Settling dust

It was eight years ago (perhaps to the day?) that we signed the papers purchasing this house.  We were living in Chicago and felt that God was asking us to move here.  Gary thought he had a job (he didn't get it) and our first child was due in July (August).

We had looked at many houses in Zeeland and loved this one.  It had almost everything we wanted.  My dream house is still that--in my dreams.  :)  I love this house though and love that it is serving the needs of our family in such wonderful ways.

Our house is not the same today as it was on Monday.  Things are getting torn up!  We have never liked that we had light colored carpet and little children together at the same time.  We have never liked the flooring in the kitchen.  We have been particularly grrrr about having carpet in the dining room.  Yet, we have waited and cleaned and steam cleaned the carpets and floors over and over again.  They were in fine condition.  They functioned.  We still had children who were going to spill and spit up.  BUT, the time has come!  Though we still have children who spill, the spit up stage has moved beyond this household. . . at least for forty more years when I begin.  The carpets were put in 14 years ago and have served well. . . but they were beginning to fray and come apart in places.  It.  Is.  Time.

After ripping up the pergo in the mudroom and laundry room, Gary has masterfully tiled and grouted it.  BEAUTIFUL!  I love it that I'm in love with a handyman.  The washing machine and dryer are in the kitchen.  All the carpet is pulled up and we discovered a white and blue linoleum floor underneath the pergo in the kitchen.  Fun!  However both are going.  I'm sitting at the kitchen table which is in the living room.  I spent this afternoon pulling up staples and using duct tape to bunch together debris.  The drawers from the kitchen island are in our bathroom tub so I go there if I need a knife or saran wrap.

Hopefully this Saturday Gary and two professional guys from church will be able to install our new hardwood floors.  My job is to entertain four children outside of our house for the whole day.  We've got some great plans and we have some great spaces that need to be filled.  We can hang out in the basement. . . which has lots of extra furniture in it.  I'm not worried or stressed about it. . . yet.

I have pictures and will post before and afters next week (I don't know how to upload and Gary is pretty much occupied with work and house at the moment!).  Included will be the picture of Noel laying on the floor crying because she just loves the carpet so much and what will she do without it?  Her tears aren't helped at all by my laughing.  :)

This afternoon we are taking time off to go as a family to Royal Park Retirement home to see Garrison's artwork.  It was chosen for a display and we are excited to celebrate him.  He doesn't quite get it as he told a mom at school that "I am a famous artist."  In the midst of it all, I wrote down the wrong date for a playdate--it was supposed to be today and I messed it up.  Maybe when my house is in order then my brain will follow. . . highly unlikely.