Hopefully, some good news!

Last Saturday the neighbors returned with an exterminator! I am so happy that they are attacking this! But in talking with them they said they were really treating for a bad flea problem and hadn't seen any bedbugs in a few months. I am hoping they were being upfront with us, but I am not confident. Andy talked with one of the brothers that really owns the house, but doesn't live there and warned him how important it is to to stay on top of this if they did have bedbugs. I am hoping that he took the warning to heart.

The next day, Sunday, they were back at the house (they haven't been sleeping there as one of the kids had a bad reaction to either a bite or the pesticide being used). There was a ton of trash on the curb. I got worried again! But they said that the stuff was from the basement. There was also a hot water heater among the trash. They apparently had a broken hot water heater and it leaked and had to toss a lot of stuff from the basement. This sparked an idea in my head. Back in the beginning of October (I think) our basement flooded - big time! It hasn't done that since we had the outside pipe replaced in August of 2008. I was baffled as to where the water was coming from as it was coming in at a pretty rapid clip. The reason the basement flooded is that our sub-pump failed to click on. Once it click on it sucked up the water and for the next couple of weeks it continued to pump water out. Andy was in a quandary - where was it coming from? We were ready to call the water dept when all of a sudden it stopped and everything became dry. I am thinking the people next door had no idea their hot water heater broke and it literally poured water out for a couple of weeks before they discovered it. I do not want to see their water bill - we had a lot of water in our basement! I am hoping that was the issue and we can put our basement back together again. We'll give it another couple of rain storms before we do that!

Baby Schultz is doing well, but, unfortunately, my sugars are going up. It is likely I will be on insulin for the last 10 weeks of this pregnancy. I have been trying to watch what I have been eating, but I get so hungry at times! I am determined to try and limit this weight gain. I have gained 20 lbs. so far - far less than I did with the others - but I still have 10 weeks - that could literally be at least 10 more pounds! I am trying to exercise everyday and now really trying to watch what goes in my mouth - but it is all easier said than done. I will be losing this all as soon as he is born! I am anxious to start my Biggest Loser DVD's and especially Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred. I also can't wait until we set our Wii up and I can start using the Wii Active. I am determined to lose the baby weight by my 41st birthday in May! And then continue on my weight loss journey throughout the summer. Hopefully, I'll have a very cooperative baby!

Thanks for all the prayers. I am still working on being able to download my photos. Andy got his new computer up and running - now I only have to find the time to sit down and put in all the software and download the photos. Maybe next week!

Worst fear confirmed

Today I discovered what I have been suspicious of for the past few days to be true. About two weeks ago our neighbors, the Hispanic family that lives on the left side of our house, had put a bunch of furniture and mattresses out for the trash. At that time I questioned Andy as to whether or not he thought they were dealing with bedbugs. He thought not because there were also toys and some other things mixed in. He felt they were just cleaning house - the mattresses were pretty old and worn looking. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that our neighbors would talk to us - as we had to them - about their problem and warn us. The past few days the neighbors house has been dark. I have heard no voices through the walls. I have heard no music or anyone banging on their door. Today another neighbor who is close to them was hanging out on her steps, so I asked the question that has been plaguing my mind - did the neighbors leave their house? She said yes, for the last two weeks. My next question - "Did they leave because they have bedbugs?" She looked at me sadly - as she has known of our situation and all we have gone through - and said "Yes." She was just as upset as I that they kept their situation a secret from us. She doesn't understand - nor do I - since we were so forthcoming with our situation and constantly trying to help them be aware - showing them what bedbugs look like, how to search for them, what things they can do to get rid of them, etc. I do not know how bad their infestation is. I am praying all we have done to our house will prevent them from returning. Just when we were starting to put things back together we get this news. I am unsure of what to do. We haven't seen any evidence that they have come back, but just knowing that they are a wall away is already starting to drive me crazy. I can't deal with them again. Not with expecting a newborn in just 12 weeks. I can't do things, as big as I am getting, like I did last year at this time. Please pray with me that all the time and effort Andy has put into this house will do the trick in protecting us from a new infestation. Please pray that something will be done to the house next door to rid it of its bedbugs. I do not believe the neighbors are going to do anything about the situation. I believe they are hoping that if they stay out of the house long enough, they will just die. I have told them before that is not the case - they can stay there for up to 18 months without a feeding or move onto the next house - which hopefully won't be ours. But the fact that the other neighbors are in jeopardy is frustrating. If we can't get rid of them on this block we will run the risk of them coming back sometime in the future. Please pray that the houses on our block will get rid of these pests so we can all have a peace of mind about our homes.

One year....

That's how long it has been since we discovered we were dealing with bedbugs. In so many ways this past year has seemed an eternity and yet it has gone by quite quickly. I was just reading some of the posts from last November and how I was dealing with things. I am so glad that time is over. It has been five months since we have seen any evidence of the nasty little creatures. But the experience has certainly changed us. We still look at every fuzzy or piece of lint on the floor as if it were a bedbug. We still check the kids beds and ours. We still haven't moved everything back into the house that was moved out. We are still praying everyday that the bedbugs are truly gone. I don't know if we will ever relax about them - maybe that is a good thing since they are on the rise and can infest anyone from anywhere.

We are still recovering both financially and house wise from the effects of these wicked little creatures. Andy has been working hard to get the house finished, but with working alone it is a slow and long process. He finished the hardwood floors this past week and they look gorgeous! I am finding however, that it makes the kids seem louder as things echo terribly. I am hoping an area rug and furniture placement will help soften the sound!

One year later things look a bit different - thank God! Our house is much emptier - for which I am very thankful. We are expecting another little miracle - another thing for which I am extremely thankful! I view this little person as a promise from God that we are truly done with the bedbugs as I specifically prayed for this little person before he was conceived and asked God NOT to give him to us until we were done with the bedbugs. I find it amazing that we got pregnant in May and haven't had any evidence of them since that month. Our God is a loving and caring God and answers prayers in a mighty way. So join with me today - even though it is not Thanksgiving Day yet - to give thanks to our great God for His mighty work in our lives. Strengthening us this past year, teaching us, blessing us, and carrying us throughout the toughest times. I am so thankful I serve such an amazing God.

Life keeps going!

Life is plodding along. We returned from Williamsburg, Va through rain the entire way home. It reminded Andy and I of our drive home from our honeymoon (we stayed in Va. Beach and Williamsburg). It poured the entire way home then, too! I still felt lousy on Sunday so I went and taught my Sunday School class and then came home and slept! It was great! The kids and Andy didn't get home until after 4:00 pm as there was a lunch after church and then soccer for the kids! I so enjoyed my time of rest - I think it made an improvement on my health! I felt so much better on Monday and we were able to continue on with school. I am really trying not to miss any days and build up as many school days before the baby arrives so we have a good cushion. Pennsylvania requires 180 days of school - today is day 53. I am hoping to have 85 days in before Christmas break. Then I will only have 95 days of school to fit in by the end of June - though I prefer to be done the end of May - before Memorial Day. I find it terribly difficult to get anything out of their little heads after Memorial Day. We'll see how the new baby fit in with things - I am praying for a VERY happy and content baby.

Matt seems to have FINALLY caught on to the fact that school needs to be done everyday. For the past three days he has been finishing his work on time and getting through the day with a mostly good attitude. I can't tell you how thankful I am for this! Hopefully it will continue. Life changes next week as the kids and I are being evicted from the house! Andy has to polyurethane the floors and being pregnant, I can't inhale the fumes. So we leave Sunday afternoon and won't return until November 2nd. I am really praying that this is the last time I have to leave the house due to renovations. I am tired of leaving. Tired of packing up the kids and doing things solo. I am extremely thankful that Andy's parents are willing to tolerate us for an entire week - I know it isn't easy with three loud and busy kids! But they are so good to us and hopefully it won't rain and the kids will enjoy the fresh country air for a week - as well as stomping in the leaves and enjoying some extra freedom. Daniel will be in heaven - he loves being at Grammy and PopPop's house - he loves the country.

I am still working on pictures. I hope to have time tonight after the kids go to bed. I am going to attempt to use Andy's new computer and see how things go. We'll see! Thanks for continuing to pray for us. Please specifically pray for our nerves as we are approaching the one year mark since we found out about our bed bugs. It is getting nerve wracking thinking you see one and praying everyday we never see another one again! It has been five months since we have seen one or had any bites, but just this past Monday, trash day, our neighbors had a ton of furniture and beds out for the trash men to take - we haven't been brave enough to ask if they found any - I am hoping it was only a fall cleaning!

Williamsbug, VA

That's where we are at right now. We purchased a special three day/ two night deal at Sam's Club for an incredibly cheap price. Andy and I love it here and the kids enjoy it as well, so we thought we would take a little vacation and count it as school since this years history is American History. The kids have been learning much about the revolution and even heard the Declaration of Independence read allowed today. We have been talking to people non-stop to discover the differences and similarities between our current life and life in the 18th century. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have been here so far, except for the fact that I feel miserable with a head and chest cold. It has also been miserable weather - rainy (it POURED yesterday!) and cold. But the kids have been troopers and have been actively seeking people out to talk to and ask their questions. I have a ton of pictures, but I'll have to wait until I get home to upload them onto a computer that will read the CD-ROM that came with my camera. But I will post some.

We are here one more night/ day. I am REALLY hoping that the weather will get better and it won't rain tomorrow. It isn't looking hopeful. Please pray for the ride home and that it would be uneventful!

Okay....Okay....

I have been absolutely horrible about blogging as of late. Life has been busy. Andy has been crazy busy sanding the wood floors we found underneath the carpets we pulled up last week. I have been going crazy trying to keep the dust level down. I am extremely thankful he is cleaning up the floors and getting them beautiful, but at the same time I am SO READY for this work to be DONE! I just want my house to be put in order and for the NOISE to stop! It seems that noise REALLY bugs me with this pregnancy. I get easily irritated at the beeping of the construction vehicles at the end of the street - the sander is driving me crazy - and my children's non-stop talking is really starting to grate my nerves! I am so thankful when 11 pm comes and it is QUIET! I keep reminding myself this will not last forever and we will get done - I just can't wait until it is DONE!

I will be able to take pictures come next week when I get my new camera! I called Best Buy today to check on the status of the repair on my camera I gave them almost two weeks ago and they said I was approved to get a NEW CAMERA! I guess it was the actual camera itself that was the problem and not me after all! They didn't have a report as to what was wrong with it, but when I go to pick out a new one on Monday maybe they can tell me so if it was my fault I don't do whatever it was I may have done, again. I think I will use Andy's new computer to download pictures and upload them on the blog - just in case it was my computer that may have infected the camera. My computer has been doing weird things and I really need to clean it up - I just need to figure out how to do that! I so want to be a techie - and I am so not one!

Baby Schultz is doing well. He had a heart study this past Thursday and everything is looking great! He weighs approximately 1 pound 6 ounces already! When I think I still have 17 weeks to go I keep praying he won't get overly huge. Daniel was 9 pounds even, Sarah was 8 pounds 9 ounces and Matthew was 8 pound 5 ounces. I don't have small babies! I am hoping this one is no bigger than 9 pounds. I have been terrible about exercising this week and really need to get back into it on Monday. I have been staying up far too late cleaning things - trying to keep up with the dust. I will get up early on Monday and get back to the gym! My goal is to do the elliptical for 60 minutes at least 5 days a week. Something I have been sadly lacking!

Sorry I haven't been blogging as much as I used to. I am hoping to get better at it again. Thanks to all who have been praying for us despite my lack of communication!

BooHoo!

Yes, that is me crying that today is our last full day of vacation. It's back to Philly tomorrow. I have so enjoyed the peace and quiet, the beautiful finished house and the no-stress life! Now we go back to our totally chaotic house, stress-filled life and noisy neighborhood. I REALLY have no desire to go back. So I plan to enjoy our day today by going to the beach, sitting in the sun and watching the kids enjoy the sea and finishing my book.

Yesterday was a very cool day so we went to the mall and bought the kids new shoes and some winter clothing. Daniel is in LOVE with his new Sketchers! He has done nothing but praise his new sneakers! They light up a VERY BRIGHT GREEN color! You could spot him a mile away in the pitch black! He is going to LOVE wearing these sneakers up at PopPop and Grammy's in the dark! He is very pleased! Matt and Sarah also got new sneakers - but they don't light up! What was shocking was that my daughter - who is ten - in only one size smaller than me!!!! The child has huge feet for being so young! Matt is already at a 11! Andy is a size 13 - I guess Matt will be there in about two years at the ripe old age of 14! After that I told him he would have to start wearing shoe boxes lined with duct tape!

I am off to the beach!