changes

We are so blessed.

For almost 5 years, our backyard has been mostly dirt. We've done a few things to it, but not enough to counter-act the dirt that covered most of it.

It was a priority that the boys had a play structure, so B built that and that has been the focus of our yard.

But, now, things are changing. Finally.

A week before I left for vacation, we determined that we would have a pool installed this summer. A beautiful, in-ground, 80 foot perimeter pool. We got the estimates, chose our company, and now we WAIT for permits. But, that's okay - because even though we won't be able to swim until August, we'll be swimming from then on out!

We have planned on a pool since we purchased this house almost 5 years ago. We chose a smaller home with a larger lot just so we could have plenty of space to do whatever we wanted in our yard. The plan had been for me to return to work when C turned one . . . but then a month before he did, we found out I was expecting N . . . so our yard hasn't had much attention since I never returned to work.

But, things have finally changed for the better, and we're able to do everything we've wanted to in the yard. I put in the gardens I wanted and today we had the flagstone center placed, as well as a flagstone walkway. On Thursday, guys are coming to fence off half the yard to keep the pool safer.

Last night, I saw our neighbor's mural and asked that he send the artist to me. He came by this evening, and will be starting tomorrow! He's going to paint a mural to surround my flower/herb garden, and then probably come back in the fall to paint another mural by our pool area.

I'm going to have a patio built in the next month, and then we'll have rock delivered to fill in that half of our yard and it is going to be absolutely fantastic. I've dreamed of having the yard finished for so long - and now it looks like we'll have the yard of our dreams by September.

OH, and we also purchased new flooring for the living room. B will rip up the carpet (nice carpet, but stained due to the kids and the dog) and lay "rustic maple" flooring down in the living room -- which will be much nicer. The boys are already thinking about how much easier it will be to play cars.

I'd also like to paint the rooms we haven't painted since moving in . . . definitely all the doors need to be painted. And re-do the closets. And get some more bookcases. Then, there's the fire pit we will put by the pool. And B plans to build a built-in grill over there. And more landscaping.

The beauty of all these plans is that we finally have the funds to carry them out. I am so grateful for B's new job and our ability to make these things happen.