Texas Visit

This has been a fantastic visit. Air travel was uneventful which was a blessing. Mary Nan treated me royally, as did my other host family, Debbie and Mike Murray. Unfortunately, Mike was sick on Friday night/Saturday and Debbie had bad reaction to heat and giving blood, but they recovered quickly and we had a great visit. Saturday night Betty and Wayne Reinert had me to their house for a time of fellowship and catching up.

It was such fun to show up at Sunday School and surprise everyone, and then they surprised me with an engraved "Sweet Home Alabama" photo album!! And a wonderful card signed by each of them -- thanks much to a great class that we miss so much! Nate came to church and then took me out for lunch at a new place and we just enjoyed our time together (we also went window shopping at BestBuy). Kitty (and Larry) hosted me this afternoon and we just had time sharing with each other.

Heard from my new lady boss and downloaded employee forms that I will fill out and give to her on Tuesday! Looking forward to this new experience!! I fly back home on Monday afternoon!

Thanks everyone who had even a small part in making this truly a weekend to remember! Now looking forward to moving into that new house this coming weekend!!!!!!!!! If you are in the neighborhood, feel free to come help move furniture and help us set up house!

Getting better and better

As some of you know, I got the opportunity to fly out to Fort Worth and visit friends in Willow Park and former co-workers/bosses at BNSF. So I won't post any pictures, but wanted to update you on the house. Appliances are in, light fixtures and plugs are in (took lots of light bulbs), plumbing is working (YEA!!) and I remembered to take some toilet paper over there. The pendant lights look especially nice, in fact I thank everyone who helped me in the process. Tile man was working on kitchen backsplash on oven wall and will be finishing up the tub backsplash in the master. So much work was getting done this week! Barron will be setting up his shop while I am out of town. I am also starting my new job on Tuesday, so keep us in your prayers. MOVE DATE is Saturday, Oct 4 -- anyone in the area who wants to help is WELCOME!! Barron plans to move some items on Friday too.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of our house project. It is simply beautiful. Can't wait to see the landscaping accomplished!!

Faucets, Faucets and More

So glad the plumbers were at work today! Electrician comes tomorrow to put up all those lights and all those outlets - and get the appliances in. William is back to finish closets and a little trimwork. Getting closer to move in date of October 4!

Great Day!

What a wonderful day we had today. Started off the day by heading to the new house to finish installing window blinds (unfortunately no other workers were there!). Saw a lot of activity at our neighbor's place (Philip & Nancy Garrison) and had to find out what was going on. Seems David and Philip and their families were making cane/sorghum syrup similar to the way they had helped their Dad in years past. They had already pressed the cane and the juice was cooking. Had the pleasure of meeting more of the Garrison family: Jeanette and Hanley (our new across-the-street neighbors), and David, Martha and son Caleb. David is Minister of Music at nearby Welcome Baptist Church. Came home for lunch, did some laundry, and decided we had to go back and check on the syrup making. They had poured up one batch and more was cooking!

We got a return phone call from Tim and Jan Sexton that they were home and we could come over. Several weeks ago we had visited with them at Jack's and started talking genealogy. I got some basic information from the two of them and spent several evenings doing research on the computer. So we took some of the information I had printed for them and showed them how they could do further research courtesy of the internet and Ancestry.com. Jan's Mom stopped by and Barron was able to talk about his Scott/Haynes relatives with her. Then Jan invited us to stay for taco soup and burritos and we are glad we accepted that invitation. Had opportunity to get to know their children too.

Hurried home to make peach cobbler for the Scott Reunion tomorrow! (will add fried okra and fried chicken to that) Did I mention that we had rain last night and it was a nice cool day today? Know the syrup guys were so glad of that!! Thank you Lord for a wonderful day!!!!!!

Kitchen Countertops

Don't they look lovely?? You might notice that the small cabinet to the right of the refrigerator is missing its top -- we don't know why! Maybe it just didn't get on the truck. But the two pieces they cut out for the sink they made into cutting boards (so now we have something to take with us to the shop so we can pick out the backsplash tile! Just thought that the cutting boards were such a good idea! Plumber is to come in tomorrow - yea!!! I'll be glad to have indoor plumbing! Looks like moving date will be October 4 (since I will be in Texas next weekend!).

While we were away ... lots of work!

Pictures in order: sink cabinet, refrigerator cabinet (note chair rail now added in dining room), trash bin/lazy susan cabinet, two pictures of kitchen bar, and the guest bath countertop.

Cabinets arrive!!!

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL!!!! Pictures in order: master tub, master bath, kitchen/pantry, laundry room. (The laundry unit was so long it couldn't go around the corner of the hallway so they took out the two window panes and passed it through from the front yard. This is Meredith and her Dad James!)

Shutters and New Windows - Complete Look!

Work is moving fast ahead and we are so ready!! Shutters were put on today and the windows swapped out. Shane (and his helpers) is working on the tile in the shower! Check out the fancy tile border in the shower which will also be the tub backsplash! Hopefully cabinets will be installed tomorrow!

Gutters are on ...

What a surprise - we went by the house this afternoon and saw gutters on - yippee!! Hardwood floors are almost complete, everything is coming along. Nate, this picture is just for you! (You asked to see the entire front of the house!) Can you picture it with landscaping?!

Brick, Tile, Wood

The brickwork looks so good -- front sidewalk, the back patio step, the shop back stoop! The hardwood floor is beautiful! Tile work in shower and tub has begun!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!

A JOB!!

I got the phone call today that I passed the interview and have a JOB!! Starting date yet to be determined but sometime the end of this month.So looks like I will start getting a paycheck soon!

The brickmasons were back at the house and laid a brick border along the sidewalk on the front from porch to driveway and added a border around the patio in the back! Looks so good. The hardwood floors are complete in front guest room and hallway, they will work tomorrow on completing back guest room, living room and hopefully the office and dining room early next week. Shane got started on tiling shower/tub backsplash! Perhaps toward end of next week the cabinets will be installed!

Barron's sister has invited us out to dinner to celebrate his birthday, so I'll try to post pictures when we get back from that!!

Porch columns and Tile Grout

More to come ....... (computer wouldn't upload these last night)

Porch Columns & Tile Grout

Finally, the porch is finished (well, we still have to get black panel window shutters on and the windows changed out!) and looks great. Barron has decided to add a brick border down each side of the sidewalk to the driveway - that will put a beautiful finishing touch to the front of the house!

The kitchen/breakfast room/laundry and 1/2 bath tile floors are grouted as is the guest bathroom!Tile man should resume work tomorrow on master bath - I can't wait to see the brown glass tile border in the shower and as the backsplash to the jacuzzi! And the hardwood floors should be going in.

Next week hopefully cabinets and countertops will go in. Then the electrician can come back and put in the light fixtures, the plumber can add the bath fixtures, and the trim man can finish the baseboards and add the chair rail in the dining room!

Shhhh - we are keeping our fingers crossed for a Sep 20 move-in date!!

Home again!!!!

While it is wonderful to visit family and friends (and the GRANDKIDS!), it is nice to be back in our own home - although it is temporary! We did take time to go by the new house and see if the tile was grouted and finished, and it WAS!! We'll go back over tomorrow and see it in the daylight and hopefully watch the beginning of the installation of the hardwood floors.

A somewhat sad event happened today. A dear loving mentor passed away -- Mrs. Virginia Kennedy, better known as "Ms. Virginia." She was the counselor at Central High School (former business teacher) and I worked with her at the school one summer (not to mention that her son, John, was in school with me). She served as the WMU Director for my home church as well as VBS Director for many years. Her love for missions was so evident when she would share the mission stories, as well as having sleepovers when we were working on our "G.A. steps". The greatest thing about Ms. Virginia is that she loved unconditionally. No matter what choices you might make, and no matter what the consequences, she loved you -- and you knew it. She has not failed to send me a Christmas card and Birthday card each year. And when I married, she simply added my husband to her list, and then my children. What a testimony of this woman!!!!!!! I loved her and will miss her! But she lived a long and fruitful life and best of all she loved Jesus and I know that she is now with him eternally - and I will get to spend eternity with her there!