October 29th was the day the storm came…and October 31st was the day I went home.  One year ago today, I had to show my ID to get into my city.  We had to pry the door open from the water swelling it closed.  We had Miss A in the car and Baby D in my belly.  We had a box of black garbage bags and we packed them full of wet clothes, damp clothes, and things we decided to throw in the washing machine for 5 cycles with rubbing alcohol to disinfect.  I stood outside on my soaked lawn, in my rain boots, crying on the phone to Dr W, scared that my racing heart and panic was hurting my baby.  He prescribed me Xanax to keep in my purse…happy to report that it remains there, untouched.

Warning:  In honor of the longest year of my life so far…this is the longest post I’ve ever written!

Here is what I came home to that day…

Two years earlier we lined the 200 feet of curb with the previous owners stuff when we moved in.  One year ago we lined the 200 feet of curb with our stuff.  I’m hoping to never have to do that again.

Our best friends came and didn’t let me lift a finger…just lifted my spirits.  They made me laugh till I cried happy tears.  They uncovered my secrets and my love letters to and from Mister LK. They were wet…and unsalvageable….but I knew what they said.  They waited patiently as I cried.  They made me laugh when I didn’t think it was possible.  They froze their butts off.  They got filthy.  They showed us the kind of friends they are.  The best kind.

The months that followed were so busy I barely remember them.  We moved into Staten Island.  Got Miss A settled in school.  Got her transitioned to a big girl bed.  I drove almost daily to the house to make decisions, choose finishes, oversee, take deliveries…just to rush back at the end of the day, go to sleep and start all over again.  Most days it seemed like it would never end.

Then we. moved. in.  Into a completely unready house.  We camped out in the dining room while the contractors saw we meant moving in business & finished up as quickly as they could!  Mister LK wasn’t happy, but I WAS!!!!

And where are we today?

In our house, which is everything I hoped it would be.  (Except for a little higher up of course!)  We have a little more in the “replace our stuff” category to do…but I am a happy LK with where we are today.  So thankful.  So incredibly humbled by the love and support we’ve been given over the last year.  Sad for our neighbors who aren’t home yet.  In love with my house and more in love with my family.

October 28, 2012 I sat in my living room obsessing over Miss A’s big girl room.  Arguing with Mister LK about how we HAD to get everything done before Hannukah so that we could give her a new room as her present!  Busting his chops about getting Uncle C on board to finish up ASAP.  Online window shopping and putting this together…

Little did I know that the following day, mother nature would force me to renovate our entire house!  Without further delay….here is what it looks like today!

 

When you’re forced to renovate unexpectedly…you look for inspiration everywhere you turn.  This girl became my inspiration … and I couldn’t be happier!