Sunday, December 6, 2015

Building Our Home - Week 3

Well, the forms are gone and the cement foundation is setting.  That means not much happening this next week - then the framing will begin!
Week 3!
From the driveway
Hard work = blowing out boots
Can't wait to look at that view every day!




Also stopped by to pick up a few catalogs, so we could start making some decisions...didn't realize I'd be coming home with around 20 catalogs to look through - yikes!



Monday, November 30, 2015

Precious Sawyer Rose

My heart grew bigger than I ever thought it could on November 25, 2015.  This was the day my precious niece, Sawyer Rose made her entrance into this world.  Ben and I took off on our 7 hour trip Wednesday night after work, luckily beating all the snow and ice!  A few hours into the trip we Face Timed my brother and got to speak to he, Samantha and my family for a few minutes.  As we got off the call, Clay jokingly said "Gotta go, we're having a baby!".  Little did he know, 5 minutes later when the doctor came in to check Samantha, baby Sawyer was already making her appearance!  The doctor slipped with "Shit", apologized because he never cusses, and politely asked my family to leave because there was little Sawyers head appearing.  20 minutes later, my beautiful sister-in-law and brother became parents.  She was born at 7:07 and came into this world weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long!

I may have been traveling on an emotional roller coaster that entire road trip.  I went from overjoyed, to sad I wasn't there, to overly excited, to very angry that no one was keeping me in the loop.  I may have gotten a little (by a little I mean a lot) angry at my mom and sister for not telling me ANYTHING!!  Two hours later, I finally got some service and my brother Face Timed me and introduced me to the most beautiful little girl that I had ever seen.





You did so good, Momma.



Over the next few days, we just spent time together, never letting Sawyer "Poppy" out of our hands or sight!  The Shirley's and Payne's enjoyed an amazing spread Friday night for Thanksgiving - this year we all had something incredibly special to be thankful for.

This daddy doesn't walk by those cheeks without giving them a smooch or two!



Uncle Ben and I are smitten.

Her hands..

These two are some pretty great parents and make one adorable baby.

Hers cheeks were pretty chilly - Auntie Amanda warmed them right up.

Game day ready! Go Cats!




I mean those cheeks tho..
Sawyer Rose this is my prayer for you - I pray that you will always know the love we have for you - that you will test your Daddy - that you will be ornery at times and kind at others - that you would follow your dreams - that you would come visit your Aunt Amanda and Uncle Ben on the farm - that you would grow into a strong woman (but not too quickly!) - that you will at least humor your father and try bow hunting - that you will know Him and His word - most of all that you would know what an amazing addition you have been not only to your mommy and daddy's family, but to all of ours as well.

My heart is so full.

Psalm 139:13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Building Our Home - Week 2

Well - week two brought about lots of rain and ice and just a few things getting accomplished on the house.  Ben, the farmer, was super happy about the rain and said that we should have dug the basement months ago, since we have gotten more rain in the last two weeks than we have in quite some time.  But despite the rain, we've had some progress!  The footings are poured and we ALMOST have water ran!  Basement walls are next on the list. 

Let the decisions begin - tonight we make our first real decisions on the house - windows!  We will also soon be getting a list of all the little things we will have to pick out and by when...let's see how overwhelmed I become then!  For now, patience is actually pretty good ( which is hard to believe with me ) - but thanking God for all the moisture, our crops (and my husband) are very happy with it!

Week 2!

From the driveway!

Water!






Psalm 147: 7-9
 7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.  8 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.  9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Building Our Home - Week 1

So I decided that since I am out at the site every day taking pictures, I might as well keep everyone up to date on what we are up to each week!

Week 1

Monday, November 16th it all began.  We met Dave out at the site to get it all staked out for the next crew to come and dig out the basement.  As the men all talked angles and how water would run off, I naturally took pictures.

Monday, November 16 - staking out for the foundation!

Friday, November 20 - digging of the basement

First bucketful of that red dirt!

My friend had the great idea of a weekly progress picture from the same spot - so here it is - week 1!


Week 1 view from the driveway


I may have made Ben go out with me after I got off work on Friday, even though it was dark.  I just couldn't wait to see it all!
Came back on Saturday, November 21 to see that we have a completely dug basement and it just blew my mind how they do all this so quickly!

We have a "basement"!
 As I finish writing this, my emotions have gotten the best of me once again.  Those of you who know me, this is no surprise whatsoever (I tend to have SO MANY FEELINGS!).  As I wipe tears from my eyes, I open my Bible to read about giving the glory back to the one who made all these things possible.  I hope to live my life in a way that honors His way and shows others the greatness there is in a life with Jesus.

Psalm 95:1-6
"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker."

Cleanup

Prior to this week, this summer has only consisted on working with the bank and getting the land ready to build on.  It is definitely not a quick process and has tested this Type A's personality.  I'm the person that gets started with a project and I want it done the same day.  Obviously that is not how this works.  This will be a good test for me to learn some patience and that everything doesn't have to fall within a schedule. 

Here are the before, during and after photos as we cleared out the area and fixed the broken dam on the pond.

Our great friend, Katie came out and took some pictures for us before we started with anything.  If you can't tell this was right after a big rain we had this summer!  (Ben was tricked into these pictures! hehe)


These trees as well as the buildings are now sadly gone.  They were not sturdy and if they had fallen it would have been on the new house, so we had to take them out.
The future view off the back of the house.

©David Kahmann Construction
©David Kahmann Construction
These are one of many copies of the floor plans that we tweaked until we got them exactly how we wanted them! 

And the pond that I am obsessed with.

Before

We made/are still making LOTS of trips out here to check on things.

Look at those weeds and all that water standing in the ditches!


Yep, those weeds are taller than I am.

Too much water = broken dam

Let the clean-up begin!



This is the before on top and after day 1 of clean-up on bottom!





Before - Day 1 - Day 2

I mean look at that - I could forever exist in this spot.


I spent a lot of time pond side this summer.  There is just something about this spot that immediately brings a sense of peace and relaxation to me.

Toward the end of the summer we finally nailed down the floor plan! 
 
©David Kahmann Construction
I was pretty excited the day this sign went up - it meant we would be starting soon!

This view makes my heart so full.