekend, there were tons of sales! I got a cute pair of navy blue wedges and some earrings at Banana Republic. No luck on housewares. But what happened to Banana? Literally old ladies walking around, one of which had a walker. I haven't been in there in a long time and apparently they have a much older clientele now! I was shocked, but had a gift card to spend so I focused on shoes and jewelry since they won't matter for pregnancy.

I'm anxious to have a decorated and unpacked house! I feel so lost right now for some reason. It's the move, and the pregnancy, and the lack of oven and routine. I'm ready to get back to normal! Soon and very soon - hopefully!

Signing off, Pieper