And that does seem to be what's been going on around here--a breather. Not really, but sort of. By that I mean that it feels like all progress on the house has come to a screeching halt. It hasn't; it just feels like it. We've still been plugging away, working on things here and there, but not with the same tenacity we used to work with. Or should be working with. Truthfully, I've just enjoyed living here. In the past couple of weeks we've gotten all of the odd jobs taken care of on this floor (except for some touch-up with the white paint), but mostly I've just been schooling children, doing laundry, getting ALL CAUGHT UP on the ironing (first time since moving in two months ago!), and cooking dinners and desserts--which is by far the best thing. I’m just LOVING being able to LIVE in a house that’s FINISHED and that’s my very own! It’s amazing how exciting it is to pull out a cookie sheet or a spatula or a potato masher (ha! –Had to throw that one in there because Sister Powell doesn’t own one!) and be able to cook dinner for my family. I am just soooooo happy to have a kitchen that is not only beautifully finished, but also fully equipped, functional, and efficient. I love it. And I love having a laundry room all to itself--and such a cute one. I love having my very own adorable little half-bath. I love it that James has an office to go to or be sent to (ha!) when necessary. I love having a real BED to sleep in again after so long on the floor--and in a cute and clean woodsy room. I love-love-love having a finished, furnished, warm and cozy living room to enjoy. In fact, I love it all so much that I just can't seem to make myself climb the stairs to the unfinished half of the house! It's pretty ugly up there... dirty, nasty bedrooms in need of a total re-do, as well as two bathrooms that are going to need soooooo much time and attention. Who wants to go up there and see all of the mess and have to think about all of that work when you could just stay in the nice and cozy downstairs that's all finished and livable?! It's just so nice. But alas, I'm going to HAVE to make myself get over it and go upstairs again one of these days. I've been saying that for two or three weeks now. Hasn't happened yet. I really need a kick in the pants to get me moving. But since I don't wear pants, oh well. I'll just keep enjoying this half of the house. Ha!
In other news, today has been a winner. I've been putting off for wa-a-a-a-a-a-ay too long the daunting task of changing the address on my driver's license. I'm used to walking up to the desk or perhaps waiting in a very short line to have such a simple thing done, but I've heard enough horror stories about the incredible lack of efficiency in Jefferson County (the line backing up out the door, down the sidewalk, and around the corner?!) that I had been fairly DREADING a trip to the courthouse. For whatever reason, I impulsively decided that today would be the day. It was a gloomy, rainy morning here. I like rain and enjoy being out and about on days like this. I think that worked to my advantage, along with the realization that apparently other people DON'T enjoy being out on days like this! The line was way longer than I've ever stood in for a driver's license before, but nothing like I had prepared myself for. I had to drive back home because I had forgotten to take cash and they don't accept cards (!), but once I got back I was in and out in one hour. My Mom says it's CRAZY that I was excited and happy to have stood in line for an hour to do such a simple thing, but after expecting to be there for the majority of my day I was thrilled with only an hour! In fact, when I got home I felt like I had the day off (I had expected to be gone and accomplishing nothing at the house all day anyway, right?!) so I sat and played games with the kids for a while. :-) What a great day.
This afternoon we went to the church to look at the new piano. That's been something that has been in the works for the past week or two. We are sooooo thankful to no longer have the electric piano that had begun flurbing out on us (we're not fond of electric anyway and were secretly excited when it started spontaneously jumping keys or switching to "organ" and things like that--ha!) so the church decided to get a real piano. I usually hate grand pianos (they look and feel way too stuffy and hoity-toity for my taste--like you're trying to show off or something--and I've never played one that felt right to me), but this one has a wood finish instead of the usual slick black and it's very pretty, but much less pretentious than the others. And it plays sooooo nice. When James played it just filled the building and sounded so rich and full and beautiful. ~sigh~ A real piano. We're blessed. :-)
In much more sobering news, Brother Powell called yesterday to tell us that Brady died. He got under a truck and was injured badly--they really had no choice but to have him put down. I just cried and cried when he told me--both because we loved Brady and because Brother Powell was crying (if that won't break your heart, nothing will!). We know all too well how much it hurts to lose a dog that you love. I feel so bad for the Powells. It's just no fun to have to go through this. Of course we all loved Brady, too. The kids all cried when I told them. We're thankful that we had a chance to know him for a year, anyway. He was such a good, happy, friendly dog.
It's strange. There were several other things I was going to write about but I suddenly don't feel like it. I scanned through my pictures to find a good one of Brady to add and ended up crying over him AND Charlie again! ~sigh~ For some reason God molded me to be a dog lover. It's a blessing and a curse! ;-) In any case, I'll call it a night.
Youth Convention this weekend. We're looking forward to it and expecting great things.
8 comments:
Here's your "kick in the skirt":-) State Convention is in July and you said you wanted to let people stay in your house instead of hotels. So there's your motivation. Ha! Of course there is BTI and Family Camp before then. :-) Just thought you'd wanna know that. LOL!
We GOT A GRAND PIANO...AFTER ONE BUSINESS CONFERENCE????!!!!!!!!!!
Miracles never cease to happen!!
We've been going over the shrubs/gate for 5 business conferences now!!!!!
So, so sorry about Brady. I only met him once but he was a sweet dog and I know all of you guys loved him a lot. My heart breaks for the Powells and their loss. :-(
Sister Tammy's right, you know. State Convention will be here before you know it. You'd better get on the stick. (Whatever that means?) Choose one of the bathrooms and one of the bedrooms to be first. Then get busy. Or, like you said, get all the ceilings and priming done first. Really, once that's done you have all kinds of options. And that's the biggest messiest job. Oh, I forgot about your 20+ doors up there. That's a big one, too. It all seems so daunting, but making the initial move is the hardest. Once you finally START, you get more motivation. I know. It's been my hang-up with my studio/office for the past 4 years. Now I've started and everything's a terrible, horrible mess up there but I'm on my way finally.
So happy about your new piano at church! I don't like electric pianos either. The only thing I like about them is the transposing feature. That's nice for those of us who play in a limited number of keys. I look forward to seeing it the next time I'm in town.
Sister Tammy, that kick already came yesterday when James talked to Jeremy Wallace and heard the list of people that will be staying at Sister Fender's house for Youth Convention this weekend. Somehow it never occurred to me until then, but I suddenly thought, "HEY!!! I could be keeping people at my house, too--if it was ready!" Then I added up the weeks until State Convention (not nearly enough) and now have something to make me want to RACE upstairs and get to work! ...But not until after this weekend. ;-)
I thought the same thing about the piano--AMAZING! They passed to "do research" on some pianos last Wednesday night, found a FANTASTIC deal--about half price--on a beautiful little grand on Friday (looked at several uprights, but this was soooooo much better and not much more $), other church folks went to look at it on Saturday, Brother Hopkins called us into business conference Sunday morning (immediately after Sunday School!) and it was passed to buy it, had it purchased first thing Monday morning and delivered yesterday. That HAS to set a record for efficiency in Bessemer. Ha! I'm still waiting for the sample shrub to show up for everybody to inspect. Hahahahaha! :-)
Mom, I'm going to really, really try to get clicking upstairs this next week. After I get all caught up on the laundry and ironing after this weekend, that is--I KNOW I don't want to fall behind in that again! Doors, doors, doors. I want to start with that and get it over with. And the bathrooms. I'm going to pray for God to somehow bless our labors and help us to get the upstairs done MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more quickly than we did the downstairs--so we can keep people here during Convention! It WILL take a miracle. But God can do that, right??? :-)
The only thing about a grand piano as versus an electric is that it will never be moved for any Plays. It will just sit there...in the way.
HA! Leave it to you, Sister Tammy, to think of something like that. :-) Just console yourself with remembering that you have a lot more song services and altar calls than you do plays. :-) Or, only have plays that incorporate a grand piano. HAHAHA! Wait. I don't suppose there was a grand piano in the stable where Christ was born, or next to the tomb He came out of at the resurrection. Okay, having a grand piano will definitely present a challenge--but it will surely be worth it, won't it???
Ha! Ya'll know I'm a "two song then listen to preaching" kind of gal. :-) I'm sure all the piano players will love it.
I suppose we could cover it with a large green cloth to turn it into a hill during plays. (I try to be flexible. LOL!)
HA! I think the piano will make a GREAT hill for plays. Maybe we can make some flannel sheep to tack on to the green fabric to make it even better. Or we could make the piano into a great big tomb at Easter time and "Jesus" could crawl out from underneath it! ;-) Flexible is good. If we could ALL learn to be more flexible we'd be surprised at how good "the other guy's" idea may work out after all! Ha!
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