We Are THIS Close

The dust settles on another great week
Today was a great day all around! The crew of Angela H., Russ and Brittany VH., Jane M., Uncle Tim, Lola K., and Tricia L. worked like crazy folks and got so many things off the 'for inspection check list' that I now can start to concentrate again on finishing the plumbing.Granted a whole new list is being created for plumbing, but at least the wiring version is severely smaller. I unfortunately didn't remember the camera this week, so I'll hopefully add some later. But I have some from when the small group cam over on Tuesday.

Today we pulled wires for the front lights, installed three fart fans in the bathrooms and ran venting, installed light mounts for the first floor, installed the tread light box on the stairs and installed a new switch for the fan in the existing peach bathroom. It was a flurry of romex and sawdust that was a sight to behold. The only small things left are to install a new outlet in the peach bathroom (requiring me to cut the beautiful old tile very carefully with a newly-purchased grinder), run a new switch for the light in the peach bathroom and install the light in the wash room after the HVAC lines are installed (which should be in by the end of the week - YEA!). I think there was quite a bit of learning today of how to use power tools and other household skills by everyone involved! So for those of you who say 'can't or not good at', this is your chance to screw it up on someone else's house that won't get too upset and then you can do it right on your own - see how good that could be for you? Think of it as a Home Depot Saturday learning class, but with live product and better music!

Then outside Russ worked all afternoon 'playing' with the walk behind skid loader moving dirt from the soon-to-be flagstone patio and leveling off the ground. And an example of me not getting too upset - he only took out the bottom step of the 100 year old yards steps with me only ribbing him about it three times. Dude, you take out 100 year old lawn fixtures, you're going to get a little bit of a hard time from me;-) We also picked up about a ton of Arkansas flagstone that will look great once installed. He did a great job while Tricia and I finished off the retaining wall cap stones and filled in the remaining mulch.

Lola and company also stacked all of the brick on pallets. That in itself is a major statement, and if you've been over in the last month you'll know exactly why. Today was a day of working steadily getting things done that required patience, steady hands and a little bit of elbow grease. My hats off to you all, you put me almost back on track to have inspections in the next 10-14 days.

Early this week my small group from church once again came over and really put in a great night of work and fellowship. (I've always thought that word 'fellowship' sounded so old world...wierd.) They wired can lights together, worked on installing soaker hoses and building up flower beds, they continued the filling in of pea gravel and dirt in the retaining wall and they installed a few outlets in the kitchen (although I'm not too sure they're wired correctly...;-)

The men 'discussing' the best way/Looking good Steve

The men work while Sean smokes AND cuts/What did I say?

Heidi waters pre-soaker hose installation/Nicole wires can lights

Margie S. wires can lights/Greg S. installs fart fan (Wed. Night)

Then afterwards we sat around and chatted about life, the upcoming study on grief and suffering and shared some great laughs. I think my brother thinks we're all a bit 'off' and aren't the usual small group members, but hey it works. Our group has always been a great blend. Without Leslie we've been trying to adjust to find our new rhythm and Tuesday went a long way in setting that back on course. I think we'll continue to find that direction again as we begin to face some of the issues, feelings and loss as a group in the upcoming study. Although I think it will be tough, I look forward to it and see the Lord stat work in us.

I'm looking back and realizing that this is turning into long entry and I'm not sure how/when it's going to end. Tomorrow is the baptism of one of Leslie's best friend's daughter, Claire Nicole who was given the middle name Nicole in honor of Leslie. I'm not really sure what I want to say about that, except I know she surely feels honored and I know she will be watching over us tomorrow. I thought I'd share that with everyone just because it's a big moment in that little girl's life to be brought into the family that Leslie so cherished being a part of and one that she helped me to reconnect with when we first met.

The Lord continues on. We come, we go, sometimes in a hurry, sometimes pacing ourselves but He is always is present. He gives us the ability to hope, to dream and to give thanks. All of these things I do today. I do them with you and I'm glad that Claire Nicole will be able to do that too.