Remodeling

Oh, remodeling. It starts with lighting and then you find yourself sitting in the living room with your feet on a cold cement floor with the furniture all moved to one spot in the house. You can't find anything and it all seems a little overwhelming especially since Easter is only 5 days away and you have a house full of people coming.

It's all good and it's what I wanted so I'm happy to see and hear and smell it all. I was so happy to rip out the 1974 harvest gold and avacado green linoleum out of my entire dining room but man did it smell and the glue they used back then, I can think of a few good uses for it, not on flooring that someone else will have to spend hours ripping out.

Painting with three kids was a breeze and they were all so helpful. I'm not sure I would have accomplished so much without them. Even Breanna was helpful. Justin and I ripped out the carpet in the living room and Marcus took out all the border wood that had nails sticking up. Give that boy a hammer and a crow bar and he can get things done. I love it.

Breanna and I took out the wood plank flooring in the dining room and kitchen and Marcus carried it out outside for us. Then the scraping and pulling and groaning started. Underneath the wood plank flooring was beautiful, fabulous, oh-so-instyle linoleum. Not. Luckily we have this great tool that scrapes and pushes it from underneath so you can get a big chunk and pull with all your might. If you're lucky it comes up in big strips.

There is this one stubborn spot almost in the middle of the floor that just wants to hold on. I tried different angles and was able to chip away at it little by little but I finally had to give up since my arms and hands were hurting so bad from all the other work I had done.

But, if there's one thing I am, it's determined. I will remove that chunk of linoleum, I will.

Remodeling is disruptive, it's messy, it's exhausting, and it can be overwhelming. Kind of like when life happens and things are shaken up a bit. When things are moved or ripped up we can see the hidden dirt underneath. Sometimes it has been there for so long it starts to smell. Sometimes there are layers that need to be removed and there is this one spot, right in the middle that has been protected and the glue has been preserved. It's a tough one. One we don't want to let go of.

I don't want to be so stubborn and determined that my heart is hardened to the good things that God has in store for me, to prosper me, not to harm me, to give me hope and a future. I have good plans for this floor but I have to remove that stubborn spot before new flooring can be installed. I cannot lay beautiful new flooring over a spot of old linoleum just like God cannot give us good things when we refuse to give up that one thing we're holding onto the most. It wouldn't make sense to lay something so beautiful and new over something so old and worn out. Every time you walk on that spot, you would feel what's underneath. It would be a constant reminder that something that was old, outdated and not useful or beautiful anymore was still there. It would remind me that the job wasn't done. I want the job done.

Makena Beach

Brandon, Nicole and Makena came up to visit us. Brandon was on leave since they just moved from Alaska and are on their way to Seattle. Having them in Alaska was like having them in another world. It's so difficult to get to Alaska and we're so thankful to have them in the "lower 48" now. Makena spent the night with us and oh darn, she didn't have the right shoes for church. I had no choice but to head to Target to get her new dress shoes. Oh, wait, did I just see matching dresses for Breanna and Makena? Well, yes, I did. I guess I better get them. It was bound to happen since I'm a sucker for matching dresses. I love when little girls match, right down to their bows.

This girl is smart! She continually amazed us with her wit and charm and how much she resembles her mother, beautiful, funny, friendly, sweet, loving, caring, inquisitive.

We took her to see Willy Wonka and I asked her what her favorite part was. She said when the girl blew up like a huge strawberry. She sat through the entire performance and didn't make a peep. We had so much fun with her and we look forward to when they come back to visit.

Willy Wonka, the Amazing Chocolatier!

The boy has found his passion. He's not the one we thought would go into theater and love to be on a stage but he did and he does.

This was his third play and when he found out it was Willy Wonka he set his sights on the highest prize, the lead role. Some didn't think he would get the part, but I had a feeling he would. He's tall, he's lanky and strange things come out of his mouth, sounds like Willy Wonka to me. We did get him a few acting and voice lessons to help him out and they did pay off. We looked up his first piano teacher, and she made all the difference. I'm glad we had her.

He loves every minute of theater, the rehearsals, the costumes, learning lines, everything, even the director who is a bit short with the actors at times, okay, most of the time, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

We are so proud of him. We're proud of all of our kids. We love it when they find something that they're interested in, something that motivates them, brings out the best in them. He found it.