The roof boards are up and now covered with a layer of tar paper. Eddie and Dad W. worked hard today and finished before Dad got a call that tomorrow is jury duty! :) Pete G. also came over and helped Kris tonight. Kris is restricted in lifting but able to supervise. My brother David asked me today if they put a rod in Kris's back with a chain attached to keep him down!
On the way home from church we turned on our road and saw the most unusual but pretty picture. I hope the that as the sun set tonight you were able to look at your world in a new light as well.

Moving on

Kris is in the process of healing...he's not allowed to lift more then 10# for 6 weeks. Dad W. is up and working on the roof. Kris has been demoted to supervisor and tool hander! We have had a lot of help from our friends as well. I keep thinking of how building your own home really can become a communtiy project! We are so thankful for those who have helped on the roof, with prayers, with meals, or transporting our kids around this past weekend. I had to work 4 of the last 5 nights. I feel very blessed!
Kristianna had art work displayed at the Air Force Museum. I had to go up on the roof to nail down tar paper that was blowing in the wind. You can see I was very generous with the nails! I had no desire to go back up again. The kids are doing well and we are all enjoying yet another season...SPRING.

"It could have been so much worse."

Today we find ourselves so grateful. Less then 24 hours ago Kris decided to get an early start to finishing the roof. He fell 8 feet onto the porch floor joists, broke the joists, and then fell 4 more feet to the ground. He broke the vertebral processes of L3 and L4. He is sore and on medication but in good spirits. The other grateful bit is all of the people who helped out. Shelley B. watched Isabel. Dad W. finished up the boards and with the help of Geoff, Dave M., and N. Marvin covered all that exposed wood with tar paper. Thanks, God, for your protection and for our friends and family that helped out so much.

Making shade

It was a warm day today but the guys got a lot accomplished. Kris decided to "practice" sitting out on the porch on a break!

A Walk in the Park

We took a little hike through John Bryan State Park today to see some wildflowers. We hope you enjoy the view from a mile a way as much as you have seeing pictures of our backyard. We sure did!

Building the roof (picture post)

Stability and coverage

Part of my dilemma as a photographic journalist is trying to include pictures that convey enough information to people that know a lot more about the subject matter then I do. For instance my brother-in-law builder in CO has called a few times after I have posted some building pictures to ask Kris about an element I didn't think was important to photo. Today as I was asking Kris and Dad W. what pictures Josh would like to see my Father-in-law told me I needed to show some stability. I think that most people would like to see progress. I hope these selection of pictures show enough of the story!
Other pieces of the "story"....Mom K. birthday today...4 babies born in 10 min. at work this morning...70's in the house today with the windows open...finding out we are going to be surrounded with winter wheat and soybeans this year...discovering a lone yellow tulip growing in the middle of comfrey! The other piece is this...blogger won't let me post my pictures right now. I'll put them through when I am allowed. Sorry about that. :+

A trip to Villa Capella Farm

Some of you may know that Isabel drinks goats' milk. Some of you may know that I grew up raising goats. Some one I know from Grace and one of our favorite librarians raises a few goats. Jeff and Brenda Guernsey invited us to visit the new "kids" and even let my kids try to milk a goat. Isabel called their Llama a "donkey" and was constantly trying to get all the kids together. We had fun! A special thanks to our friends. Enjoy these pictures.

Isabel's daffodils

The official end of our land's sabatical

Correction on yesterday's post...Let's just say that once I was a seamstress, yesterday I was a sower! Isabel and I ended up planting most of the grass seed.
Isabel and I started some plants today to move to the garden in a few weeks. She had her dolls lined up in the window to watch us!
The purlins are trimmed now. It is easier to type this then all the time it took Kris and Dad W. to do this. Pictures wouldn't even show it! :)
I hope you are enjoying your Friday.

Gratitude

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .
[Gratitude Lyrics on
http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]


One year ago I was sitting in church getting tearful while listening to Jen Kinsey sing "Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman. I was then anticipating moving and leaving Kris and the kids for a few weeks. Last night I was outside taking pictures of yet another spectacular sunset and updates for this blog. As I looked up to take a picture I saw the moon showing through the purlins and phrases of that song came to mind...specifically the part that talks about a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is on our head. I was reminded once again that I am blessed beyond what I could ever dream.
We tilled our field yesterday and as I am typing Kris is planting our acres with some sort of fescue/bluegrass mix. He and Dad W. finished the purlins yesterday. The roof boards are next.

Dormers

Dad W. is back and helping Kris put up the dormer in the girl's room today. He also brought his chain saw which is turning out to be a useful tool for Kris with these big logs! Tomorrow Isabel and I plan on tilling our field in preparation for planting grass seed. It is another beautiful day today. I hope you all are enjoying yours.

Just thinking...

Some things I would love to never forget about this week....
1. Sitting down in a packed concert of 4,000 people and realizing I was next to someone I hadn't seen in 14 years.
2. Seeing our neighbor, Geoff, helping Kris and his Dad put up the big purlins and trusses. We had other people slow down and see the process, too.
3. Going to a brunch at Cedarville and a meeting at work in Dayton within a few hours of each other.
4. Isabel discovering earthworms while weeding. She placed them in "families" and put them in their "home deep homes".
5. I have a new sister-in-law in Texas.

Heavy timbers

It's been a busy day! I am sure Dad W. will be glad to go back to Athens tomorrow and Kris has already said he's thankful it will be raining tomorrow so he can take a day off! I am off to work.

Catching up

I am trying to catch you all up quickly on our happenings since last post. Kris has been making templates and notching purlins. They are ready now for placement tomorrow. I am sure there will be exciting pics of those!
My parents, Catherine, and two of her girls came this past weekend. We went to the Creation Museum and enjoyed seeing family again. We were able to show our building to Doug and Shelly M. who were so instrumental in helping us see that we could build our own log home...they did! It was a full weekend but so good.
As I am typing Kris, his Dad, and Micah are all watching B-ball. It is has been a beautiful day! Isabel discovered earthworms today as we were weeding our bulb garden. Smudge is covered in dirt from a recent dig. Wesley and Kristianna are perfecting their new climbing "tree". Kris and Dad W. are exhausted from getting all the purlins ready for tomorrow. They stayed safe despite renting the "widowmaker"...a 16" circular saw!
We also refinished our bathtub today. It won't be needed for a while but we are excited to see something so old look so new.
I hope you have had a great start to your work week. Look for pictures soon of what the house looks like with some more stability.