Paint! Encouraged! Thank you, God...

Happy Father's Day (a little late)!  Rocking chairs...

Daniel wanted his own turn!



This red-tailed hawk killed a baby bunny...This guy hangs around here a lot...



Rabbits gave our newest green beans a hair cut...our rope
-- aka, snake -- doesn't seem to be fooling them!

Sunflowers are starting to take off!

Marigolds

The watermelon plants are also starting to take off...the cantalope (top of pic) just don't seem to
be growing so I just gave them a dose of organic fertilizer to see if that will help...

The radishes grew faster than we expected -- and faster than we can eat them! 
These are getting too big!

Our first green bean plants are getting little beans!  We LOVE fresh green beans!

A job for the kids -- clean off the extra exterior trim
that we didn't need so we can return it...

A late night trying to clean up after the drywall guys so we can start painting in the morning.

Drywall dust is such a mess!  Trying to keep a little humor...

Jasen has been a huge blessing to us and we thank God for that! 
Scott and he loaded up the trailer he brought over and recycled a load of aluminum siding.



Jasen priming the walls with the sprayer...



Scott getting ready to change buckets for the sprayer...

Primed and ceiling painted...

Foyer primed and ceiling painted...

Family room/breakfast area ready for paint...

Here we go -- laundry room getting painted -- brown teepee...ie, tan...
It's amazing how much these guys are getting done today! 
The right tools makes such a difference!

Jasen sprays and Scott back-rolls...

The "stilts" are a great idea!  It really helps to reach near
the ceiling without having to bother with ladders.

Going back over the ceiling to paint the tan overspray from the walls...

"Ocean View" blue in the school room/library/office...

Mary Beth was so kind to watch the kids ALL DAY today while we painted...
I picked them up and brought them over to see all that we accomplished
today (Daniel fell asleep in the van on the way over). 
They were excited to try on their own masks! 

Discouraged...ready to be done...

This is not a sprint, but more like a marathon!  We were pretty discouraged a few nights ago when we came over to check on things...this is what we found.  We thought demo was done, but the drywall guys pulled down more...

When the drywall crew pulled down the bathroom ceiling, nothing was left to hold up the insulation -- insulation that we just paid to have put in...I want to cry...Renovations are sooooo much HARDER than new construction.  I'll build a new house any day!  I don't see how we can ever move in here in just 3-1/2 weeks!

Someone broke one of the step treads off that we can now not find...this looks like such a disaster.

Upstairs hallway ceiling...nice...

More new insulation that we just paid to have blown into the ceiling that got ripped out...

This place is such a MESS....but....we really do like the drywall crew.  They did work for us before on our last house and they did an EXCELLENT  job.  Seamless.  But...they found additional parts of walls and ceilings that needed to come out which means more work and money for us...We have no idea how all of this is going to get done.  Crying out to God for help and strength.  We are so, so tired.  This has been a physically exhausting year!  Praying for favor from the rental house owner and a two week extension (he hasn't responded to Scott's two emails).  We passed our last inspection until the final one - praising God for that.  We haven't seen any snakes in the last month I think.  I just recently spread a 40 lb bag of pelletized lime around the backyard and house.  We've heard from a few people that snakes don't like the lime.  It's cheap - I think I'll go get a few more bags! 

We finalized the trim and picked up the kitchen sink today (Friday).  Scott ordered the hardwood floors (white oak).  The cost we've gotten on the wood floors is not much more than decent carpet, so we've decided to do hardwood flooring upstairs too (even though it's plywood and particle board for the subfloor - the floor guy said it would be OK especially since it's upstairs).  We didn't want to rip out any more of that particle board flooring - been there, done that on the first floor!  We have a friend coming tomorrow to help us paint with a sprayer...yea!  We need to cover and tape all the windows tonight.

One more thing - the original owners stopped by yesterday while Scott was there!  We heard they were still in the area, but were too scared to invite them over because we didn't want to offend them with all of our demo/changes!  We didn't know how they would react to all that we've done.  However, they drove out to see what was going on and were so positive and encouraging.  I'm sorry to have missed that!  Scott said they stayed for an hour and a half telling him the history of the property and stories.  The husband and wife are 88 years old and doing great!  Scott also said they were so happy that a "young" (are we still considered "young"?!  ;-0  ) family bought the place and were sad when they saw it deteriorating with the last owner and then go into foreclosure...We look forward to getting to know them and thank God for their unexpected and encouraging words - we needed it after the discouragment of the night before!

This was from my reading this morning...so timely...

"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me...I trust in the LORD...(you) have set my feet in a spacious place...Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress...But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.'  My times are in your hands...Let your face shine on your servant...How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you...Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD."  ~ Psalm 31

Drywall! Four weeks until our rental lease is up...

Mike has done a great job redoing the back deck using the old wood (it would look funny with new)...We think the deck looks much better than it did with the two levels...We like simplicity!



It was exciting to come back after 3 days being gone and seeing what the guys have been up to...lots of drywall put up and taped!  Kitchen table area looking towards the kitchen...



School room/office/library

Kitchen

Master bedroom...we decided against the bigger walk-in closet to save space in the adjoining dining room (behind this wall)...We'll have these two smaller closets - time to get rid of stuff!

Dining room

The guys demo'ed the two upstairs bathrooms while we were in D.C.
 -- VERY hard work -- and removed all of the carpet and padding...yea!

This was the "pink" bathroom...this cast iron tub weighs a ton!

Scott and Connor took 3 heaping loads of the bathroom
demo to the dump...That should be the last of it!  ;-)

Taking a few days off to visit our nation's capitol...Washington D.C.....

Scott had a conference in Washington D.C. for a few days, so the kids and I headed up to take in some sights.  I use the TripAdvisor website a lot when planning trips and it highly recommended "DC By Foot" - a free/tips based walking tour of D.C.  They actually have three tours available and we did two.  Highly recommended!!!  This first one is "More Than Just Monuments" - we started at the Washington Monument, then headed to the WWII Memorial.

It was so interesting to learn about some of the design elements of the memorials and monuments during the tour.  For instance, the statue of Freedom on top of the Capitol building is 19'6" tall.  No other statue can be taller than "Freedom" - Jefferson is 19'.  Moving water is a symbol of life and hope, while the still water is for reflection and remembering the dead.  The WWII Memorial has both moving and still water.

Vietnam Memorial...the designer wanted the stone to be highly reflective to be as "human" as possible - you see yourself.  It also starts and ends in the middle in a "V" shape.  Every name of the missing and dead is listed on the stone - it's an overwhelming list of names.

Lincoln Memorial

It was a hike getting over to the Jefferson Memorial because you
have to walk around the enormous Tidal Basin, but it was definitely worth it.

Tidal Basin, cherry trees, and the Jefferson Memorial

Korean War Veterans Memorial...19 soldiers, representing a squad on patrol...
one of them is "looking" at you wherever you stand...

Our tour guide suggested going to the top of the Old Post
Office tower to take in the views...so glad we did!



At the top of the tower...



Old Post Office from the front...that's the tower we went up in...

Even though the kids and I were exhausted from our tour of the memorials/monuments earlier in the day, we met up with Scott after his conference for our second tour, "The Lincoln Assassination".  Very well done and so informative.  We started in front of the White House where people are exercising their First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

Our tour ended at the Ford's Theater - where the sad death of Abraham Lincoln occurred...

Next day...let's look at some American art...don't think I've ever
been in this particular museum - it's kind of off the beaten path, but near our hotel...

The Chinatown arch...The "Friendship Archway", built in 1986, and a gift from Beijing...

Scott finished his conference...off to the National Archives.  It was packed!  We got to see the three main founding documents...the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights...Wow.

Photo out of order...the Old Post Office at sunset while on our Abraham Lincoln tour...

One of our favorite pieces of American art...
this painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart in 1796...

Scott really wanted to visit the new visitor's center at the Capitol, but it was closed for the day...We took a beautiful walk around this beautiful building....We pray for our leaders -- for God-loving and God-fearing men and women to seek Him for wisdom and discernment...

*******

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14 ~

Majestic view of the National Mall...Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
with its 13 horses and the Washington Monument...

As we were walking around the front of the Capitol, we saw this massive group of intimidating looking vehicles and agents with very large weapons.  We waited a few minutes to see what would happen when everyone/thing started moving.  It was an impressive operation!  Afterwards, one of the secret service agents said the vice-president had just left the Senate chamber.  Wow!

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address...full of words crying out to and acknowledging the one true God...
*******
"...Fondly do we hope--fervently do we pray--that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether"

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

Acknowledgement of God is everywhere in our nation's capitol...

Powerful words..."Freedom is not free"...Whether it's our freedom in Christ - He gave His life for us -
or our political freedom - so many Americans have sacrificed and died for our freedom.

"ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF LIBERTY"

Hmmmm...something to ponder...

U.S. Botanic Garden
*******

Grateful for being able to spend more time in our nation's capitol...so much to see and experience...Grateful for my freedom in Christ and the freedoms we still enjoy in the United States of America...Looking forward to coming back...

*******

"...Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever."  ~ Jeremiah 33:11 ~