Showers of Blessings

Today I stayed home from church to take care of Kyndra because she and Jessica are sick. Kyndra came out to Mema's house and we watched Little Einsteins and colored. She helped me pick up and then we went back in the house and she went down for a nap. I am so thankful that we can help in times like this. We never had anyone to help and if I was sick Jerry either stayed home from work or the kids ran wild.

I need to tell you how good God has been to us lately. Jerry wanted to put glass brick under our jacuzzi tub when he installed it. We saw a floor that was elevated a few inches and had lighted brick along the edge and ever since then he has been talking about putting them under the tub. They are very expensive and I kind of figured we just wouldn't be able to do it when it came right down to it. How dumb I am. Even after everything God has done for us I still doubt. Well not really doubt. I just figure it's not that big of a deal either way. We went to Restore (it's a kind of Goodwill for building supplies run by Habitat for Humanity). I found $100 worth of glass brick for $15. I was so excited Josh thought something was wrong. Then we went to Goodwill looking for Western wear for our Valentine's banquet and Jerry found $160.00 worth of drain pieces for the tub for only $20. Now these items were all brand new. Also years ago we bought a TV Guardian for Josh and Jess at GVCA's school auction. It was ruined when they were in China during a lightning storm. We found a brand new one at Goodwill for only $10. I told Jerry that even if I don't feel like reading my Bible everyday or praying several times a day or go soulwinning or go to church I'm going to do it anyway just because I'm so thankful for all he has done for us.

We have been so crazy busy. We have ripped all of the walls out of our house and Jerry and the Brannan men put the front door in today. It looks so cool. They delivered our kitchen cabinets and counter tops today. Now we have boxes of stuff all over the place. We still need to rip up the underlayment on the floors but we took part of the week off to work on Josh and Jessica's basement. It is really starting to look great down there.

Monday and Tuesday nights we had the Sons of Thunder conference at Calvary Baptist Church. Bro.'s Scott and Bob Gray Jr. were here and we had the best conference. They also preached Tuesday morning followed by a lunch. What a wonderful time we had and what a blessing they were to all of us.

My favorite story this week is: Kyndra was in the motor home and I had gone into the bathroom to change my clothes. When I came out she was totally engrossed in Little Einsteins and I snuck up behind her and said "Boo". She jumped and turned around, Mema,go potty. You scared me." Precious memories.

Kyndra's First Cookie Dough

The teens are doing an activity tomorrow. They are visiting Senior Saints and helping them around their homes doing activities they need help with. Several girls came over to Josh and Jessica's house Thursday night to bake cookies to take to the Saints when they go. Jessica gave Kyndra her first cookie dough beaters. As you can see she really liked them.

Kyndra has come up with several new sayings. One of the funniest is very very yucky. Everything is very very yucky. Her milk was very very yucky because is was very very cold. When I was watching her the other day she tooted in her diaper. She looked at me and said, "Oh, oh. I pootey booty". She counts 1, 3, 4, 7, 9. It is such a joy to be here and hear her say all of these cute things.

Her favorite TV show (and the only one she watches ) is Little Einsteins. She really loves it. When we were watching the other day she made me get up and dance with June. The picture above is of her and Bepa watching Little Einsteins in the motor home. She loves to come to Mema and Bepa's house to visit.

She will not be an only child much longer. Kayla Joy is due in just a few weeks. A lot of changes are in store for our family in the next few months. We almost have our house completely stripped. Then we can start building. Hopefully we will be in our house in the next 6 months. Can't wait but I have to admit a little part of me will miss living in Josh and Jessica's driveway and seeing them all everyday.

Josh and Jessica have a silly little dog named Gilligan. He is a Skipperkee. He was already grown up when they got him and he has a few odd habits. He will not eat any kind of dog treat. He thinks hes to good for them. He barks at me every time I go in the house even though he knows me and sleeps on the bed with me when ever he can. He loves Jerry and Gary and any one who will pet him. He will not stay in his yard. This morning I heard Jessica calling him back to the house. I then heard her apologize to some kids who were waiting on the corner for the school bus. Gilligan had stolen a piece of pizza from one of the kids. It might have been their breakfast or their lunch. Just think some poor kid went to school with out breakfast or lunch because the big vicious dog, Gilligan, stole it. I can just hear them telling their teacher that a dog ate their lunch.

Day 2

Today we started stripping down the walls in the dining room. Above are pictures of the before. The picture on the right shows the kitchen beyond the door. The picture on the left shows the kitchen also. The middle picture is the door to the master bed room. The left side of the stripped down pictures shows the mater bedroom beyond the wall.

All we have left to strip down is the living room, kitchen and half the small bedroom. When we are done there will only be 1 bedroom in the house. We are making the bathroom bigger and a huge walk-in closet.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Today we started knocking out sheet rock and plaster lath. This is the before and after of the master bed room. Jerry worked there from 9 am until 5 pm and then went back at 6:30 and stayed until 9 pm. One of Gary's renters was in need of work so Jerry hired him to help. I helped for about 1 hour. Today we got 8 walls stripped down with 13 to go. .Once the walls are all stripped down we can probably safely stop wearing masks. I hate the masks because they make my glasses steam up. I am so thankful that I have a wonderful husband who can do all of this stuff. The furnace is working but since several windows are broken out it is still really cold in the house (ice inside the windows cold).

We have decided that after living in 200 sq ft for several months, being unemployed, moving across the county and then remodeling a house if we don't kill each other we should teach a class on marriage. So far so good.

I will keep you all informed of our progress as we go.

We have been calling our motorhome Our Little Igloo. It has been really cold here. I mean really cold. -4 at night. Our motorhome is covered with icicles some that hang almost all the way to the ground. There is also about 6" of snow on top of the motorhome.

We have been working on the furnace at our house. Jerry finally got it going today. Even with the furnace working there was still ice on the inside of the windows. We knocked out walls today in the master bedroom. I helped for a couple of hours and then Jerry brought me home and went back and worked a couple more. It was just to cold for me. It is just so nice to know that we are finally starting to get something done. I will take pictures and post them soon. I forgot the camera today.

Josh and Jessica went to Hammond for Bro. Kalapps funeral. They got to see the Conners and spend the whole day with them. They were so glad to get to see them. Jessica said that Bro. Schaap came over to talk to them at the graveside service and Kyndra handed him her sippy cup and said, "here ya go." Leave it to Kyndra.

I have decided to do a Bible study. I have never done one before and I'm not sure how to go about it.
Mrs. Fink has some on her blog page so I copied one and will start on it tomorrow. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me. Thanks Mrs. Fink.

I love New Years! I like starting over. It's a chance to fix things you have done wrong last year. I always make all sorts of plans for the new year and every year I get a little closer to meeting my goals. I want to read my Bible everyday. Most days last year I did. I worked really hard at it. I want to have meaningful prayer everyday. Not just, "Thanks for the food" but, the kind that makes you closer to God and closer to what you should be. I want to work out everyday. I signed up for a class 2 days a week and I have a work out plan for the other days. I can do it. I know I can. Okay lets go for 4 days a week. That sounds reasonable but if I aim for everyday I will probably make 4.
I want to say something nice to somebody every day. I want to be kinder to my husband and more patient. I want to be less OCD and more lets have fun. I want to spend time with my girls and their families. I want to find a job that I like and be a good employee. I want to rejoice in the Lord alway and continue to rejoice when things aren't great.
WOW! What a list. The thing is I probably can't do all of these things but, writing them down and sharing them with you will help hold me accountable. Even if I don't accomplish everything 100% I will have improved myself and had a great year.