but first

At this point in September 2018, nine months into the conflict, Thomas was managing much more responsibility at work, we were still waiting on a signed agreement, we were still living in a half-packed house so we could move at moment's notice. 

Now Thomas added the responsibility of being a contractor to get the Lakeview house ready for us to move in. He worked with architects, engineers, and both town and county planners for permits. Since we were unsure of timing, we planned to renovate the house in two phases. We would prioritize getting the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs inhabitable and the downstairs dungeon ready to be a living area. Then we would focus on tearing off the kitchen and adding a little more space.

But before we could do anything, we had to clear out the house. The attic was full of boxes of old papers. All of the fixtures and window treatments were still hanging. Several large items such as the refrigerator and a piano were left behind. 

Thomas' parents immediately came and helped get the carpet out and do an initial cleaning of the four years of yuck so that we could at least breath in the house. (thanks Jan and Hugh!)

Then on a tropical storm weekend we recruited two families to help us do an initial clearing. We threw blinds, doors, and bags of attic items out the door into a pile on the deck since it was so windy and rainy. (thanks Millers and Hopkins!)

I have a distinct memory of working shortly after our ninth wedding anniversary. I was on the broken down back covered porch, shoveling silt, when our first dance song, "You are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne, came on the radio. I had to laugh at myself covered in dirt, doing yet another house project with Thomas. We were going through yet another home's history. But this time we had three chappies and felt pressure to finish in time to move in.

Micah, Alice and Silas made their own adventure play for hours while Thomas and I worked. They loved exploring, riding the tractor, and doing demolition work. What incredibly resilient little people.

The demolition work at this point was immense. We would...

remove the paneling and raise the ceiling in the dungeon... (thanks life group guys!)

enclose a stairway and the front door to create a laundry room... (thanks Chris and Walker!)

 completely renovate the pink bathroom... (thanks dad!)

remove a built in air duct, wall paper boards and rebuild the floor system in a bedroom...

and tear off the unsafe porch.

To start.

This was certainly hard labor and difficult in the midst of what normal life requires. But first receiving this house as a gift from God gave us the perspective to press on. And the encouragement and shared labor of so many family and friends propelled us.


Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."