Addition Update

Time for another update on the addition.  As I have written before, at times it seems that it is going quickly and yet at other times it seems as though we have been, and will be, in construction mode forever.

It's a very strange feeling having strangers build something attached to my house that I am going to live in and own.  And yet, how do I know that they're not using styrofoam or marshmallows to build this thing?  How do I know that it's not going to just fall over the first time the wind blows on it?  How do I know that I'm not going to sit down for the first time in the finished room and say, "what was I thinking???"  I guess I don't, but it's all still very weird.


Well enough rambling.  Here's some pics of where we are with the addition:

The new HVAC unit was put in this week.  It is supposed to be sized large enough for the existing house and the addition.  The old unit was original with the house (1984 - good long life on it Dennis!) and so we planned to upgrade it. 

Here's Eddie Joe in the new shower in the new basement part of the addition.  Most of the plumbing is done.

Eddie Joe loves being in pictures.  How can you not love Eddie Joe!

All of the sheetrock upstairs was completed today.

Gutters and downspout also went up this week. 

At lastly, this is the basement wall that will likely have a big hole in it tomorrow where it will connect to the new basement.  Although we have been promised this will happen each day this week.  An important lesson - Contractor timelines have nothing to do with the normal reality of time that us normal people live their lives by.  Contractor timelines are based on the movement (or lack of movement) of stars in an alternate universe.  

So, it does seem like a lot has been completed this week.  It's good to see progress.  I've had to "watch" most of it from a distance as I was in Tulsa, OK during the first part of the week.  Bo did a great job keeping track of everything and keeping things going while I was gone....as she always does when I'm here too.  What a woman!

Matthew West Video

Have you seen the video Matthew West has where he shares his thoughts behind the song "One Less"?  Check it out here!

One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.

Go Huskers!

                 Yesterday, Mom, Sunshine, T-bird, and I went a Nebraska Huskers football game. Here`s a picture of the "sea of red:"

It was pretty cool.

Of course, T-bird and I had to get "cornheads."

                      The No. 6 Cornhuskers beat the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 17-3. It was quite the victory. The Nebraska band is very good and always fun to hear.

                       

(Sorry for the blurriness)

                     After the game was done, it was late and we were tired. So, instead of driving home, we slept at our grandparent`s house in Fremont. It was very nice. The next morning we headed home to tell of our grand adventures in Lincoln. The Big Fella and Eddie Joe enjoyed putting their stuffed animals in the cornheads to use them as airplanes. They found it very amusing.


                     Well, before I ramble any more I`ll wrap this up. Thanks for reading!! Go Big Red!!!!




                                          --Rye Bread

Beautiful Faces of Ethiopia

Check out this video from Kari at My Crazy Adoption.  She recently went to Ethiopia with Visiting Orphans.  Visiting Orphans is a fantastic organization that has at its core the vision that churches should be at the forefront of orphan care ministries.  One of the cool things is that they emphasize churches going to visit the orphanages - hence the name Visiting Orphans!

Enjoy Kari's video of the Beautiful Faces of Ethiopia!


Beautiful Faces of Ethiopia from Kari Gibson on Vimeo.

House Updates and Family Updates

So, what's been going on in our lives???

I'll start with some updated pics of the addition.  We're definitely seeing some progress here each day.  It's been fun to see the changes and try to imagine what it will be like when it is complete.  We feel like we're constantly dealing with questions like lighting, light switches, windows, siding, closet size, etc, etc, etc.  We hope we've made good decisions.  We'll find out for sure when it's all done and we have to live with our decisions!

So here are the pics of our HOUSE addition.  We look forward to the day when we have pics of our FAMILY addition - aka, Peaches!

We went with canned lights.  Hope we like them.

Here's the old outside wall of our house.  The siding has been removed.  The window on the right will become French Doors.

The windows are in now too.  They are double-hung, Gerkins.  The Gerkin factory is just right up the street from us and we know several people who work there.

We also added a window to the original scope.  We contemplated the number of windows on paper and initially decided we wouldn't need one on the west wall because we new we would have the slider.  But, after it was all enclosed, we decided that we definitely needed another window!

Here are some pics of the basement.  All of the framing is done down there now too.  Our favorite framers the "Full Moon" Brothers did the framing.  There will be two bedrooms and a full bathroom.  Eddie Joe was having a good time!

The upstairs walls were all insulated today in preparation for the sheetrock.  The Big Fella and Eddie Joe had fun doing more jumping pics.

More highlights from the last week included the South Sioux City Football Game last Friday night.  Sunshine is in the Color Guard (for us people from the olden days, well we called it the Flag Team).  It was her first year to do anything like that and she is having a lot of fun with it.  We are very proud of her efforts (up every morning at 5:30 am for practice).  When I asked her if she ever hit the guy in front of her (see pic below) with the flag, she said, "yea, all the time."  But she said that her coach said it's OK to hit band kids because they are supposed to get out of the Color Guard's way.  And Sunshine also said that it's not a big deal, "because he's just a freshman."   She did a great job during the halftime show.  Here are a few of the pics of Sunshine on the Color Guard.

And a picture below of her friend Eva who is one of the Drum Majors

At Awana last week, we had our party for the first Awana night of the year.  As part of the Awana fun night, there was a facepainting booth.  T-bird had some fun at the booth, and then had some fun once he got home with some pics.....

Rye Bread NEVER misses a chance in front of the camera!!!

Needless to say, we are very busy.  This update didn't even include the flag football teams that all four boys are playing in, the worship group that Heather and I led on Sunday - along with Rye Bread and T-bird on guitars, and the Husker football game that Heather and the three older kids are going to on Saturday.  We can't wait to welcome Peaches into the wonderful whirlwind of our lives!!!

Posting for "Lifesong for Orphans"

We're joining our blog friends the Uchereks (at God Etched Your Name on our Hearts) in posting for the organization "Lifesong for Orphans."  We're passing on the information from Lifesong so that others can be aware of their ministry.  Take the time to read through it and learn more about Lifesong for Orphans!

Let's be the Hands and Feet of Jesus!

2010 Liberia Video from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

This week we are inviting our faithful readers and supporters to step up and help us in a time of need for Lifesong Liberia.

Lifesong has partnered with The Master’s Home of Champions orphanage and is providing a loving and safe home to many destitute and abandoned children, some of whom are deaf.  We seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and are focused on the goal of raising up champions for the good of Liberia and glory of God! 

This summer, another orphanage was in dire need, and thanks to an unexpected donation Lifesong was there.  Praise the Lord we can help more children!  But now, we need help too!  We need your help to make sure these children are fed every day!  We need your help to care for the fatherless!  Will you join us?

70 sponsors in one week is a tall order.  We know this.  We also know that we serve a big God who has told us that caring for the poor and vulnerable is at the very heart of who He is!  We believe we can make this happen! We pray that God will call hearts this week and we trust that you will answer!

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to commit!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Too Good to be Unkind

This hymn is taken from the Beaver's blog.  What a great reminder of who God is, both for us and for them, as they await their 3 whom they are adopting from Russia.  (Their blog entitled "Unto Him We Live " can be found by clicking here.)

 

"God shall alone the refuge be,

     And comfort of my mind;

Too wise to be mistaken, He,

     Too Good to be unkind.

In all his holy, sovereign will,

     He is, I daily find,

Too wise to be mistaken, still

     Too good to be unkind.

When I the tempter's rage endure,

     'Tis God supports my mind;

Too wise to be mistaken, sure,

     Too good to be unkind.

When sore afflictions on me lie,

     He is (though I am blind)

Too wise to be mistaken, yea,

     Too good to be unkind.

Hereafter he will make me know,

     And I shall surely find,

He was too wise to err, and O,

    Too good to be unkind."

(By Samuel Medley, from A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship by William Gadsby) quoted in
Too Wise to Be Mistaken, Too Good to Be Unkind: Christian Parents Contend with Autism by Cathy Steere