Well, I survived the single parenting stint. I didn't end up using the daycare because you have to call a WHOLE DAY ahead. Who schedules a breakdown?

"Hi, Norma? Yes,this is Faith and I'd like to bring Caleb in tommorow at about 2:00. He will have just woken up from his nap but still managed to sprinkle laundry detergent all over my freshly mopped, still damp floor. Then, while I am laboriously cleaning up those little white grains from hell, he will be in the bathroom dipping his hands into the toilet and sucking the water off his fingers. He will then get a spank, but before he has stopped crying he will dump an entire glass of water onto the middle of my bed. At this point I will start sobbing uncontrollably and you will find me in a soggy, blubbering mess on your front door. Caleb will not have pants on, and he will probably have banana in his hair. Just a heads up. Thanks!"

Ron had a great time at the conference, and I am glad he went. Sort of.

The floor turned out gorgeous- for some reason when I thought of maple I was thinking of a nice, honey colored wood, but our floors turned out the color I normally associate with pine. (And our pine floor looks like what I thought hickory would be. As you can tell, I'm super familiar with all the hard woods and their various tints and tones.) Picture IKEA and you've got it. We textured the walls and are painting them a nondescript brown. I was going for 'sand', but apparently that is asking way too much of the color department in Wal Mart. So it is more.....um....'hot chocolate'?

I've decided to go with Matthew's awesome suggestion of keeping the same color trim in the entry way, ahem, excuse me, LIBRARY. It is a nice french vanilla color and will look good with the hot chocolate color. I liked bright white trim for a long time too, but I think it is too harsh as well. I always thought it looked clean, but there is definitly a jar on the old eyes. I like this matchup more. Our deadline to be done is Thursday since I am having my book group over to the house and we need those couches. I am lamenting the loss of IKEA in this state.

Dear IKEA,
I love you, I really do, it's just the distance that is getting to me. Only seeing you twice in my lifetime is making it hard to get to any kind of intimate level with you. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and economy, but I can't keep going on like this. You are going to have to make a move or I might have to move on. Wal Mart is knocking on my door so persistantly and it is getting hard to say no. Help me IKEA. Don't let it all end like this.

Love, Faith