5 Hours A Night: The Girls Make a Visit

Ron and Ryan lay in the kitchen flooring/Frame the bathroom

Last week was a VERY productive week that ended on a great note.Every night I was blessed to have an average of four extra helpers to work on the house. It was great because the projects in the house are the size that it's difficult to get 20 people working in the same space.

Some things that were accomplished were laying of most of the new kitchen floor (after removing the old), taking out the existing first floor bathroom, chimney and laundry chute and replacing it all with a formal coat closet like it originally had and then installing a new bathroom that is the same level of the back entry way. This project is a perfect example of how I hoped people would help me. I was walking though with the plumber and was discussing how I should move forward and he came up with the idea to switch the bathroom and closet on the plan that I had never considered and it turned out that I lose about 8 inches in the kitchen, but gain a full-sized 1/2 bath. A huge improvement that I'm sure will not be regretted in the future. It's felt good to incorporate other people's ideas into the plan as I've gone along and I hope that others continue to suggest things. Some ideas I'm sure will be executed and others not, but at least I have others minds helping me on this.

That's really the one thing that I really miss Leslie's presence for, her ideas. She always had great ideas and a master plan in her head. She would often look many years down the road and plan to make that goal/dream come true. Often times it meant being patient or frugal which I struggle with both, so it was a good fit. In our discussions of the house we went through every room and thought how each could be used in the immediate 3-5 years with a plan for the next 10-15 and how to design them such that they would easily evolve over that time as our family would change as well. I have a good base because of those discussions, but I still need help and I am thankful for the people around me that have helped and given me ideas. We are starting to embark on a portion that I really struggle with which is the interior design... I'll be looking at a lot of pictures and listening intently to her my mother-in-law (she owned an interior decorating store) as well as others, but she understands what Leslie liked and can better articulate what I'm looking for to the design world in construction terms. That's kind of a weird thought now that I say it out loud, h that someone else would need to talk to the construction world for me... weird.

Anyway, we also got the foundation problems better identified for the eat-in kitchen area and plan to dig the remaining foundation and set forms this Saturday. It's once again supposed to be cold (40 degrees), so I would appreciate and prayers you have for nicer weather - at least no rain. I also had a lot of the remaining can lights installed and wired for everything but the basement and the data/video wires got pulled for most of the house.I'm telling you, we got a ton done last week and it was in small groups, but consistently showing up to do the work.
First Floor living room

Second Floor Master Bath

A view down the old chimney space

Which leads me to the great ending to the week. The girls of the Pella Christian Dance and Drill Team came up from Pella Iowa and worked their tails off for a few hours on Friday morning/afternoon. Not only did they vacuum and sweep the whole house, but also cleaned off mortar from the foundation brick so it can be reused as well as replaced tattered cardboard. All jobs that are really no fun, but one thing I've learned about high school girls is that if you play music and allow them to work in groups, they will make any job fun. That's only half true I suppose, I know that these girls had their hearts in a place of the Lord and were doing the work more for Leslie than anyone. I guess that's why I left there over lunch after talking with them briefly with such a huge smile was because I knew Leslie was listening and enjoying all of the MANY topics of conversation that those girls had at our house. There are plans for the annual 'sleepover at the O'Bannon' where Buddy the dog gets terrorized, Ellie the baby gets pampered, John the old guy get made fun of - but still makes a mean breakfast, and the house gets invaded for a few hours by giggling and laughing from a team that is enjoying their time together. The only difference this time is that I'll have more than one s-m-a-l-l bathroom for 12 girls and I'll have more than floor for all of the sleeping bags, candy and backpacks to be strewn over. Although Coach Leslie may not be laughing with them so that it can be heard, I know she will be listening along and having a great time nonetheless. She loved these girls as though they were her own and was proud of each and every one of them that came through the program. Thank you ladies, you made my week.
Outdoor brick cleaning