Progress and Adjustments

Sorry for the delay in posting! It takes my computer so long to upload pix, I put this off. But, thanks to Mom for setting up a new computer for us (and for generous Jimmy-Adam for giving it to us) I'm hoping tonight will go faster : )

Things are really hopping now. We've met with plumbers, HVAC, electricians, cabinets, floors. We've made so many decisions, I dread pulling up to the drive-through because I know I'll have to make one more. David isn't always with me, so I make a lot of decisions for the both of us. He's so trusting and never once has he questioned my judgment. That instills a lot of confidence in me and I really appreciate him for that. I still prefer to discuss everything with him, given the chance.

We are agree on most everything. We picked out a brick in about 10 minutes! 100% agreed, no compromise needed! I would say the biggest stress of this entire process has been trying to stay on budget. Due to a complicated roof and perhaps a goof on the part of building supply guy (estimated too low), we are significantly over on our framing. The storm shelter put us over initially. Now we're digging out of a hole, so to speak.

This predicament, along with our desire to keep our mortgage payment manageable, and to honor the Lord with our finances, led to our decision to nix the rock in exchange for brick. Ronnie worked hard to find the best price for us, but it is almost three times as much to rock the front than it is to brick it. We would all love to see it in rock, but it is hard to justify spending $6000 more for an aesthetic when it doesn't add anything structural to the house. And, as I was reminded in our Sunday School lesson a few weeks ago, it's all going to burn one day anyway! "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. . ." 2 Peter 3:10-11 And build sensible houses! Hopefully this decision will help us to enjoy the process of picking out the rest of our house. We are entering the phase where we get more say in how much stuff costs.

Speaking of fire, Mom & Mark experienced a house fire this past week. Please pray for them as they dig out from under the soot and wetness! The laundry room was destroyed and the rest of the house has smoke damage. Praise God, no one was injured badly! Mark escaped and is down to 7 lives (stranded on a capsized boat in the ocean last summer)!! Fire pictures: http://www.nehp.net/~svmrestoration/fire/

Recent photos from our house:

dining room window
(and Sarah Kate sleeping through incredible noise--about 10 roofers above her pounding away)

kitchen

the boys discussing details (David, Ronnie) in the manly discussion posture

the back of the house with screened in porch

Here it is! Looking more like a real house every day. We have most windows and doors in, shingles are almost done. Please continue to pray for us. I've seen a difference when I stop to pray in the midst of the chaos. "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain" Psalm 121:1. It's funny to me that right after that is "In vain you rise early and stay up late;" that's exactly what I'm doing today! Goodnight : ) Y'all come and see us!

Now and Then

Sorry for the big gap in posts! Computer was down, then time has been short. Here is where we are now and what we have come from . . .

roof going up!

They say it is the hardest roof they have ever done. It is something to see--they are doing a GREAT job!

the guys working WAY up high

the house without a roof

and the foundation with David walking over the storm shelter.

There are a lot more pictures; hopefully I will get them all in a scrapbook . . . one day! We are in the midst of many decisions. I met with a cabinet guy today. When you don't have a "dream house" in mind it makes it so hard to decide what you want. I've thought of about 3 or 4 changes that I want to make to the kitchen cabinets since I've been home. Hopefully we'll end up with what we want when it's all said and done.

Y'all come see it sometime : ) It's looking more like a real house every day!

Neighbors

We have some great neighbors at our new location! The girls really love their Grandmother! She came for a visit one afternoon.

. . . and our across-the-street neighbors.

And just because she's so cute, here's Claire climbing our mountain of dirt! She is enjoying the house-building experience!

Foundation Steps

We're learning more about building a house each week. Work has started on our foundation. Here are a few pictures of the steps we've completed: chalking, digging, and concrete.

Chalked outline of our foundation.

Claire inspecting the trench for our foundation.

The cement is in. Next comes the block!

That is about a week's worth of work. The block should have been delivered today. They will lay the block on Monday (unless they decide to work over the weekend!). The framers will finish up a house right when ours will be ready to frame. Hope to have some exciting pictures for you next week!

Our First Guests

From L to R: Claire, Bailey, Jeanna, Cement Man, Will, Ross, and David

We had the honor of having the Lankfords in for a visit yesterday. They are officially our first guests at our new "house!" They got to see the site and the work going on there. We were thankful to have a day to laugh, play, and shop with our old friends. Claire couldn't understand how we could visit with Will and Bailey and not go to the beach (the Lankfords live in P'cola so a visit at their house always involves a beach excursion!). 2182 wasn't the beach, but the kids still had fun playing in the dirt and climbing the big dirt pile.

As far as progress on the house goes, they poured the cement slab in the storm shelter yesterday. It's the first bit of "construction" for us. Ronnie said that Vernon will dig the foundation tomorrow (Thursday) and they should lay the block next week. So, hopefully we'll have some great pictures to post next week : )

Shelter

We have a big hole in the middle of our "house" now. They dug our storm shelter this week. It will be an 8 x 10 x 7 concrete box for us to hide in when there is a threat of tornado. We will access it via a staircase tucked under our up-stairs steps. They also took down the bank in front of our house, including a huge tree. Now you should be able to see our house from the road. We also have a power pole! We should have a foundation in the next week or so.

I can't resist the opportunity to reflect on the shelter. It will be our safe place when the winds get rough. I'm so glad that we decided to do it. I will be even more grateful the first time I have to take the girls down there during a storm. God is an ever-present shelter from the storms of life. I know I'm thankful that he's there each day, but it's during the rough times that I am the most thankful. We sometimes question why the tough times come. Could it be that sometimes it is to help us remember that God is there? If they do nothing else, the hard times always draw me closer to my Savior. Thank you, Lord, for being my shelter and for the hard times that help me realize that I need you!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation--

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life--

of whom shall I be afraid?

For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock."

Psalm 27: 1, 5

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD,

'He is my refuge and fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.'"

Psalm 91:1-2

A Beginning

We "started" our house on February 24, 2007. It seems as though it took us FOREVER to get to this point! We moved to Grant mid-December; that's over 2 months to move the first piece of dirt. We spent that time pouring over house plans, talking with bankers, builders, attorneys, surveyors, friends. And we wrote a few checks along the way. But now we're actually doing something on the land. That's exciting!

We met with Ronnie today to mark the corners of our house. They will start the foundation this week. We decided to put a storm shelter under the house. That may add a little extra time (and of course $$) to the process, but it seems well worth it. We are in a "High Risk" area for tornadoes. And in light of the disaster in Enterprise, AL this week, it seems foolish to not take this opportunity to provide the best protection we can for our family. http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/saferoom/residential.shtm

Lord, please bless this process. Direct us in each decision we make. Guard our hearts from greed and materialism. Help us to make financially responsible and reasonable decisions. Guide the hands that will build this house. Minister to their hearts during this time. Help us to show your love to all those we do business with. May Christ be seen in us. We commit this house, our new home, to You.

"Unless the LORD builds a house,

the work of the builders is wasted."

Psalm 127:1