This past Saturday was a great day that allowed me to peek into the future at what the finished product is going to be, it was another great weekend of work and progress. Although I saw forward I also had to take another step backward for future progress. All in all it has reminded me that a year ago Sunday, I took possession of this house and within literally ten minutes of the ink hitting the paper, I had a team of people pouring in to lay down cardboard to begin this adventure. All of this has lead me to think of the great things of the past and the hopeful ideas of the future.
Let's begin with the blessings. No less a blessing was the smaller crew on Saturday of myself, Ryan, Shana D., and Lola K. Going into the weekend I had no confirmed volunteers and I was prepared to go it alone, but these great folks came through. They cleaned the entire first floor of all the past 3 weeks dirt, sawdust and tools that were in the way of the staining and varnishing of the woodwork. While they were hard at it I was on the second floor taking out the last four walls of the original house. A truly bittersweet moment as I have tried everything within my power over the past 12 months to save the 'Pink Bathroom' as it came to be known (although it was really a peach tile - but that just adds to the story).
Lola sands the Dining Room ceiling beams/I make a mess
Me tearing into the last four walls of the original house
The destruction is everywhere/The tool of mass destruction
Before cleanup crew/After cleanup crew - AMAZING!
Painter in the kitchen/Their work on the 2nd floor
The 1st coat on the 3rd floor - primer and windows
The turning point of the bathroom's future status was when on the final day of testing the plumbing before the drywall went up the pan in the shower was found to have a leak. Due to the small, delicate tiles in the floor, it was essentially non-repairable and the whole shower had to come out. Even then I resisted tearing into in until I absolutely had to. Last Friday BH&G saw the opportunity and jumped on board to redo the bathroom. With that new plan, the walls came crashing down - literally on my head in some instances. It kind of felt good to beat the crap out of something after being delicate for so long in this house ;-)
So this was definitely a blessing in disguise and one that I'm sure Ellie will greatly appreciate as she grows up having more space and fixtures that are usable and can hold all of the hair products, makeup and perfumes I'm sure she'll be using. It also means that ALL of the walls are now insulated!
Then yesterday the flooring guy began sanding the second floor and will put the first coat of sealant on today. We should have refinished second floor floors by Saturday. The painter has put on the final coat on the second floor in most of the rooms and began priming and the first coat of paint on the windows in the kitchen. Then Brittany, Gpa and Gma VR and Greg (B's boyfriend) spent the ENTIRE day staining and varnishing the family and sun rooms - it looks amazing! The second floor is coming nicely and the kitchen isn't far behind. There are a few hangups in the kitchen, but all can be overcome. I really look forward to posting photos of those rooms for all to enjoy. There has been so much effort put into those areas by SO many people that it will be a small miracle that they are finished.
Gene the Flooring Guy looks for bad spots/He's VERY particular
That leads me to looking ahead and looking ahead as we leave a very difficult 2007 and jump into a very promising 2008. Although the last year began surrounded by a tough circumstance, it also began with great love, support and optimism by the people around me. I would never have believed it and I could never see it around me, but I was being pushed by those that loved me and those that I would meet throughout the year. I cannot put into words how humble I feel that so many have extended their hands in help, their arms in hugs and their ears for listening. Countless moments were spent being quiet together, even more were spent talking, laughing, remembering and reliving in this house, at church, over lunch, at get-togethers and at work. The family of supporters extends well beyond those that share my or Leslie's last names and for that I am amazed. I have spent an earlier post going through major dates and steps in this process and have just revisited that. Man that blows me away. So much has been accomplished in a short amount of time, and the cool thing is that so much more is ahead.
Within the next month I look forward to having paint in almost all my rooms of the house. I look forward to seeing appliances installed and I even look forward to doing my first load of laundry - and that is saying A TON! I look forward to making Ellie dinner night after night. I look forward to taking a shower in my own shower. I look forward to sitting in my couch and watching SportsCenter after Ellie has drifted off to Never, Never Land in her new. awesome, fantastic girly paradise of a room. I look forward to watching and then mowing the new yard and tending to all of the great new plants that were planted in the summer/fall of last year. I look forward to seeing Ellie climb all over her 'park' and hopefully having friends and family still come over to play 'food' with her by the sandbox. I look forward to tearing off the old siding on the kitchen and installing new shake siding and building a deck so I can actually use the French doors into the kitchen. I really look forward to my first grilling party in the summer.
I could go on and on about the things that I look forward to in the coming year but I can only do so because of all of the great love and support that everyone has given and continues to give Ellie and me. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay the sacrifice, the effort and the encouragement everyone has given over the past 13 months. I know that I will spend the rest of my life trying give back the love of the Lord that you have given to me. I may never fully accomplish sharing that love, but I will start with 2008 trying. I pray that everyone may have a great New Year and if you come across some adversity and need a shoulder to lean on, an ear to turn or a tool to rent - call me first.
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