First Glimse of Normal

Front of the newly landscaped house!

Hey y'all. Sorry for the delay since the last post. I know that I mentioned putting up photos of the finished work from the 'planting day' after everyone had gone home. I have had an extremely busy couple of weeks at work and have not been able to keep up on the blog. So I hope to change that and keep you all informed in a more timely manner. A quick synopsis, we're still moving forward and albeit slower than anticipated to date, we're making progress and today's efforts with plumbing has gotten us pretty close to inspection day, but that's for later discussion. Let's see the great work that a huge crew completed two weeks ago (or was it three already?!).

The completed flagstone patio/Front right with plantings

Left side with plantings/Front up close with plantings

A great view of 'My Park'/Back right bed of back yard

Back left bed of back yard - 2 shots, it's that large
Bed along side of garage/Filled out front bed along the street


Now I'm sure there are a few of you wondering what the heck I mean by the title of this blog entry, well I'll let you in on a few things. First, and I'm not sure you care, but I usually think about these entries long before I put finger to keyboard. I stew on the events and most times feel a certain 'message' comes out of my thoughts that I base the entry on. Therefore, I usually have the title of the entry done long before I type the first letter. I know that's somewhat backwards from what we all were taught in Freshman English class, but that's how I roll - I got the plan before I even start usually.

This time was no different, it just so happened that it took forever for my schedule to open up enough to take the time to post. So on to the second point of defining the title. As I was walking around the house that evening after everyone had left, I was taking photos and the image at the top was the third photo I took. I remember vividly seeing that image through the lens. It was so striking that I had to take a double take.

I took a second look because for the first time I saw a finished house. I couldn't believe it and had to look without the lens in front of me to make sure my mind had actually seen what I thought it had. From the point of reference I was at I saw the finished plantings, the edge of the house, the trimmed back and newly planted trees perfectly framing the brand-new play set in the back yard. The grass had recently been mowed so it was a clean field of green in front of what seemed to be a finished back yard. It was amazing and I can remember it as clearly today as if I had seen it this afternoon and not three weeks ago.

I was honestly caught off guard by the moment. In my head I see unfinished walls, an ever-growing list of to dos, a huge yellow construction dumpster to name only a few. In my mind the process is so far from complete it is sometimes overwhelming, but here in this unexpected and brief moment, I saw a home that a family could live in. For the briefest of seconds I heard children giggling and having a great time on the swings. I could smell the steaks cooking on the grill. It was a moment that I have held on to for myself until now. It has given me a glimmer of what could be and a reminder of why I took this project on. It may not be exactly as I envisioned as I signed the papers of ownership on January 6th, and it still may evolve into something different still, but it was a good vision that I was given. It was one that warmed me and made me appreciate all of the things I've been given.

I don't know if I have expressed clearly or completely what this event and that day's completed work means to me, but I've tried to give you a glimpse of the moment of joy that I had. It was one of the very few that I've had since November 13th and it would never have been possible without your thoughts, prayers, help, time, expertise, generosity or love.

Thank you.