First Look, First Floor

We actually have a 2nd floor started already, but these pictures are from a little before that. I know some of these won't make much sense, but I'm sharing anyway. :) This is from the back yard. That big empty space will be our living room wall with a fireplace in the middle, but since the living room has a cathedral ceiling, they can't put that wall up until more of the house is put together. Basically, there wouldn't be much to attach it to at this point.

I'm standing at what will be the foot of our stairs. You can see the basement stairs leading downstairs right there at the left. There will be a doorway over there, but you won't see any of that from here, because the stairs will be leading up right over them. To the right then is the living room - the stairs will be open to that room. Beyond the living room over there is the kitchen area.

This picture is taken in that kitchen area, looking back into the living room. The kitchen has a breakfast nook and then that large doorway goes into the living room. The master bedroom is far over there on the other side of the house from where I am. Hopefully we'll have a little more privacy than this, right? :)

I know all this is confusing. The important thing is We Have a First Floor!! :) I can't believe it. Progress will continue to be choppy and somewhat unpredictable based on how much work the guys have and, of course, our fabulous Illinois weather. I love how we got the floors on and then it rained for 2 days. :p It's ok, though. Brad says don't stress about it. He knew that was a big possibility and is not worried about it. Cool. Then I won't worry either.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Lord thank you for 2 little girls that went to sleep last night, albeit a little late, and slept all night. For one little girl who sings “Twinkle Twinkle” with me when I sing it to her before I lay her down. For another who gets in as many giggles as she can before closing her eyes.

Thank you for 2 little girls who woke up this morning – a little sleepy, but happy and healthy. Who were all smiles as they began opening their gifts and have no idea how much stuff they now own.

Thank you for too many presents and helping me see how good we have it. Help me not buy so many presents next year. Thank you for thoughtful children and husband and for hugs and candy in our stockings.

Lord thank you for a delicious meal and children who ran off before eating all their vegetables and for cookies for everyone. For laughter and light conversation and for games and relaxing as the snow falls outside. Thank you for naptime and a quiet house and even for a whiney 6 year old who challenges me all day long.

Thank you for all these Christmases and too many desserts and more family members than I can count. For safe drives and a warm house to come home to and new stories to read before bed. Thank you for all these gifts that might teach my girls something else about their world. For a world that reveals so much about you and about other people – different and the same.

Thank you for a baby Jesus that came

to save all of us.

Loving, complaining, failing, forgiving.

All of us.

And help me celebrate this better next year. And let us continue to celebrate this

every day this year.

We believe.

Thank you.

Wall Raising

I am praising God for how much has gone good for my husband and our house today! The weather was tame and he had lots of help! What a blessing our family and friends are.

Today was Day 1 of wall raising. It seems to have gone pretty good and I can't express how exciting it is to see house going up! The corner that is up so far is our master bedroom and closet and bathroom. When we were there, they were working on finishing the rest of the north wall that is the front of the house - where the front door will be. That north wall is also a wall of our dining room, too. Amazing for me to stand in the area that will be our bedroom and closet and see a real space!

The last week has seen a lot of progress, but it goes in spurts. We'll have a lot of obvious developments, and then it will be less obvious as electrical and what-not goes on. Not to mention, if the weather doesn't cooperate, I'm not sure how long the framing and exterior will take.

But today's progress is promising and encouraging. Thank you, God.

Birthday Preparations

Sophia's birthday is next week. She is having a little party with just a few friends. Click here to see the original invitations she made. :)

This Year

This morning on the way home from taking Sophie to school, I made a call to a fellow mom about having her daughter over for Sophie’s birthday party next week. I left a message and after hanging up, I turned my attention back to the radio where they were doing a weather report. The weatherman commented on the nice weather yesterday and how cold and windy it will be this week. “This weekend wasn’t at all like last year, when it was bitter and icy and VERY cold. We’ve been better off this year so far.”

Ah, yes, last year. It was cold and nasty, right after Thanksgiving. The house fell the day before Thanksgiving and we quickly ordered a house plan, thinking maybe we could still get started right away before the weather turned. But it turned quickly, and even the weather Thanksgiving weekend was a bad omen for any possibility of getting things moving. I remember December being bitter and icy and so it was clear – long before Christmas – that there would be a lot of waiting before we could start on a new plan.

But I also remember that we had our holidays. I remember eating Thanksgiving dinner and decorating the tree with my girls. I remember celebrating Sophie’s birthday just weeks after the house fell. Little girls came over and we had Sophie’s first ‘friend’ party, with Tinkerbell decorations everywhere, baby dolls, and a very happy birthday girl. I remember lots of smiles and laughter and the weather being so bad at Christmas that we just went on to Mom and Dad’s Christmas Eve so that we would be there already while the ice and snow continued to build. Brad got a Wii gaming system so we played games and ate yummy food.

Brad and I were confused and sad. Rarely one willing to wait on anything, I was forced to find peace in patience. This process still continues, but this summer I honestly found a contentment that I’m not sure I have ever experienced. Hope started to build as the year wore on and, though slow, our new plan started to take shape.

Last year my Thanksgiving was all about being thankful that my husband, his brother, and his father were not hurt in the midst of our disaster. I still praise God for that gift, but this year I also thanked God for perseverance and growth of our family and marriage as a direct result of our slight disaster.

Life goes on. Our catastrophe is minor compared to many, but it was still devastating at the time. I understand better, now, than ever before, that everything really is going to be fine. Life brings new opportunities and new plans that you never would have thought of left to your own devices.

I am not in charge here, and that is ok.

But that is a lesson I’ll have to learn over and over, I have no doubt.

Today after I heard the weather report and did a little reminiscing, I called my husband. They are working on our house this morning. The floor system has arrived, and they are prepping to add that. Slow, but steady, the work continues. We will someday have a house. Meanwhile, we will celebrate Sophie’s birthday. We will buy Christmas presents, and we will go to Christmas parties. Our girls will get to see their Dad build our house, and it will be ours. They will appreciate the work and patience that goes into something that is your own. And we will all keep learning.