Friday, January 17, 2014

I Believe the Dailey's are Moving!!!!

     As I write this, I smile. Above us I hear furniture moving, vacuuming, music, banging and chatting. Our first neighbors above us were wonderful, and we were sorry to see them move. These people seem nice enough, but they are awake at night versus the day, vacuum almost everyday, and love to run on their treadmill during the middle of the night. It has helped us to be ready. Ready to MOVE!!!

     We chose the house in Youngsville, NC to be our new home. Youngsville, NC, population 1,173 is soon to be population, 1,178 (plus a small panther!) I thought our town, Massena, NY was small! Of course, we are less than 10 miles to Wake Forest.


     Our home does sit on a beautiful lot in a lovely neighborhood. Above is the view from our front stoop. We all love the trees... I'm afraid of the snakes which might be lurking in the mulch waiting for their next victim. It's a good thing we have valiant boys!

      Our realtor, Kathy, has been excellent! She has such a sweet, exuberant personality and is from Youngsville herself. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of her. You can't tell by this photo, but our front door is Tardis blue ~ another sure sign this is the house for us!

     Below is a front angled view. Yes, there is a garage attached to the house and a separate one. The guys are in bliss! I'll probably have the house to myself except when they're hungry or tired!


If you'd like to see more pics of the house, fb message me, or comment here and I will email you a skydrive link. :)



     We fell in love with this new home. We already have a sentimental story. The current owners had it built in 1993 (the year we were married). They have built a new smaller home for themselves after 20 years, and we will be moving into this one in our 20th year of marriage. It was meant to be!


     Joe is thrilled to be moving into the room which housed a Dr. Who video collection. Each of the boys' closets have a 'secret' storage area. They are psyched! They'll have an acre to play on, and there's a beautiful screened porch! I can't wait for Lily to see it! 



     The above photo gives you a little idea of the backyard, and below to the right is the back of the house showing the porch. 


     When are we moving? The closing was scheduled for January 31st. Today, the plan changed, and no one is complaining! We are closing in one week on January 24th! Due to having our apartment through February 14th, we will have plenty of time to load our backs and set up camp.


~ Jenny ~



Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Psalm 127:1

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Changes are Coming...

     Almost two and a half years we've been apartment living and homeschooling three middle school boys. It's been a tremendous blessing, but we've become more and more restless. Jordan had been asking for a house for his birthday and Christmas - that's all he wanted. Less than three months ago, we were thinking we might be headed for Charleston, SC. Maybe we would try to buy or rent one there. Life is full of surprises! After a series of events, we began the process of seriously looking for a house in the Raleigh, NC area.

     December 12th, 2013 was our first trek out to look for houses we had narrowed from computer searches. In one day we looked at dwellings in Creedmoor, Raleigh, Louisburg, Wake Forest, and Youngsville. What a loop! It was a long, but worthwhile day. Above are some of the houses that didn't make the final cut. Some were easier than others to knock off our list. Below are the three our family thought were worth checking out again. Only two interiors were toured, eliminating the one without a garage.



     We chose one (to be revealed in my next post!), and started the process!!! It's been nerve rattling at times, but I am ecstatic to announce that as of today - it's a 100% go! Wahooooo! If you heard yelling today, it was the shouts of joy coming from the Dailey's! 


Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
Isaiah 30:18
~ Thank You, Lord Jesus! ♥

~Jenny~

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Happy New Year.... Happy Birthday!

     We have traditions for New Year's Day: Hop-N-Jon, greens, cornbread, and football. Granny had adjusted a Hop-N-Jon recipe to have stewed tomatoes, and I decided it needed a few more hog jowls. I grew up knowing the peas (black-eyed peas in the Hop-N-Jon) represent coins/ luck, and the greens represent paper money. I discovered more info after some research. Cornbread represents gold! If you really want good luck, you need to eat at least 365 days on New Year's Day (I'm assuming 366 in a leap year - yuck! Well, maybe if enough hog jowls are mixed in.) Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes mean wealth and health (Granny sure knew what she was doing!) Some people add a shiny penny to the pot before serving. The person whose bowl holds the penny receives the greatest luck in the New Year, unless, the receiver swallows the coin!


Granny (maternal) made shortbread every year for Christmas, and I remember Grandma (paternal) making kolacky some years. This year I made both, and appreciated the memories while indulging along with my french press coffee. Yummy!

     We also started the year out right, with a family friendly game of Risk. It was great fun texting back and forth to our Florida family who had bets on who was going to win ~ pink won!

    



 Today was perfect! Tim made some scrumptious Eggs Benedict! The last time I delighted in these were back in New York. What a nice surprise! No better way to start a birthday. It was a pleasant day hanging out with my guys, sharing Facebook wishes, and a few calls from family and friends. 
In the afternoon, the family was game for a trip to the movies, and everyone agreed on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty! What fun! Even the previews were great (Heaven is For Real (boy dies and experiences heaven), Million Dollar Arm (baseball pitchers from India), and One Chance (dream of being an opera singer); all the boys want to see them. Walter Mitty's life changes as he searches for slide 25. Although predictable (for some), it was entertaining and encourages one to live their life instead of just dreaming about it.

     The evening ended after dinner at Johnny Carino's (I got to sneak a few bites off of Tim and John's plates), and a delicious homemade Angel Food cake by Tim (I love that he uses Granny's (and Mom's for butter cream frosting) recipe! The candle holders are a great find from Restoration Hardware years ago. They're the same animal holders my mom used in our cakes as children. I have cherished using them in our sons' cakes, and Tim likes to have them appear on my cakes occasionally.... feeling blessed!




                                             ~ Jenny~






Friday, January 3, 2014

New Year.... New Changes

Image     Every year brings changes. The road I have traveled incorporates various terrain ~ rough, smooth, deep valleys, mountaintops, and even some cherished beaches. Each path is valued, especially the rough patches where I grow and come out stronger and more refined. Through it all, one constant remains ~ Jesus Christ. He is with me on this journey, filling me with joy, hope, peace, and strength. I could not imagine walking this life alone!

     My home is blessed with five: Tim, my dedicated husband of 20 years; John, our witty oldest (by 2 minutes!) and the tallest (how dare he!) of our household; Joseph, (sleeping here on the couch with me as I type) our tender-hearted middle son; Jordan, our youngest one who keeps us laughing, shaking our heads, and on our toes! (Don't they all?); and Lily, our black panther, who will be six in March. Yep! I am one lucky gal!
Joseph, John, and Jordan in Charleston, SC
November 6, 2013 Charleston, SC
Joseph, John, and Jordan

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

I missd a year!



       September 4, 2012 changed my life. Losing my dad, I lost a part of me. I stopped blogging and isolated myself. What has brought me this far? Faith, family, and friends. I am blessed. Although my heart continues to ache for loved ones, I am blessed. Moving on...

     No way could I share all of 2013. It was a year of adjusting, laughing, crying, new adventures, and old traditions. I'm glad this year has ended, and I'm looking forward to what lies ahead. Some of 2013:
February: John and Joseph became teenagers ~ and John bypassed my height!



June: I kissed a fish!
June: The boys enjoyed tennis lessons in Florida.


Photo: Celebrating 20 years. :)
November: Tim and I celebrated our 20th year of marriage...
Seminoles had an undefeated season! (And we LOVE Chick-Fil-A!)


December: Jordan celebrated his 12th!


     I would love to add more pictures, but I'm spending way too much time fighting with adjusting the pics and putting them where I want them! The boys also began Tae Kwon Do in September. It's great to have an activity they ALL enjoy! Of course, John has continued with soccer ~ I love watching his practices and games! He also began guitar lessons. What fun!

     Our family was blessed with trips to Madeira Beach, Florida; Columbia, Tennessee; Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts; Charleston, SC; and a field trip to the Carolina coast! All of us really love the beaches (and visiting with family), and cherished every moment at them.

    We also enjoyed friends... new ones here (the Moss family has become dear to our hearts!), treasured calls from some in New York, and even got to see our buddies in Massachusetts (it had been about 10 years!)  How lucky!
                                                                                ~ Jenny ~