April 15th.... So what's New?

We finally live in a wall paper free home! Hallelujah! It's about as big of a miracle as the burning bush Moses (I think it was Moses, maybe Abraham --I know 12 years of Catholic schooling and I'm not sure) saw back in the day! So, how did we do it? With a lot of creativity, some guts and a few ladders from a neighbor.

Here's the scoop, we used this crazy 22ft ladder, and a 6 ft ladder on the stairs landing, then we placed a walking board between them. What is a walking board you ask? It's a silver metal thingy about 18 inches in width, and as long as we needed to span the ladders. It was perfect, I could reach all the high spots and after about 45 min, we were wall paper free in the stairwell. Whoo-Hoo!!!! Then, the next day, we primed and painted the walls. And viola, 1984 wall paper is all gone, in it's place is a nice Classic Taupe (Home Depot named it not me) in it's place. Now we walk in the house and you are not instantly irritated by the busy wall paper. Instead you are soothed, and feel all homey and stuff.

And then.... (you are wondering, is there more? Of course)

The old owner's office had this border with this outstanding Southwest/old English theme. So, to be totally wall paper/border free, this was our last room to tackle. Armed with my trusty steamer, a step ladder and Jeff wielding a scrapper, we were ready. About 1 hour later, the border was gone! Poof! We are freeeeeeeee of things with glue! My steamer can retire! Such a happy day! After the walls dried from being cleaned, we then used a fresh coat of Viking blue (once again Home Depot named it) on the walls. We still have some touch up, but we are free at last! It's emancipation from gooey paper on the walls. I'm not sure this house is updated to 2008, but I know we have at least achieved 2001. :)

So, why all the home improvement you ponder? Well, besides the fact this house is stuck in 1984, we are also persuing a home study. A home study? This means we are looking into adoption. Before you can adopt you have to pass a home study. This home study is entailing everything from financial statements to fire escape routes (you know in case the infant we adopt can read). We have completed 1 set of paper work, and are on set #2. Set #2 sucks. We have to do a fire inspection (completed and passed), both have physicals, be FBI checked, prove we are married, prove we are employed, read 4 books, attend 2 days of parenting classes, as well as provide a letter stating our infertility. I knew this process would be invasive and all but good Lord. This is crazy. This week, Jeff and I are trying to finish our 10 page questionnaire on our childhoods and such. Some sample questions...
- what is your best childhood memory?
- what is you worst childhood memory?
- state an example where you have delayed gratification.

Honest to God, those are 3 real questions. So, we are trying this crazy world or adoption for this year. Why not, IVF has not yielded the results we've prayed for. Plus there are a who lost less shots with this method. Are we closing the IVF door forever? I'd say no, that door will always be ajar and waiting for us when we are ready. But for now, we want to see where this path leads. Who knows, maybe we will get to use that newly painted Viking blue room... stay tuned....