people who encourage us

For the last week and a half...the kids are getting dropped off at our new building project by the bus. I find a little spot for them and they work on homework and then it's movie time for them and work time for us. Donovan had all of last week off so we started our days there around 7:30 and stayed long into the evenings. Depending on how well the kids did.

We've had some people along the way who asked to come help....like Donovan's parents, my sister, and in the above picture Aunt Gloria. Wished I could have gotten more pictures of all of our fine help. We also had the huge blessing of having different people take Suzy for the entire day so we would be able to work "3 year old free." As in no distractions! :) Thanks Marlys, Mom, Arlene, & Charlotte! I know Suzy had way more fun being with friends & family rather than painting with us.

And then we got the call that our entire small group wanted a project and was willing to come and work, including bringing dinner!

What a huge boost...physically and emotionally to have this group there that evening. Rose cordinatted a meal and it was so very delicious. We are so blessed to have this small group in our life!

Al and Jake (2 pictures up) worked on plastic sheeting on the the basement walls, Ed and Jb worked on storage/canning shelves...with a little help from Mussie, Noah, and Ryan.
Donovan was working on everything in between....breathing in the paint fumes all the while.

Jason worked on electrical and putting up light fixtures.

Norm was helping on that project of lighting/electrical.

Here's the whole group...well almost....just a few couldn't be there. I love these people!!!

Here's the living room with the finial coat going on the ceiling. Thanks Ed for the use of the scaffolding.

In the midst of this crazy time in our life...came our annual Ikea trip to Chicago. I was feeling like I would need to sit this year out...but Donovan encouraged me to go. I didn't hesitate. It was one night of pure fun, laughter and girl time. Much time was spent eating, a little sleeping, building friendships, and quite a bit of shopping. :) All things I L.O.V.E.!!!

quote of the day comes from my step-mom who stopped in the night we had our small group there for the work night.
Khankeo: "Billie, (My dad) we gotta get a new small group...one that doesn't take their teeth out at night."

I think she'd like some canning/storage shelves made.

scaring people with your glass eye

This post is dedicated to my first cousin, Steve. The whole thing....I'm just gonna talk about how awesome I think he is!! I love his wife, Jane too...but this time I'm just gonna talk about him.

About 3 months ago Steve was working and while using a nail gun he nailed some wood and a splinter of wood came shooting out and went into his eye. He was taken to the hospital and then later transferred to another bigger hospital with a specialist who evaluated his injury. It was decided that he needed surgery, and at the time he was hoping for partial sight someday. It was a very scary time for him and his wife. Months later after the healing and more doctors appointments it has been diagnosed that there will not be any sight in that eye and now it is affecting the health of the good eye. So this week on Friday my sweet, funny, cool, awesome cousin will be having surgery to remove his eye. After the socket heals he will be fitted for a glass eye.

Last night we were at Steve's parents house (my aunt and uncles) for dinner.....and I was blown away by his attitude in all of this. He chooses joy. He chooses humor. He keeps it light, and just remains fun and FULL of life. I know he has had some very hard times, ups and downs...but he has remained optimistic. Last night several times he would make jokes with us about us being on his "bad" side and how he can't see us. Making jokes and just being so stinkin' funny.

Last night I asked Steve to tell me the story about when the accident happened...and he was telling me "yeah, and then that's when the splinter of wood went into my eye and it was bye bye retina forever..." There were so many times when he would make jokes and he was just his happy, fun loving self. I just sat back in awe of how he handles it. I know I would probably be having a pity party for myself. I would be thinking of all that was lost. He was focused on the good eye he has and the positive. He kept sayin' how fun it's gonna be to scare little kids with his glass eye. He also said him and his friend text back and forth and when ever they write "I" they spell it "eye." See what I mean?? ...this guy is a nut. I love him for it.

I'm ashamed that it takes situations like this for me to see how blessed I am. I can sometimes get so caught up in my day to day irritations or frustrations to realize how very very blessed and good I have it. I think the best medicine for getting so caught up in our own life, being so self focused, and the things we want to change or the things that frustrate us...is to get caught up in your family and friends. Be with them and walk through their day with them. It's a lost art of sitting together around a table and sharing a meal with your family. Unless it's a holiday. I'm guilty of not making time for my family and friends. I hope to make strides of being caught up in my family.

So if you think about Steve, pray for him will ya? He's a great guy and facing a major life change this Friday.

f a l l

So very very difficult to get 4 little faces looking at the same thing, all smiling...nearly impossible. But we had fun in the leaves anyways!

These little people make our evenings so fun (full but fun!!) I love to hear their laughs and excitement about all the little things.

This was just before we left for a Dr. appointment for Suzy to have her arm rechecked today. Love fall. Love this warm weather. Love the colors, Love this little girl!

Suzy is now cast free! Thankful she has healed and that we can be done with casts!

hand me a hammer will ya?

Because some of you asked....here we go onto our building project updates. I hate to bore you with more constructions pictures...but some relatives would like to see. Now mark my word the closer we get to the completion the less pictures you will see. Because I really expect that you will want to come in person to see the end result of our wild idea to build again. And hopefully you will bring baked treats when you come see the finished product. I'm just sayin'.

The stone was started on Thursday of this last week.

The electrical and plumbing are done, also the insulation is done. A crew came in and did the whole house last week. On Saturday Donovan, the kids and I did the insulated the garage ourselves..saving just a bit of cash. Drywall will be hung on Tuesday and the drywall mudding will start by Wednesday this week.

This is an open concept living room/kitchen. This area on the left will be the living/T.V. room. The windows to the very right will be where the kitchen table will be.

This is the area where the future kitchen will be. The window faces the front yard. The other side of the room will have room for a kitchen table with windows facing the backyard.

In our bedroom....looking in to the bathroom. Closet on the right and bathroom sink, commode, and shower on the left.

The place I can not wait to be the very first night we move in. I am a bath person. In fact I can probably count on one hand the # of showers I have taken in the last year. I know this fact of soaking in your dirt grosses some of you out...but I'm not sure why. I heart bath time so much. In fact most nights when we go to work over at the building site...I sit in the tub (seriously) and dream about the way it will be to have a soaking tub. Not to worry I leave all clothes on.

The back view of the house.

The back patio was also poured in the last couple of weeks. I look forward to hosting all of my blogging friends to a BBQ in the coming summer.....so how will I know to invite you if you don't comment?? Hmmm...good question!!

This is a bonus room over the garage that will be Suzy and Isabella's room.

The stairs going up to the girls' room....to the right is a small room that will be a home for lockers that Donovan's is building. These lockers will store...hats, backpacks, mittens, coats, boots, etc. To the right of this room would be the stairs going to the basement.

This is not the entire tour....I'm baiting you...if you want to see the rest...well you have to give me a call. :) Tee hee....

Quote of the day:
At supper the other night.
Donovan: "this soup is worthy of every accolade."
Jack: "aren't you being a little dramatic right now?"

Well...well...well...Jack's heard that phrase before...mostly because he seems to be the most dramatic in this family.

cheeseburger trees

Last night we got an email that my favorite uncle in Ohio had suffered chest pain this last week and severe pain yesterday morning. He was taken to the hospital, the Doctors had discovered earlier this week that 3 arteries are close to 100% blocked. He was in the midst of making a decision if he wanted #1 do nothing. Or... #2 Have surgery. Because of the severe pain he experienced yesterday morning and because of his health being a good candidate he is having triple bypass surgery tomorrow.

He is one fun guy! With him...I always pick up right where we left off the last time we talked. This is one guy who doesn't act his age...Uncle Leonard is 89 years old! You'd never know it if you spent any time with him, he seems he is starting his 60's. He loves to harass me and I love to give it back. He also loves to pick on my boys and they love it too. He has a nick names for both of my boys...Jack is "fritz" and William is "shorty." For some reason he leaves the girls be. Jack got his name about 4 years back. This was before I knew what a turd he was. And I would love if he reads this and gives me his feedback on my choice of word for him. :) We had spent the night at my aunt and uncles (before my aunt died) and while she was making eggs and toast we were at the table talking. Uncle Leonard spoke to Jack and said, "Hey fritz will you pass me the butter?" We thought the poor guy was losing his memory, going senile, or maybe starting Alzheimer's....and forgot Jack's name. So Donovan and I looked at each other wondering if we should correct him or not. Donovan did. He said, "well actually Uncle Leonard...our son's name is Jack." He said, "yeah, o.k." So pretty soon he called Jack, "Fritz" again. By this time we are thinking the guy is really going into memory loss here. After the 3rd time he smiled and then we knew this was his game. He had been playing us. Which is great. I can play along. That weekend is when I got to know him in a better way...and have loved trying to get the best of him. I remember my sweet Aunt Wilma on that weekend...apologizing for him and saying, "he just likes to have fun...I hope you aren't offended." Occasionally Aunt Wilma would nudge Uncle Leonard and tell him to ease up on me. I assured Aunt Wilma I could take it and love it! Just thinking of her sweet spirit makes me miss her even more. I sure don't wish her back...I'm sure she is enjoying the sweet presence of Jesus and her siblings...one of her sisters being my mom, Faye.
After being with Uncle Leonard we spent some time visiting with my cousins. There was a great sitting area for family to use just down the hall from my uncle in the hospital. I love these people. I love connecting with family, it's too far and few between. It was flattering for me that these people take time to read up on us through my blog. They had known about Suzy's fall, our building project, and everything else happening the last few months. My disadvantage is that...I can't keep up with them.

This is Karen and Sharon...twins of my Uncle Leonard and Aunt Wilma. These sweet ladies took the kids down to the gift shop, to the cafeteria for ice cream, and to the play area to burn off some energy. They also got to take turns just pushing elevator buttons to random floors. It's like a dream come true to anyone under the age of 10. How sweet to visit without interruptions.

This is what was happening before their field trip with my twin cousins.........running, hiding and horsing around, and potential for fighting to break out at any given moment.

In one attempt to settle the restless natives....I let the 5 year old loose with the camera. Here is one picture that actually turned out pretty good. A view from the 8th floor of the Toledo Hospital.

One last hurrah before heading back to the cabin of our white mini bus....

What a beautiful day for a road trip. We saw some really pretty sights there and back. So glad we were able to go and spend time with my Uncle and his family. It's far and few between that we take days like this and life is just too short not to make time for your family.

quote of the day:
For lunch we stopped at Burger King today and after inspecting his sandwich...this came from the backseat....
William: "Dad, if I plant these seeds on top of my hamburger bun, will it grow another one?"
Donovan: "You mean another cheeseburger?...William, cheeseburgers don't grown on trees. You've never seen a cheeseburger tree, right?"
William: "NO DAD! Like just the bun...does it grow in a garden? Can I put the seed in a garden and grow a hamburger bun?"

all the braces

A couple of months ago when we were cutting trees at our property...Donovan twisted his ankle. That condition (Peroneal tendonitis) has not healed after 2 months & visits to the Dr. He now wears a brace...hoping to stabilize it enough so that the tendon will heal and he will not have to have surgery.

Last week on Friday...Suzy was showing a little boy I was babysitting her loft bedroom up these stairs....

At first when we moved into this cabin....I required her to tell us when she was coming or going up the ladder so we could help her. We let go of that...because she had been doing well at maneuvering up and down. But on Friday...she came down, like she usually does by herself...and fell all 7 feet onto the wood floor, landing on her little face. Her hand was underneath her. I couldn't believe she didn't bruise her face or injure it more! Praise the Lord for protecting her. She did bleed inside her mouth for a little, cutting some of her gums...but her teeth were still all in place! She nursed that hand for the next 2 hours and would not use it. So we took her in to the Dr. and found out she fractured her wrist.

So now her and daddy have matching braces.

Something she is proud of.....me? not so much.

She will have this air cast for the next 3-4 weeks. The Dr. chose to do an air cast because when putting a plaster cast on a child this little, after not using the arm for 2 weeks the arm shrivels up so much often the cast will fall off. I was so thankful for this Dr. and her knowledge and the fact we can take this cast off and wash her arm and dress her easily. I am praising GOD for protecting her. It could've been so much worse!

quote of the day:
Suzy: "mommy, girls aren't supposed to spit!"
this may or may not have been she witnessed me.

moving in....

....the right direction.....

Did you think I was going to say we're moving in?

no no no..silly. But every day we go to see the process and how it's coming along. And it is so hard to leave. I love being there. Love to watch the progress. I'm wondering if we should just pitch a tent? I love camping! Do you think CPS would notice?

Yesterday the well was put in. What a process.

Jon who helped with the framing process...is working on a circular tray ceiling for our bedroom. He did such an awesome job of doing it just like the picture I found in a Better Homes and Gardens. Amazing. It was his first one ever he had done.

The windows are now in...the framing is done and the heating and cooling were started today. Electrical and doors tomorrow. I think by the weekend we should be ready to pack it up and move over.


quote of the day:
after school Jack: "I bet since it was raining they couldn't work on the house, could they mom?"
me: "yes, actually they did Jack!"
Jack: "what did they do? Didn't their shoes get all muddy?"

O.k. didn't make the quote of the day for the humor, just for his sweetness.