Tuesday April 17, 2007
Two months ago I was SURE we could move by the middle of April. I had dreams of celebrating Adam’s birthday after we moved into our new house. Somehow we haven’t moved and I’m now beginning to question whether we will even be able to move by the middle of May. Perhaps we’ll simply keep building for the next two years and never get done, I don’t know. I must say things like that a lot. Sunday night after Adam picked up the toys at Grammie’s house, I told him to come so I could put his shoes on. He looked around and said, “this is just going to take forEVER.” The good thing is, that we are so much closer than we were two weeks ago. At least my part of things is. David Lee is now taking a turn at spinning wheels. Unfortunately his stuff is the kind that keeps us from getting CO so we can’t move til he’s done with it. We’ve long ago decided to leave the basement part where my laundry is unfinished for now and work on it after we move in. Even longer ago we opted not to do the deck right away to save time so there isn’t much we can shave off and say well, let’s just move in for now. Steve and Christy really gave us a boost last week. Steve painted and painted and painted … sometimes over 15 hrs in one day. So while it isn’t finished, it’s much more manageable.
Today my aunt Frieda is coming to faux paint my bathroom “just like her kitchen.” I LOVE her kitchen and was way too afraid to attempt it on my own without seeing anyone do it first. (I’m very much a visual learner.) So we’re exchanging labor — scrapbooking for painting. Frankly, I think she’s getting the bad end of the deal since she has to do travel time. Although mom wants to help her scrapbook tomorrow if she stays another day so maybe she’ll come out ok. Believe me, I plan to work fast!
Last week really was crazy. Steve and I painted at the house for about 15 hrs on Monday. Tuesday Christy and I headed for town b/c Adam had an annual physcial with his pediatrician. We spent the rest of the day having lunch with Beth to celebrate her birthday early (since Christy was here and we don’t know what will be happening with Beth on her b-day), and doing house shopping -the boring kind like picking out a kitchen sink. Now really and truly, I know there are many, many choices to make in a house and if we weren’t on a budget at all I could understand picking out my own sink. But since I had to stick with stainless steel, same size bowls to save money, I had a hard time seeing why we didn’t just tell the plumber to go pick one out. “There are five brands that are nearly in the same price range in the 16 gauge stainless steel,” the saleslady informed me. “And,” she continued, “they all look pretty much the same except for subtle variations in the finish.” Subtle is right. I didn’t notice it on first glance and didn’t feel like spending more money for a finish on something I would use to swirl dirty dish water around.
Wednesday and Thursday I painted all day again then Friday Christy and I headed to Stuarts Draft to shoot a wedding I scheduled months ago when I THOUGHT we were moving in March. In spite of the fact that my brain was spinning in all directions, it was a lot of fun again. (David Lee and I took a break while building so we haven’t done any for awhile and he has in that interim decided to give up his part of it entirely in lieu of other hobbies that don’t require losing work time). Arlen and Naomi were a fun couple to photograph … they were so relaxed and had fun with it which made it so easy to get great shots! Something about being photographer at a wedding gives me a little of the same feeling I used to get working as a nurse. There are several times in a person’s life that are so monumental, so intimate, so life-changing. Moment’s like death of a loved one (or very serious illness), like birth, like marriage. The role of a nurse supporting and facilitating grieving and the role of a photographer capturing the essence of a wedding (and especially intimate shots) both require a certain sixth sense. People cannot always tell us what they want or what would be important to them. Yet they wish for us to pick up on those subtle vibes and act on it. When it goes well, I have felt an amazing bond with people who before were strangers. Two families in particular branded themselves into my memory during my CCU days. I’d love to see them again, to give them a hug, to ask them how they are doing now. And in much the same way, I wonder about the bride we photographed in PA who was a total stranger to me and I haven’t seen since. I wish I could see her again and ask her how her marriage is growing and about her adjustments in moving to a far away community. I like these kinds of jobs. Maybe that’s what people call fulfillment.
PS: quick update on Beth from last week’s u/s from an email she sent out: I wanted to let you all know the results of Tuesday’s ultrasound were the same as last week’s ultrasound.
He checked the amount of blood flowing through Hannah’s head artery, and it’s at the minimum for being acceptable. That seems to be the highest concern.
Something I find interesting is that according to ultrasound, Hannah weighs 12 oz. while Sarah weighs 20 (1 lb., 4 oz.) On the week-by-week calendar that I have, a fetus should now weigh 12 oz.! (and 1 lb. 4 oz. in two weeks). According to their bone structure, though, Hannah is two weeks behind, and Sarah one week ahead of where they should be.
My brother & his wife have been trying to move into their home since early last fall….hearing their story & your’s makes me so thankful that we are staying “put” right now! Glad that you got lots of painting done——-and I hope that things start moving really fast for y’all so that you can get settled! Hang in there, ~Jo
Hey! I thought I’d check over here to see if you’d posted and my sub. digest hadn’t told me yet and yipee! you had….
Although I knew you had a busy week last week I missed you on here and it’s good to ‘see’ you again.
ryc. the girls are a little over 4 years apart in age. It isn’t really far according to some people, but it is def different than the majority of people we are around to have them spaced so far. Thank-you for the compliment. When you see progress in your childrens lives, I know we can’t take all the credit because God is working, but I feel like we are so willing to take the credit for when something goes wrong and then when it is right we feel it is pride to accept it. Anyway, that was off on a little rabbit trail :). Hope you have a fun day painting or whatever. We are almost ready to put our house on the market and not totally positve what we will be doing but most likely building. Altho we will sub it out since we aren’t builders~ To me it looks like FUN! š Don’t laugh at me, I know you are wondering where the fun is anymore.
I had to laugh at Adam and his “good attitude”! I think in eighteen years or so he’ll be chiefing the Mountaineers just like his dad. Now wouldn’t that be swift?! Thank you, also, for your updates on Beth. Please tell them that my students and I are praying for them. Once you move into your house you need to give us a tour! I can’t wait to see it.