June 23, 2012
Feeling Thankful!
We paid off one of Matt's student loans and our car.
My silly girls.
My pretty girls.
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June 5, 2012
10 Years!
Today is our 10 year dating anniversary... TEN years!
It's hard to believe that we started dating when we were barely 15...
on Matt's 15th birthday in fact!
(Happy birthday by the way Babe!)
So... here are some things I remember about that day:
June 5, 2002
- Matt was walking me to my first class of the day. Since we had been hanging out, and since Matt had had a crush on me for over a year, and since I had fallen for him too, and since I had no idea what to get him for his birthday... I decided to give him my love. Ha ha! So he gave me a hug before class and I said, "I think I'm ready." And he said, "For what?" Silly boy just wanted to hear me say it. So I said, "I'm ready to go out with you." Ha! Ha ha ha...
- I was wearing Matt's blue track sweatshirt that had his last name printed on the back. One of my teachers asked me what "Ditty" meant. I told her it was my boyfriend's last name. She said, "Oh. I thought it was your nickname. Because you're such an itty bitty Ditty!" I think she was a prophet or something.
The rest of the day was kind of a blur, considering I was love struck and it was 10 years ago. But these sweet memories are something I will always cherish.
Love you Babycakes! :)
May 31, 2012
Dwelling on a Ditty Day
May 17, 2012
Home Sweet Home!!!
Front view of home from the street
Master bedroom
Master bathroom
Utility room
Garage
Extra storage space in garage
Back patio/yard
Another view of the front of the home
Entry/dining area
Kitchen/desk area (that I LOVE!!!)
Kitchen
Living room
(What will hopefully be) Aliyah's bedroom
(What will hopefully be) Mattéa's bedroom
(What will hopefully be) the girls' bathroom
So needless to say, we feel very blessed, excited, nervous, anxious, and THANKFUL! Praise God no matter what, because He is good no matter what.
P.S- Thank you for all of the prayers and support as we have gone through this crazy process! Please continue to pray for a clean escrow and closing process so Mattéa can finally have her own room! Ha ha. We have definitely felt patience and peace that can only come from Him. And I know it's silly that this seems like such a big deal... like I've said all along, if a crazy home buying process is one of the worst things going on in our lives, we are very blessed! I think singing a little ditty (and doing a little dance) is appropriate right now.
May 4, 2012
Just Call Me "Coach"!
April 20, 2012
Good Things...
- God is good!
- It's sunny AND warm at the same time!
- Aliyah painted eight pictures outside this morning and watched the birds coming and going on our fence while she sat in our huge camping chair (I'm mad at myself for not taking any pictures!!!).
- Aliyah painted numerous pictures on her own body in the process of painting the pictures on her eight pieces of paper.
- It's sunny!
- Mattéa crawled over to her toy and stood up (then she fell down, but that's beside the point). She's been doing this for a while, but I think this is the first time she pulled up on her big toy without needing me to hold it in place for her.
- Our dryer, which has been on the fritz for about a year now, was finally fixed today (thank you kindly and FINALLY landlords) and I'm really looking forward to running it when the girls are sleeping without feeling guilty because of the horrendous noises it used to make.
- It's sunny!
- We got some GREAT news (hopefully) about the house today: it looks like the foreclosure deed was finally sent to the law firm on the east coast to be processed. Supposedly it was received and signed for on April 12th. After doing something with it (who knows what), they should be sending it here to GP to get recorded (FINALLY), which means that we will (FINALLY) be able to close on this stinking house! I'm trying not to get too excited though, because when our Realtor spoke with the supervisor of the law firm earlier this week, he didn't mention anything about the deed coming or going, so at this point we're assuming it's making it's way here, but wondering why he wasn't aware of any of the above. So we're celebrating, but we're also unfortunately trying to prepare ourselves for something else to go wrong. Baby steps!
- It's sunny!
- After the girls wake up from their naps, we're going to play outside at the park, where it's also sunny.
- Daddy is meeting us at the park and then we are going to celebrate our baby step with the house by getting dinner somewhere.
- It's Friday!
- And it's sunny!
- And it's supposed to be sunny this weekend!
- I'm sure there are some good things that I forgot, but I think this is a pretty good list. And enough exclamation points.
I hope everyone has a fabulous day!
One more exclamation point never hurt anyone...
April 15, 2012
Frustrations and Bubbles
April 6, 2012
A Day In The Life Of Mommy Shaun
I.Am.Tired.
I know it's an all-too-familiar part of being a parent.
Especially a parent to a 2 year old and an almost 7 month old.
Props to those of you with more kiddos, and to those of you whose kiddos are closer together than mine, and to all of you single parents!
I don't know how you do it with your sanity in tact.
Heck, I don't know how MY sanity is in tact!
Okay, who am I kidding?
Most of the time, it's not.
I've thought about writing down every single thing I do in one day, just so I can feel better about not getting everything on my To Do List done. I think I would cut myself a little more slack if I realized that I changed close to a million diapers, and never sat down. So here's my attempt to remember my day...
I didn't sleep very well, but luckily the girls let me sleep until 8:00.
I got M up, took her downstairs, and changed her diaper.
Then A woke up. Matt brought her downstairs for me before he got ready for work because M was starving and needed to eat NOW.
I took A potty.
I fed M some food while trying to tide A over with a banana.
I nursed M while reading a book to A and trying to distract her from being so hungry.
I got A breakfast and let her watch The Cat in the Hat.
I put M in the Bumbo because she was fussy, unloaded the dishwasher, and started thawing some chicken for dinner.
I realized the reason M was grumpo was because she had pooped. And not just in her diaper. This one required a full change of clothes.
I checked some emails before putting M down for a nap.
I reloaded the dishwasher, washed some dishes, and finished putting dinner in the crockpot.
I took A potty again.
I made some work related calls while A watched Sesame Street (yes, I've become one of those parents that lets their child watch about 2 hours of TV a day, partially because she loves "her shows" and partially because it allows me to get a little more work done).
I got M up from her nap, fed her some more food and nursed her while reading to A again.
I changed M's diaper and took A potty.
I fed A and ate while trying to keep M occupied.
We went outside to stand in the sunshine and look at a mosquito eater (A called it an "eager").
We went upstairs so I could start laundry and fold some clothes.
I put M down for a nap, took A potty and put her down for a nap.
I got on Facebook (guilty!) and then did some more work.
Thank the Lord Matt got off early! After the girls woke up from a nap, I nursed M, changed her (requiring another full change of clothes) and we all got ready to go for a walk.
We walked to the school, let A swing and play on the playground, then walked home.
I finished up dinner while Matt took A potty and held her off with some apples and strawberries.
I fed M some food and nursed her again.
Then I got to eat (while standing up and holding a crying toddler).
We tried to entertain a tired baby and a grumpy toddler until bedtime.
Then it was time for a bath, potty, diapers, lotion, vitamins, brushing hair and teeth, pajamas, prayers, cuddling, some more nursing, and BEDTIME for the babies.
Which means shower time, straightening up the toys, more laundry, and a couple of hours of relaxation before Matt and I go to bed.
Wow.
I think we should give ourselves a little more grace when the kitchen isn't perfectly clean, laundry isn't completely done, the toilets are growing mold (okay, that's really disgusting), and we all have bags under our eyes.
Plus, even if we are a little bit crazy...
I think being a parent is the best (and most rewarding) job in the world!
I'll take the spills, the messes, the tantrums, the grumpo girls, the diapers, the pure exhaustion, the frustration, the hugs, the snuggles, the smiles, the kisses, the looks of trust, the funny words, the laughter, the crazy hair, and the overwhelming joy.
I'll take it all and (try to) be thankful for every moment. Even the crazy ones.
March 29, 2012
Stopping to Smell the Roses
March 23, 2012
A Little Bit of a Home Buying Process Update (and Rant)
March 23, 2012-
The original closing date for “our” home.
Actually, our loan lock expired on March 16th, so really it
should have closed last week. And it was
on track to close the first week of March.
And now it’s March 23rd.
Only one word describes how I feel:
Ugh.
We knew something was odd when the appraisal came back towards the end
of February, and the builder was listed as the owner (we knew the home had gone
into foreclosure, so we figured a bank should be listed as the owner). “Ironically,” the preliminary title report
came back the same day, listing the builder as the owner as well. The interesting thing is, the preliminary
title report (which our agent had been asking for since the middle of January),
was dated January 28, 2012. The listing
agent’s office was obviously keeping it from us (for about a month), knowing
that the bank was not the legal owner. Most likely they figured we’d find out about
it anyway once the appraisal came back, so they finally sent it to us when the appraisal was completed. Well played.
But homes cannot be listed by someone who is not the owner. Duh. I
can’t sell my neighbor’s car, because I don’t own it. Therefore, you cannot buy a home from someone
who is not the owner. Duh. My mom can’t buy my neighbor’s car from me
because I don’t own it.
So we have a BIG problem. We
have applied for our loan, gone through the entire process with lots and lots and
lots of documents, paid for an inspection, paid for an appraisal, and done
everything right on our end (including putting in our 30 days’ notice on our
rental, extending that a few times, and finally withdrawing it because we just don't know when we're moving).
So here we’ve been sitting for over a month now, waiting for the
foreclosure deed to get recorded into the bank’s name. We’ve been told that a substitution deed has
to be recorded first, but as far as we know, that has already been done. Our agent and brokers have put in hours and
hours trying to find the missing link, but the Sellers are holding out on
us. They won’t give us any information
and it’s very, very frustrating to say the least.
Since our loan lock expired on March 16th, we had to extend
it so we can hold our interest rate where it’s been locked at. That costs $1,300 and you can only do it
twice. So if in 60 days (and $2,600
later) we haven’t closed the deal, we get to start the entire loan process over
again and risk a higher interest rate… if we decide to move forward with the
house after that, and if a lawsuit hasn’t begun. We asked the Sellers to pay for the loan lock
extension since this whole thing is their fault. After countless attempts to contact the
listing agent’s office, our agent was told today that it was “being worked on”
and that they would have an answer back from the bank today about whether or
not they would pay the extension fee. We
haven’t heard back.
So the whole point of this rant is patience. I’m definitely not a patient person, but this
experience has taught me several things:
- I can’t control everything;
- I don’t want to control everything;
- Some things are worth waiting for, even if you don’t know if you’ll end up with it;
- There are a lot worse things that can happen in
life than not being able to buy the home you want.
My family and my friends are so much more important than any dumb house,
which we still might end up buying. At
this point we just don’t have any sort of a timeframe because everything has
taken so much longer than we thought. So
while we wait, we will concentrate on the things in life that matter the most,
and praise God either way, no matter what.
I’m sticking with my theme:
Even if things aren’t going my way, I will praise Him because He is
good.
March 18, 2012
I Will Sing A Ditty
The definition of the word “ditty” from Webster’s online dictionary is:
“an especially simple and unaffected song.”
When I first met my husband Matt, then a seventh grader at North Middle
School, I thought he was cute. When he
started teasing me in eighth grade (because he liked me, little did I know), I
made fun of his last name because it made me feel better. I only did it behind his back of course, because he was "popular" and apparently I was a "nerd." But seriously, what kind of a last name was Ditty?
Matt Ditty? I specifically remember lying in bed one
night, laughing hysterically at the sound of it. It was hilarious.
Fast-forward to August 5, 2006:
I got royally paid back when I married that boy and became Shaun
Ditty. Do you know how many times I’ve
been asked if that’s actually my real name?
Or how many times I’ve been asked if I’m aware of the fact that I share
a name with Shawn “P. Diddy” Combs? Yes,
that’s my real name and I didn’t pick either of them, and yes, I realize that
Puff Daddy and I are practically related now… thank you very much. I think I’ve learned my lesson.
Fast-forward again to the spring of 2009: I ran across this Psalm (which is still one of my favorites) when I was feeling especially down-
Fast-forward again to the spring of 2009: I ran across this Psalm (which is still one of my favorites) when I was feeling especially down-
Psalm
13
1How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
2How long must I wrestle with
my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3Look on me and answer, O LORD
my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will
sleep in death;
4my enemy will say, “I have
overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5But
I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6I will sing to the LORD, for he
has been good to me.
The beginning of the Psalm sounded like I had written it; it sounded
bitter, angry, depressed… almost blaming God for the hurt and pain. In the middle of the passage, the author
(David) begins reaching out to God for help. The end is what got me…
“But I
trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good
to me.”
I remember crying when I got
to the end. Was I really supposed to worship God for His saving grace and the good things in my life when I was feeling so low? How was I supposed to find the strength to do that? Yet I knew it was true and had to be done. Praising God in the midst of
my heartache was definitely not my first response, but I knew it had to
be. And it felt good; it was a relief to praise the Almighty One when I felt the weakest, and confess that I needed Him. As much as it hurt to praise Him
during the storm so to speak, I had no other choice because above all, He was
in control and He was good. And no matter what kinds of storms he allowed me to go through, He was
always good and always worthy to be praised.
Always.
The reason for my heartache seems kind of silly now. I was having a hard time being patient for "mommyhood." The timing just wasn’t right
as we were planning on moving to Portland in the summer so Matt could finish
school. I wanted to be a mommy so badly,
and it was really hard to wait. And I
didn’t know how long I had to wait either, which made it even more difficult. Now I have two amazingly precious baby girls (excuse my partiality), and it's easy to forget just how badly I longed for them now that I see their beautiful faces every day. As it turns out, we unexpectedly got pregnant
in June and found out in July, two weeks to the day after we moved to the
Portland area. God knew exactly what He
was doing… finding out I was pregnant before we moved would have made it that
much more difficult to go where He wanted us to go.
I was heartbroken over something that seems so selfish now… During the past couple of months, a few of
our friends have suffered the losses of their children- one was 22 years old, and the other was at 34 weeks gestation. Although I understand the incredible love a
parent has for a child, I cannot imagine the hurt (anger, confusion,
devastation, etc.) my friends felt and are still feeling from the deaths of
their babies. My friends are amazingly
strong people, although in their humility and anguish, they attribute their peace
and comfort to God (and rightly so as He is the ultimate Comforter). In their pain, they praise the name of Jesus
because He is good no matter what Hell they may face here on Earth. I want to follow their example and the Psalm
13 example in every circumstance, good or bad.
I want my life to be a song to Him, a ditty if you will, and I want to
sing:
“But
I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good
to me.”
May my life be a ditty; a simple song to the One who is good.
Maybe our last name isn't so bad after all…
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