Where Have We Been?!

I’m back! Wow - what a difference a month can make! I have been missing writing this blog so much, but to say I was busy would be a colossal understatement. In the past month and a half I have:

• Closed escrow on the condo
• Oversaw Terry and his team to help renovate it enough to be “move-in” ready (see our before and after pictures) on a budget so tight it gave my bank account a muffin top
• Held open houses and found a fabulous new tenant for my old unit
• Moved out of my own place and moved into this place
• Continued home improvement projects (on-going as we speak)
• Continued working with the property manager transition for my four-plex in Phoenix
• Dealt with a tenant in Phoenix who trashed one of my units – the place is finally cleaned but yet to be rented (ugh!)
• Took a mini road trip home for Thanksgiving
• And… worked a full time job overseeing 4 on-going projects for Toyota

 Oh... And I’m 6.5 months pregnant!

Terry has been my absolute rock through all of this. I've never known anyone who could so effortlessly manage the stress swings that I go through when I take on this much at once. Note: not mood swings… stress swings. These are moments when the weight of everything going on hits me at once and I feel like I’m going to collapse. It sort of feels like filling your plate at the buffet with all different kinds of foods and then stuffing them all into your face at one time and suddenly not being able to chew.  People in past relationships would tell me things like, “Just relax”, “Slow down”, “maybe you shouldn't try to do too much at once”… you know – the useless directives people give when they don’t know what to do. Terry doesn't do any of that. He lets me vent or fall apart… and then he’s right there to help me move forward.

Terry deep in renovation
mode! (One of my
favorite pics of him)

Terry managed the condo renovation and let me just tell you what this fabulous person accomplished in a week and a half and for less than $5,000 with the aid of a just a few additional handymen:

• Removed popcorn ceilings
• Put in recessed lighting
• Re-textured and painted all the walls (except the bathrooms)
• Put in laminate flooring
• Put in all the baseboards
• Assisted with the carpet company to lay carpet

I could not have done this without him. He did it for me and he did it for our baby… but he benefits too because guess who moved in?!

So what about Terry and I now?

Terry and I Thanksgiving
Family Pic 1

We’re “official” now! We’re boyfriend and girlfriend… and co-parents to be of course. He’s pretty much moved into my condo. There’s so much space in here now we can co-exist easily.  Our story has changed a little bit but parts are the same.  "The Story of How My Ex Agreed to get me Pregnant and Then We Got Back Together and He Moved Into my Condo."

Are We Happy?

Terry and I Thanksgiving
Family Pic 2

Yes! Terry and I have overcome some pretty fierce obstacles and we are both doing so well right now.  We continue to work on home improvement projects together. Terry is doing well really well in school and managing the other projects in his life. I’m far more relaxed and have actually started back at the gym which I was really missing!

Terry is even cooking us dinner as I write this and I need to wrap it so we can enjoy our Sunday evening together.

Next Blog Post: Now that we’re a couple – how does that change the Agreement?