Posts tagged with "New House"
This morning, I had a plumber come out to remove the toilet and faucet in our half-bath. When he removed the toilet, I noticed that the flange and wax ring looked quite corrded and worn away.
I was a bit confused, because I was told, to my face, that the wax ring on that toilet had been replaced to fix the leak in that bathroom. I paid for the wax ring to be replaced.
I asked the new plumber to estimate the last time the toilet had been serviced.
"Oh, I'd say it's been at least 20 years since this toilet was moved."
"So the wax ring wasn't replaced two or three weeks ago?"
(laughter) "Oh no, dear. This wax ring is at least 20 years old. Why? Was it supposed to be replaced?"
Well, yes, in fact. My contractor told me (more than once) that he had replaced it in order to fix the leak. The leak that was still present when we moved into the house.
This is not the only unsatisfactory experience we had with our contractor.
If you are in the Lafayette area and you are looking for a general contractor, a plumber, or a handyman, I would not recommend Bryan Wilkins for large, comprehensive projects. If you choose to work with Bryan, be sure set out very clear expectations and deadlines. Check in on him and his work frequently to make sure things are being done correctly. Good luck!
On a different note, we've still got many projects that we will need to complete at this house. For those of you in Lafayette, do you have any contractor suggestions?
Many of you have asked to see pictures of the new house. I apologize that I've been away from the blog so much. It has been crazy around here...to say the least. I've been busy from waking to sleeping every day. Thankfully, I have some results from my hard work to show you! :) I don't have the whole house ready for a tour yet, so I'm just going to do some Befores and Afters. Enjoy!
Well, go ahead, come on in... It's changed a bit since last time:
Entryway Before -
Entryway After -
Entryway Details (so far) -
Living Room Before -
Living Room After -
The tree (just for fun!) :)
The Playroom Before -
The Playroom During -
The Playroom After (Phase 1) -
Burke's Room Before -
Burke's Room After -
Guest Room Before -
Guest Room After -
(The rest of the bedrooms look just the same. :) I'll post more pictures once I get the decorated.)
And now I will show you where I spend 75% of my day and where I could happily spend the rest of my life.
The Kitchen Before -
The Kitchen After -
One of our wishes for our new home:
We're so thankful to count you among our friends! Stop by anytime!! There are many improvements still to be made, but we're guest-ready, and we can't wait to have you over. :) Our doors are always open. Thanks for sharing in the excitement of our new home!
I am not generally a worrisome person. In fact, there are many times where I am not worried enough. Except worry isn't the right word. Concerned would be a better word. I err on the side of being too non-chalant, too flighty, and too distracted. Therefore, possible worries are usually forgotten in short order.
Every once in a while, however, something takes hold. It can be a large thing or a small thing.
For the past two weeks, I've been increasingly anxious about the new house. Will the work be done in time for us to move in before the holidays? Will the prices come in at the expected level, or will we be dealing with a new and unexpected expense? How will I get everything done with two little kids around my ankles?
And on...
And on...
And on...
In the past couple of days, it has gotten bad enough that I haven't been able to quiet my mind in order to go to sleep at night. This is *so* rare for me that I knew something had to change.
Thankfully, I was able to be very clear and direct with our contractor last night and let him know my needs and expectations. I was overly anxious about the fact that he hadn't started any work yet (when I had expected us to start work over a week ago.) In his defense, however, we didn't have a final list of work to be done.
Anyway, last night he promised to get me a line-item quote, and he promised that work would begin today. I felt a little bit better since I had something conrete.
When I woke up this morning, I didn't have a quote in my inbox. Plus, when I stopped by the house to get something, there were no workers on the property.
All of a sudden, I was SO frustrated and anxious. I got in the car, and I just wanted to scream.
And then this song came on the radio. And instead of screaming, I was sobbing.
If a man who lost his daughter can still trust God in such an awe-inspiring way, WHAT was I doing fretting over a stupid new house??
And right after that one was this one. And instead of sobbing, I found myself whispering a passage that I didn't even know I had memorized. I didn't get every single word right, but I sure did get the idea.
And when the word of God speaks? I listen. Especially right after he sends me a song that leads me into a prayer asking him to speak.
When I got to my meeting this morning, we discussed worry, and we even looked at a small portion of that passage that I had recited in my car.
Sometimes God whispers.
And sometimes he doesn't.
Today, he was speaking pretty loudly, because I needed to get the message.
I made a decision, at 9:30 this morning, to absolutely let go of my anxiety regarding the new house.
And when I went back to the house at 11:30 (to get even more papers), a line-item estimate was waiting for me on the counter. The wallpaper in the dining room was gone. The trim around four of the windows was gone. The mess that Mike and I had made doing a little bit of work was cleaned up.
Work had begun.
Funny how things finally start to come together once I relinquish control and allow the Master to handle it all...especially since he's the best one for the job anyway.
I love how Eugene Peterson puts Phillipians 4:4-9:
4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. (Philippians 4:4-9, The Message)
Today, I am celebrating God. I am not worrying. I am praying, praising, and meditating on things that are good. I am doing my best to make it clear to all I meet that I am on their side! I am giving this day to God, because, when I had it for myself this morning, I was mucking it up in a royal manner.
He's doing a *much* better job with it. :)
How is your day going, friends? What are you struggling with today? What are you succeeding in today? How is God speaking to you? And what's he saying?
Our new house? It's a pile of crap! :)
Not really, but it needs SO much work. We met with our contractor tonight, and it's going to take every cent of our money just to fix the interior and a couple of things on the exterior. Ugh! It's not even the fun stuff like painting and flooring and new decks!! It's just new windows (to replace all the broken ones), new doors (to replace all the messed-up ones), and fixing electrical, plumbing, and jacked-up drywall! Ack!
I was really, really, really hoping we'd be able to get the entire interior painted, but I don't think it's going to be possible.
We'll keep you updated with before and after photos.
Oh! And...if you have any construction/handy-man work that needs to be done, we've been very impressed with our contractor so far. His name is Bryan Wilkins, and he's been very customer-conscious. We're excited to see what he does with the house!
Well, the house is ours! :) Our closing process was incredibly smooth, and we couldn't be more pleased with how this entire process has unfolded.
Welcome to our new home:
First, let me show you around outside. Come on over here. We'll go to the "backyard."
Now, let me warn you. This is not a traditional back yard. In fact, my mother laughs at me everytime I call it a backyard.
First of all, there's very little level ground. Our backyard is really more like our back ravine.
But our little ravine suits Mike and I just fine. Very little yardwork needed with this puppy! And we have grand dreams of building brand new decks that extend out past that old tree trunk. And that tree trunk? Well, we believe it will make one super-rockin' tree-house! :)
I can't wait to eat lunches and dinners on our deck, overlooking this:
In the few times I've been to the house, I've already seen three deer, squirrels, chipmonks, and tons of birds...right outside my back door!
But enough about the outdoors. (As many of you know, we're not outdoorsy people!) Let's go inside. Feel free to hang your coat in the closet. :)
If you shut the door and turn to the right, we can head toward the living room and the kids' playroom:
The playroom is straight ahead, and the living room is off to the right. Living room first? Sure! It's a really pretty room with three windows. It's even lucky enough to have one of the very rare south-facing windows in our home!
Let's head back out to the playroom.
This room is right between the kitchen and living room. During the day, when I'm working in the kitchen and laundry room, I'll be able to keep an eye on the kids. During the evening, they'll be able to play right next to us, assuming they don't want to play *with* us! :)
This room will obviously undergo quite a makeover. I'm not sure Burke would appreciate the chandelier. :) And we'll be taking the mirror down, as well.
Come on into the kitchen!
Go ahead and turn to your right:
Do you know what those are, my friends? Those are cabinets!! :) And if you turn to your left...
Yep! More cabinets! And more counterspace! :) We're removing those cabinets above the little island. (The two cabinets with the display area between them.) I think it'll open the rooms up more and allow more natural light into the kitchen.
If you walk into the next room, you'll see the laundry room on your left:
That middle cabinet? It's the drop-out point for the laundry chute! I'm dead serious! :) :) :)
Enough about laundry...come on into the dining room:
That door straight ahead leads into the garage. Sorry, I didn't take any pictures of that! :) However, if you go out the doorway on the left (that you can't really see), you'll head back toward the front door. In that little hallway, you'll find the half-bath.
It needs some TLC. However, all the tile work is in excellent condition!
How do you like that? :) I've got some refurbishing ideas for those fixtures. I hope they turn out as cute as I think they will!
Anyway...that's the downstairs! Would you like to go upstairs? Come along, then!
The stairs are a good example of the general state of disrepair in the house:
Thankfully, we've got a great contractor working with us to whip this ol' house into shape! Enough of the stairs, welcome to the second floor:
Here's the ugliest room in the house:
That should be fun to paint, eh? :) No biggie. It's just the guest bedroom. Mom, I might leave it this color to get you back for laughing at my backyard! :)
Across the hall from this room is Burke's new bedroom:
I don't know what color his room will be, but I know it won't be this dark blue. It doesn't look as good in person as it looks in the pictures!
If you walk a little down the hallway, you'll come to the extra bedroom. It's a really small room, so I envision it being the nursery for the foster babies! (Eeeek!) :)
Across the hall from this room is Ruby's new bedroom:
How cool is her built-in desk? I'm going to refinish it and make it a little reading/art center. When she's older, I'll convert it into a little make-up/vanity area. Eventually, I know she (and her future possible sister/s) will appreciate the extra space when they're getting ready in the mornings. One in the bathroom, one in the bedroom. :)
Across the hall from Ruby's room is the kids' bathroom/guest bathroom. This bathroom is mid-renovation. Our contractor is going to finish the tile work around the tub surround. That won't be the only work done, but it's first priority.
Finally, at the end of the hall, you come to the Master suite. Here's our bedroom:
If you turn around, you can see into the vanity/closet area:
Here's the vanity. It's getting a complete make-over! :)
Here are our closets. There's no way we have enough clothes to fill them up. We current share one closet this size!
And, finally, my favorite room in the house:
A deep, cast iron tub...perfect for relaxing and reading a book at the end of the day! :) I especially love the detail on the tile:
So, that's about it...you can head back into the hallway, now:
See the silver square with the circle in the middle? That's the laundry chute! :)
We are so glad you stopped by! We can't wait until all the work is finished so we can have you over for a party! We'll finally have room for more than six people at a time.
Thank you for all your prayers during this process. I cannot believe God laid this home in our laps. I never thought it would all line-up and work out. It's truly amazing. I can't wait to see how He uses these rooms. I'm already praying over the hearts that will be nurtured in this place. I'm already praying for the heads that will find rest on these pillows.
Thank you, God, for providing us with this home! We are so grateful.
Hey there! How are you all?
We're hanging in there. Burke has been sick since last Thursday, and he's been extra bad since Saturday. Today, he seemed to be getting better, as his temperature had dropped to the 99-100 range. However, he's having real trouble going to sleep tonight. A couple of friends have suggested that he might have an(other) ear infection. He literally just finished two, back-to-back 10-day rounds of antibiotics two days ago. So, if he does have an ear infection, then I'm not sure what to do next. :(
I talked with the Intake Coordinator of the Tippecanoe County First Steps program today. She will be coming on Monday afternoon to perform the initial interview. It's a really quick info-gathering meeting. Basically, we'll get the ball rolling and start getting Burke evaluated to see if he actually qualifies for any therapies or services. Oddly, I'm a little more nervous, now that we've started the official process.
As always, prayers appreciated! We'll keep you updated.
Our big girl has been quite the terrible two, lately. Ruby has been just slightly sick with a little bit of a cough. Today, however, she started running a low-grade fever (99-100). She's a bit cranky, but she doesn't seem much more terrible than usual. I think the cabin fever is bothering her more than the physical fever.
Today, while Burke was napping, Roo and I pulled out a large piece of cardboard...two feet by three feet. We started by drawing the usual suspects: Rover (the dog made out of an arm-less man who jumps into a lake to save himself from a six-pack of bees...ask me about it sometime), R-U-B-Y, B-U-R-K-E, M-O-M-M-Y, D-A-D-D-Y, etc... And then we did something really fun!
Ruby was rolling around on the cardboard, and I told her to lay still. I (sloppily) traced her body, and then she stood up to see herself. She was so tickled that we did it a few more times. I'm going to buy a big roll of paper, so we can do this more often. I remember doing it in elementary school. I always thought it was so neat! It was really fun to watch Ruby's excitement. She was really proud to show our masterpiece to KyKy and Daddy. :)
On a different note, she's really testing her boundaries and trying to throw her weight around. *Every* time she gets told "No" or "Not Now" or "Please wait a moment", it turns into a tantrum. Obedience is very much *second* nature. Disobedience is first.
It's a trying time, but she's got some incredibly tender moments, too. Gaining strength as parents day by day!
Did y'all know that we close on Friday? I think I may have mentioned that a time or two. :) We're really excited! We're meeting with the contractor right after closing. So...if anyone is available to babysit from about 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, we'd be incredibly grateful. I'm praying that the fevers are gone tomorrow morning, so the kids should be germ-less by Friday.
Finally, tomorrow is Operation: Fill the Focosi Freezer! :) I've got three (possibly four) yummy meals planned for them, and I can't wait to make them tomorrow. I'm making double batches of all of them to put in the freezer for our family, too. As soon as I get them cooked, I'll put the recipes in the Recipe section. I'll let you know how it works out. I've got three pounds of chicken, seven pounds of ground beef, four pounds of pasta, six pounds of cheese, and tons of other ingredients to assemble tomorrow. Pray that the kids wake up in GREAT moods! :) If nothing else, I'll get some good prep-work done. :)
I hope you're all having a great week. How are your families? Are you healthy? Is there anything I can pray for you about? Let me know if I can help. Love to you all!
Today was a good day. :) I started out by waking up after a nice, full, restful night of sleep. I've been waking up and tossing and turning a lot this past week, and I couldn't figure it out. I decided to wear warmer clothes to bed last night, and BINGO! I slept wonderfully ALL night! When the kids woke up early, it didn't even bother me, because I felt so ready to go.
I got some laundry done and the dishes caught up. I got my e-mails organized and sent out for Hearts in Motion. I spent some great time with a friend and her daughter. And that was all before noon! :)
I also got "back on the saddle." Or back into the kitchen, rather. I made a big pot of chili, a big pot of beef stew (so yummy!), and a couple of mini-meatloaves. Some for this weekend, some for the freezer. The promise of a new kitchen (with tons of counter space!) has really re-ignited my passion for the kitchen. I've been reading a couple of blogs that help inspire my culinary efforts. Christy Jordan's Southern Plate is a great blog that makes me wish that my momma had grown up in the South. I love my four seasons, so I wouldn't have wanted to grow up there. However, I sure don't mind learning all these Southern Favorites. :) Plus, I'm still following the Mitchell family as they attempt to make all of their food from single ingredient to final feast. Our Slow Food Start Date is about six weeks away!
Why six weeks? Well, we've received our offical time for closing on the new house!! We'll be meeting with the realtors and seller's representatives at 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 23rd. At approximately 3:00 p.m., the house will be ours!!! Ah!!! :) The contractor is set to begin work on Monday, October 26th. I'm not sure how long the work will take, but I'm assuming it'll be nearly a month.
We should be moved into our new home by December 1st...and that's when I'm going to challenge myself to slow down and serve my family slow food. :)
So, I spent a good portion of my afternoon cooking delicious food in my way-too-small kitchen...dreaming of a day when I will have more than four square feet of counter.
After Mike got home, I got the chance to go to the hospital and hang out with Amy and beautiful, beautiful Paige! :) They are doing very well! Just continue to pray that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. The newborn stage is certainly challenging, so they could use all the prayers and support we can give 'em. :) Paige is such a cutie-pie! She was gorgeous yesterday when I held her, but she's even prettier today! She's got really long dark hair. (Truly, her front hairs are down to the ends of her ears!) She's got the most petite little features, and her eyes are alert and bright. She's feeding and sleeping well, so pray that it continues. Also, Mike and Amy didn't get much sleep last night, so pray that they get some good rest tonight.
Anyway...it was just a super-good day. Now, I'm cuddled up next to my husband, and I can't picture a better way to end the evening.
Be blessed, friends! I love you!
Do you ever feel like the moments are slipping by faster than you can take hold? I feel like that right now. Thankfully, it doesn't happen too often. When it does, however, I feel a little panicked.
Like yesterday...when Ruby chewed a piece of gum for a solid two hours without swallowing it. The first piece she's ever tried, by the way. When did she get old enough to chew gum?
Or this morning...when I dropped Burke off in his classroom for MOPS, and he went to Seth without a single peep. Not a single peep! I think he's starting to move past the separation anxiety that has made my life a wee bit difficult the past two months. When did he get old enough to realize he doesn't need me every moment?
How about even earlier this morning, when I got an e-mail from our mortgage loan processor? She let me know that our house has passed appraisal. She's just waiting on one more bit of paperwork to get back from the IRS, and then we're off to Closing, which is scheduled for October 23rd. That's less than two weeks away!
And my friend, Amy? Today is her due date! :) She will be having her precious baby girl any day now, and I simply can't believe that it's been an entire 32 weeks since she told me she was pregnant. I can't believe it was nearly 8 months ago that she pulled me into her bedroom and said, "I need you to look at something for me." I knew she would be coming out of the bathroom with a pregnancy test, I just knew it. And now? Now she's going to be calling me any day to say, "I need you to come look at something..." And I'm going to go to a hospital and see a beautiful baby girl that I get to hold and love on in the years to come. And I'm overwhelmed... Is it really already October 13th?
Why yes...yes, it is already October 13th. Thanksgiving is six weeks away. Christmas is ten weeks away. The crisp fall air is here, and my deep freeze is begging to be stocked!
Time just keeps ticking, and I'm trying enjoy each moment. Right now, I'm praying a lot over my commitments, praying and making sure that my time is well shared between my family, my ministry, and myself. Praying that God is pleased with my time and how it is being spent.
This morning, at MOPS, we had a game day, and it was great. I got to meet new moms and play one of my favorite games, Catchphrase, for an entire hour! I love the little bit of "me-time." It was just enough to encourage me for the rest of the day.
I also saw a video made me want to speed up time a little bit. We watched a quick clip about Operation Christmas Child...a program that delivers Christmas gifts to children, hoping to show them the love of God in a tangible way. Looking at the faces of those children made me so anxious to meet Zach and Sarah's children! It made me so anxious to get into our new house and get settled, so we can begin the process of growing our family more! I know it is all happening according to God's timeline, and I'm (mostly) okay with that. :) I just don't want to be sluggish about showing people God's love. And I know that I, personally, am called and required to show God's love to children who do not have families.
So, today, I'm really aware of the moments of my days. I'm enjoying them and doing my best to make good use of them.
How about you? How are the moments treating you these days?
Remember when I told you that we accidentally bought a house? Well, we are so excited! Because that house? It's almost ours!! :) We're set to close on October 23rd, pending the appraisal. The appraisal is due sometime later this week. We don't expect any surprises.
I also wanted to clarify: We didn't really buy the house on accident. It's hyperbole, people. :) When we walked through this house for the first time, we really liked it. A lot. We simply couldn't see how it would end up working out. We very much wanted this house from the beginning, and we're thrilled that, to this point, it has been a dream-like experience. We have sailed through every step, even the ones that we thought would be major obstacles. We are so thankful. :)
And it seems that the impending move has had quite an effect on my psyche. I have re-discovered my love and joy in cooking and baking. My very small counter and my old appliances are annoying me, as always, but I'm trudging through and enjoy these house-wifely duties. I've been really on-top of my house-keeping duties, as well. I'm taking pride in my home and finding myself able to weather the small irritations much better. I kind of forgot what it was like to feel like this. I forgot why I was so gung-ho about being a stay-at-home mom in the first place.
Now, I'm remembering, and I'm pumped!
In fact, when we move into the new house, and I've got more room to maneuver, I'm considering an experiment...a major experiment. I think the Goodwin family might try to exist on a diet of only "slow food." A fellow mommy in the blogosphere, Veronica, is currently carrying out this experiment with her family. She just started, and she's documenting the entire experience on her blog, The Slow Food Experiment. I'm incredibly intrigued to watch her take this journey, and hers is one of the few blogs I'll continue to read and follow during my "unplugged" internet vacation. :)
(If you'd like to read a condensed version of what's involved, you can read her version of the rules. I'm excited to attempt the experiment, just to take the cooking adventure!)
Obviously, there is great potential for major health benefits with this method of cooking and eating. I highly aware that my family is not eating well, and I want to change that fact. Immediately. I'm thinking that extreme measures are in order. :)
Because my kids? They are totally worth it!
They are growing so fast. I took them shopping for their new fall shoes yesterday, and I couldn't believe it when the shoe salesperson measured their feet. Ruby is in a size 8, and Burke is in a size 4. He will be out of infant shoes in no time! And an eight?? An eight? Those shoes looked like such big girl shoes. I just can't believe how quickly the time is passing.
I am really starting to enjoy being a mommy again...a whole lot. The sappy, sickeningly sweet kind of enjoyment. I love it. :)
What's going on in your lives? What are you attempting? Any experiments you're considering? Any major life changes happening?
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