Walk to Cure Diabetes

As most of you know, Dash was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in 9th grade. Type I Diabetes is genetic and Dash is insulin dependent, unlike Type II that can be controlled with diet and is usually obesity related.

In honor of Dash, we have decided to participate in Houston’s Walk to Cure Diabetes. I would love to have you walk with Dash and I. The walk will be at Reliant Park on October 14, with registration starting at 7am and the walk starting around 8am. It will be approximately 3 miles. If you would like to join us, just follow this link to register:

http://walk.jdrf.org/register.cfm?id=86509791 – our team is Dash’s Dudes and Darlings (the name was all me, so don't give Dash a hard time!)

I have also set up a fundraising page - http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=86509791 – if you are feeling generous. Each dollar takes us one step closer to finding a cure for diabetes. Doctors and researchers are predicting we will actually see a CURE for diabetes well within our lifetime.

As of today, we will not be walking alone but would love to have more friends and family with us. Shae's parents and older sister are walking and most likely Dash's mom, Debi, and grandmother, Sammie, will also join us. Tommy and Ruth and little John (theconnellfamily.blogspot.com) are even coming in from Austin!

Thank you all for your support!

Status Reports

Dash and I had the pleasure of showing our house to Granny and Grandpa Connell and Dash's aunt Nancy and uncle David yesterday, as well as show off the progress to Debi and Sammie. It was a great trip out - as we were surprised with new standard features that had been added since we signed our contract - four ceiling fans, a programmable A/C unit control, and front gutters. Also already installed were our corian counterops and our tile backsplash and all of the outlet/light switch covers and our alarm system. Our electricity is on and water pours out of our new bathroom plumbing fixtures and swirls down our new toliets. Our house is so close to completion, it almost seems like we could be moving in next week. You may wonder, what is left? Our list is down to:
-carpet
-punch list items
-touch up drywall
-install medicine cabinet
-install kitchen appliances and sink
-install kitchen island
-sod and landscape front and backyard

Most importantly, when we stopped in to pick up a key to unlock our new front door, we were informed that our closing has been pushed up to October 19 now. Ideally we would like it to be October 13 so we could spend the weekend after moving and cleaning our apartment - so we are keeping our fingers crossed and the prayers going.

Bumps in the Road

We have hit our first bump in the road with our house. Dash met with our lender today (everything is ok there) but they have set our Estimated Closing Date for October 23. That makes us officially homeless for one week. We are praying they move it up - just one week - because our lease ends on October 15. We chose October 15 on the recommendation from our Construction Supervisor. With both our parents living in Houston now, a place to stay won't be a problem (if they will take us in - hehe). However, it would be nice to just have to move once and not have to spend money on a trailer/U-haul twice and on renting a storage shed just for one week. Oh goodness. Pray for speediness for our construction workers. Maybe my Habitat for Humanity volunteers can come to the rescue.

2 months and counting

It has been two months since our house was started....and only weeks remaining until we move in. This past week, the brick for our house finally arrived and our house now has a face to it. Other work finished: tile on floor and bathtubs/showers, light fixtures, back yard fence, and more.

Shopping lists

I am such a list person. Even for work, I keep a list of things I need to get done. I have decided I like to keep list just so I can enjoying crossing things of my lists. As soon as Dash and I started building our house, we (yes, we - I am rubbing off on him) started a list of things we needed or wanted for our new larger living space. So far we have been pretty successful crossing things off our new home shopping list.

Ceiling Fans - check
Refridgerator - check
Guest Bedroom Suite - check - We are hopefully receiving a set from Dash's cousin in NYC - if only we can figure out how to ship it down here
Computer Desk - check - Dash's cousin again - Thanks Christopher!
Outdoor Funiture/umbrella
New living room furniture set
Dining room/kitchen table - check - I built it myself!
Surround sound equipment - check
Nightstand - check
Outdoor plants/trees/sprinklers/hoses/etc
Lawnmover - check

It is amazing how much stuff you need (or want) when moving from a 1 bedroom apartment to a 3 bedroom house. We have been blessed finding good deals, though we are still accepting donations. ;)

Week 6 Updates

So much is happening everyday - changes that make the bare stucture finally seem like our home. This week a few of the items we choice at the Design Center appeared and we are so excited to see our selections coming together so well.

Week 6 Photos:

Painted Living room and kitchen

Freshly painted doors and trim - and rounded sheetrock corners

42" Oak kitchen cabinets

Pantry with shelves

Teacher's Pet

Cooper was Valedictorian of his puppy class at graduation today. Well, at least according to his proud parents. For his pop quiz to graduate, he successfully sat on command, as well as did "down", "stay", and "leave it".

Cooper turned 4 months this week and weighed a mere 45 pounds at his check-in.

Walls and more

Maddy on her way to see her new backyard!





It has been awhile since our last post and a lot of work done since then as well (thank goodness!). We are feeling VERY cramped in our apartment so it was such a great feeling to pay our last full month of rent this week. Over the last couple of weeks, our house was insulated (to Energy Star requirements), the siding was painted, our back patio stoop was poured, and we now have WALLS! The house has really taken form and we can see the rooms coming together.



Guest Bedroom one week ago

Master Bedroom today

Bathroom cabinets (to be painted white)

Entryway with new siding paint job