end of construction

The beginning

Water authority came. Dug up our road. Plumber came. Put a new pipe it. Covered it up. Left a big mess. Gave us water. Hurray!

'Completed'

Mason's thoughts. "That's the biggest dirt I ever did saw!" - He's a cutie

On another note. Drew has been quite productive fixing random problems we never fixed last winter from our first pipe problem. Our kitchen is finally completed. Hurray again!

never a dull moment

I never updated about our crazy plumbing incident after the super high bill scare and the oh wait, God knows what he is doin' reminder.

We looked around with a couple different plumbers for prices and found someone that would do it for just a few hundred dollars more than what was in our savings... HUGE blessing! Obviously, that savings was for when I was home with Peyton not working, but we will see God answer that prayer later... Cause My God can. I'm not worried. :)

Basically, our main sewer line had a belly in it, so stuff was getting stuck and couldn't get out. So they have to replace the whole pipe in our front yard. So we waited on miss utility to mark up our front yard. Then it rained Tuesday and Wednesday. On Friday, our plumber came to replace the pipe. They dug up our yard (slightly overwhelming to see when I came home from work) and then realized there was a bigger problem. Apparently the pipe in the road that connects to ours in the yard are at the wrong heights. Whoever built our house did it WRONG and we have no idea how the sewer water hasn't been coming into our house. The pipe leaving our house apparently has to go uphill to fit in the one in the road... which is not correct.

ANYWAY, our plumber was saying it could be a good 10 grand to fix it due to the fact the road in front of our house has to be dug up. He called water authority and they came out and looked at it. They said they could have someone out here on Monday to fix the road's side of things... and then left. Drew looked at our plumber and said, "Does that mean free??" He said "I think so, you would be getting out your check book before they left if it wasn't."

Let's stress something for a minute. The plumber said he works with the water authority a lot, and they don't just do big things like that for free... That's God. No other reason for it. So hopefully our road will be dug up on Monday, and then Tuesday our pipe can be put in. It might be an extra hundred dollars or so just because of the extra time... but the 10 grand number... looks like that disappeared. My God loves me, that's all I'm saying. Although if we did have to pay that, I know my God still loves me, apparently He would have thought I just needed to learn some important lesson that I'm glad I don't have to learn! :)

All that to say, until then, my yard is dug up, and there is no water. So we packed up and moved in with my mom until probably Tuesday. Inconvenient. Yes. Worth it compared to alternatives. Absolutely.

Thanks mom for letting us and our puppy invade!


PS: I, along with most of you are probably wondering, "shesh, they always have water problems, and around the holidays too!" Well I am hesitantly reporting to you that I think we have covered most of the big water damage scenarios, so hopefully it will be the end. Or we might just sell before we see another!! ;)

Confession

The plumber came. We are still getting quotes but it looks pretty stinkin' grim. My initial reaction when Drew told me the news over the phone at Chuck E Cheese was tears. (Of course, what did you expect from a 32 week pregnant lady! For those of you who forgot, it was almost a year ago exactly that it was raining from our kitchen ceiling due to a bust pipe.)

I wanted to go to a corner and just pray. but I was with two kiddos in Chuck E Cheese.

My next reaction was fix-it mode. How can Drew and I lower our Christmas budget, should we ask for the remainder of our baby needs for Christmas presents so we don't have to purchase them? Should we stay home this weekend instead of going on our much needed over-night getaway this Saturday night... After all, we hear it's really good to get away for a few days before a baby comes, but is that wisest right now?

My mind has been wondering all evening how this delightful rather high bill is for our good. I know it is because my Jesus says it is, but sometimes reasoning is hidden for a time. I'm not a fan of that.

I  got out my journal, bible, and 'Jesus Calling' book at home. I think I have mentioned it before, but it's a pretty good book of reminders! Today's excerpt was the following:

Problems are part of life. They are inescapable: woven into the very fabric of this fallen world. You tend to go into problem-solving mode all too readily, acting as if you have the capacity to fix everything. This is a habitual response, so automatic that it bypasses your conscious thinking. Not only does this habit frustrate you, it also distances you from ME. 

 Do not let fixing things be your top priority. You are ever so limited in your capacity to correct all that is wrong in the world around you. Don't weigh yourself down with responsibilities that are not your own. Instead, make your relationship with Me your primary concern. Talk with Me about whatever is on your mind, seeking MY perspective on the situation. Rather than trying to fix everything that comes to your attention, ask Me to show you what is truly important. Remember that you are en route to heaven, and let your problems fade in the light of eternity.

Psalm 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with My eye.

Luke 10:41&42 - And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha,, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Philippians 3:20&21 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Wow. Way to slap me back into perspective. It's true though. I freak out about money and want to find ways to fix it... I think in that way I often limit my Jesus from showing up and doing something great, even if that is simply teaching me a life lesson.

I KNOW my Jesus is good. I KNOW He will supply all of my needs. I KNOW it will be in His perfect timing. Because He says so. In the mean time, I wait, & stay connected to what He is telling me to do, not what I think I need to do.

stinkiness

Saturday morning, Drew woke up to Katie yelling up the steps that there was water coming out of our bathroom... and laundry room... Dad and Drew cleaned it up and attempted to fix whatever clog there was without a plumber...

Sunday our house was pretty stinky.

Monday morning we called the plumber, and he fixed a clog in the main sewer line within a couple hours. Yay for being able to flush toilets and take showers again!

Tonight, while the washer was running, we heard gurgling noises coming from the laundry room. Sure enough... water was coming out of the drain again... and in the downstairs bathroom... Dumb. I had just washed the rug in there.

Tomorrow morning, we will be calling said plumber again and demanding asking him nicely to come back and fix the problem... for real this time.

FINALLY done... I pinky promise.

 So I think I mentioned that we redid the bathroom about a year ago. I love yellow, but had the hardest time finding the right shade. Even when we were done, I hated it. So last Monday and Tuesday I tried once more, to make my bathroom the cute, warm bathroom I wanted. I am thrilled to report I succeeded. Drew and I LOVE the new color, that goes with all the accessories we already had, except the rug. Yay for being officially finished with this room of the house. It sure took us long enough!

p.s. - no I did not take before pictures. I don't really care to remember it's former look. It's gone.

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend...

 Oh my what a weekend it has been! I have actually been looking forward to this weekend for a while now, because a lot of good things came with it. :) Here's my weekend at-a-glance:

- My sister and I decided that my mom's room needed a makeover. BAD. She has most of the house looking like she wants it, but all the odds and ends get shoved into what should be here haven... I believe bedrooms should be relaxing, inviting and cozy... does this look anything like that??

 - Not so much. So Katie and I chose to combine her birthday and Christmas gifts this year to make her a spectacular bedroom! Thanks to lots of planning, Pinterest (if you don't know what that is, you should. So ask me!), many trips to different stores, my wonderful husband, a certain adorable little girl barging in numerous times, and many breaks to snuggle with a certain adorable little boy and eat lots of birthday cake we managed to turn her room into what she hopefully refers to as a place of peace. phew that was a long sentence... moving on.

-Katie and I were pretty proud of how it turned out, and based on her speechless reaction, I believe my mom was as well. If not, well the theme of this project was what mom wants on her tombstone one day... "We tried hard."

- So all of those things took place all day Friday and Saturday, with a break in between to celebrate my wonderful Samshe's baby shower. Which by the way was a lot of fun. I sure am anxious to meet sweet little Kaehlen... She is going to be my baby's BFF by the way. 

- Speaking of which I am SUPER ecstatic for my Thursday appointment to see what my little baby is... Drew and I are both sick of calling it, well an it! It is a baby and deserves a gender specific pronoun and a name to go along with it!!

- Saturday night, after the unveiling of mom's gift, we went to my grandma's where we had an indoor cookout with family.... including Tennessee family that I never feel like I get to see enough! Mainly because I don't! That was fabulous.

- Sundays are always crazy for us in one way or another. Drew and I being in school prohibit us from relaxing much. We went to church, celebrated Dreama's 50th birthday, came home and worked on school for a couple hours, went back to church for youth group, and then had dinner with many dear friends. Sunday = long, but success.

- Today Drew cleaned pools and then went off to play disc golf... yes, in the rain. I had breakfast, took my time being lazy/getting ready for the day, did 5 loads of laundry, and headed to Lowes to pick out paint. This time for our bathroom. You see, we painted it last year, but it was a bright yellow that we were far less than thrilled with. So I told Drew I wanted it changed, along with many other to-dos before baby came. So I purchased paint, returned some things from Marshall's and headed home to attack the hideous yellow. Drew came home and helped me shortly after. :) *
      *Side Note- both times I've painted this weekend I have been in well ventilated areas. I do not believe that any baby was harmed in the projects of Labor Day weekend.

- We went to dinner with his parents and brother, and are now home to hit the books. Well, Drew is, while I blog... which is way more important. :)

- The best part is that I'm off tomorrow as well. Bring on more laziness, schoolwork, painting, and being productive.

I'm a fan of labor day weekend. A BIG fan.

Most Productive Date Weekend Ever [42]

This weekend I decided, that with no specific plans all weekend long, we were going to be productive. We have a to do list a mile long, and keep putting it off. Mainly because it isn't a list of fun things. The goal of the weekend went from cleaning out the fridge, to painting. ALOT., to taking pictures for the Wildflour Cafe's website, to caulking, putting crown molding up, grocery shopping, squeezing our niece and nephew that were in town for a few short hours, etc... You get the idea. We stopped with the house construction once all the big things were done, and as I predicted, we never finished. Welp this weekend I was determined to cross out as many things on that list as possible. We listened to music, took a few relaxing breaks, and worked hard. I'm proud to say that we accomplished a lot, and although we didn't finish, I think the end might possibly be in sight now. Shesh... I'm so over the flood of December '10.

While I didn't take any pictures of Drew and I working hard, I did get some great ones during the relaxing part of our weekend. You would rather see these anyway! 

In times like these I wish I knew Bob the Builder Personally

 Oh the things we have learned during these almost 4 months... Drew is becoming a jack-of-all-trades since having to figure out how to put our house back together. I am so OVER the mess, but am loving my renovated house (even though it was fine the way it was before!) The steps are half done, but other than that we only have the randomness to finish up... Unfortunately, since we aren't tripping over tools, we have majorly slowed down in the lets finish this thing and be done mentality we once had. Drew no longer wants to learn more 'trades'. He wants to pretend it's done. I have to say we are doing a fairly good job of it! I really don't want to have this big of a project almost finished for years. That would feel yuck. Hopefully we will get motivated again soon since we've had a little break. Time will tell.

Dare I relive this day...

I was looking through pictures I have taken throughout the house disaster, and figured I would post the process. It's coming along. slowly. We started painting the steps Saturday so once they are done the bulk stuff will be completed. Then all of the odds and ends need to be tied up. I keep seeing more and more little things that need to be done... but at least we aren't tripping over too many tools these days.

THE DAMAGE