Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Lost Photos of a Great Memory

If you are like me, you probably have a hard drive full of digital photos and then printed photos in a box. Ever since my first camera, I have loved taking pictures. Of people. Of places. Of things that I've seen. Some are so random. The best ones are of people when they weren't even looking my way. And sometimes, I even forget about photos. So stumbling on them again is like a flood of memories coming back.

But there were some priceless ones that I recently found. From our trip to Israel. We had asked another member of the tour group to use my camera and capture the moments of my husband and I being baptized in the Jordan River! 

Why was this such a big deal for us? 

My husband and I were baptized in our younger years. I, in the Presbyterian church. My husband, in his childhood, at a Baptist church. Neither of us making a conscious choice, but rather doing what our parents expected of us.

Personally, as I became an adult who was getting back into the Bible and really dedicating myself to the Lord, I came to realize that I needed to be truly baptized. To show that I really had given over to God and was ready to live the way He called me to. But when I came to this choice, we were not in a church that we called Home. And baptisms were not frequently offered. So I kept waiting. 

When were signing up to go to Israel, they offered us the chance to have the pastor that led the church group we went with, to baptize us. In the Jordan River. In Israel! My husband and I both jumped at the chance. First off, it was Pastor Ed Taylor of the Calvary in Aurora, Colorado! He had been the pastor we listened to at home. His church was the one where my husband rededicated himself to the Lord and we called that church our Home away from home. So that was an honor for us both. But even more so, was that we could be baptized in the Holy Land. What an amazing memory to make. For me, to make it with the man I loved, was the best part of all! We decided then and there, that this was where we would really and truly live like Christians are called to. No more halfhearted efforts. 

So having these photos, reminds us of that decision. 

What was it like? 

Cold. And dirty. 

You know that story of the Syrian, Naaman, coming to Elisha and asking to be healed of his leprosy? Elisha told him to go wash in the Jordan River. Naaman was furious! (2 Kings 5:1-14) Want to know why? That is the nastiest water! Smells bad. Your feet squish in slimy mud (even with my water shoes). There were what felt like rocks and sticks as well. And when we went in March, that water was freezing cold! I was glad it was so quick. I was shivering, with teeth chattering by the time I climbed out. The two pastors (father and son), had to wear wet suits to stay warm enough to get through all of us who chose to be baptized.

We were asked why we were doing this. For us both, it was to say with a deliberate mind that we wanted to do this. That we made the choice for ourselves. And that we were proud to have decided this. 
To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. First off, I felt very exposed. Secondly, I'm a bigger woman about to be dunked by a pretty thin guy. I was kinda worried he would lose his grip and it would be an ugly sight of me trying to regain my footing and come back up. And lastly, I did NOT want this water going up my nose! I was almost holding my breath the entire time we prayed before the dunking.
Is it strange that I worried I'd throw his back out? Thankfully, I didn't. Thankfully, he kept hold. Thankfully, it was a smooth journey back upright. And praise God, I've announced in this small way, I'm His child! And I will live like one to the best of my ability through His grace and mercy.
We can rejoice. Not because getting dunked makes us saved. Not because it changed us physically, emotionally or maybe even changed us spiritually. But because this reminds us to be accountable.
If you haven't, I highly recommend you give your life to God. If you have, but haven't been baptized, maybe you should consider it. It is a symbol of going under as a sinner, and coming up washed clean. Then live it out!

Thursday, December 7, 2023

The Struggles Are Real

It is hard to feel sympathetic towards others in pain when you, yourself are suffering. Especially on a daily basis. I do feel bad for those with pain. For those with deformed spines particularly. I can have a real sympathy for them.

I know only too well the hardships they face doing the simple things in life. Everyday is a process. Pushing myself to keep going. Striving to get things done. Pregnancy made things so much harder, both during and then after. I've sought help from several doctors over the past several years. More than once, I've heard words that essentially meant, "I can't help you." One doctor even told me, "You are a strong woman. Learn to live with it." I still have a double curve. My arthritis has spread throughout my body. In some ways, my research has made me more of an expert than most of the real 'experts'. A disc slipped. Crushed the nerve under it. Then I found out I had Degenerative Disc Disease. 

 Degenerative discs are when the discs in the spine are under pressure and begin to "dissolve". I know it runs in the family as my aunt had to have a rod put in to support her lower spine. I had one doctor suggesting we should do laser surgery to remove whatever was causing the pinching of the nerves. If that hadn't worked, he wanted to just insert rods again.  

We never got there there. I had my baby, life moved on. And so did we. Went to a new town. My neck lost its natural curve, causing migraines and headaches. New doctors said I was beyond help by them and the scientific knowledge and equipment they had access to.
Back when searching for answers was important to me, I was really feeling like a walking disaster. I had depleted my PTO at work. Between child care, vehicle issues, pain and inability to walk... I felt like a lost cause most days. 
I got so tired of the life that meant telling my kids, "Mommy can't right now." I'm still not wanting to socialize because I don't like those pitying looks or "poor you" comments. I'm tired of seeking answers and coming to dead ends. Of wanting relief and finding only more pain.

I have learned of all kinds of pain relief methods. Some that work for me. Some that don't. But it gives me options to suggest to others who are in a similar situation as I am. 

Epsom salt baths

Heating pad and ice pack revolutions

Over the counter medicine is round the clock on my hardest days, but I've been warned about liver and kidney damage. 

Stretch and walk as often as I can. 

Through everything, pain persists. Sleeping, sitting, walking, reclining - sometimes it just doesn't matter what I do. However, I can proudly say, I'm surviving through it. I'm living life as best I can. Day by day. 

For all of you out there who have back problems - I feel your pain. I understand every ache. I know what you go through daily. It may never get easier unless you take drugs or have surgery. No, it will most likely get worse. Every day it gets harder to roll off the bed. To stand and wash those dishes. To lift that bag of groceries. To sit at a computer for 8 hours. To smile at those you pass while pretending you are okay. But we can't stop. As much as I want to give up or as often as I question, "Why me?" I have to remember that I'm needed no matter what. I have to keep trying and be patient. As my husband often reminds me, we have to wait on God and His timing. It's hard. Very, very hard. I'm usually very patient. More so than most. But I do struggle daily.
Keep on trying. Don't give up. Answers will come. Whether they are what what you want to hear.... that remains to be seen. But don't give up.

Monday, June 5, 2023

Catching Our Breath Yet?

I feel as though the whirlwind of activity hasn't stopped yet. We finished the tiny house. Got my sister-in-law settled in. Did school for a week. Sent the boys off to camp. But still the fast pace didn't slow down. 

After we came back from getting my sister-in-law, we had a busted water pipe to fix. While I hope we never have to do that again, at least we now know how to! It was pretty epic. There were roots crowding the pipe junction that caused it to break. So working to fix it included cutting the roots with a chainsaw. Quite the interesting experience...
My daughters made a joke by placing this prank tape across the bathroom door while we had the water turned off.
We learned about this flexible pipe that can connect the two ends, but also allow for the possibility of roots to push it without breaking it. 

We wanted to help boost the signal for my in-laws to use the internet without disruption in the tiny house. So my husband bought Cat5 cable and thought he would just run it through the attic space. That turned into my next project...

Remember the game room ceiling I painted? Oh wait... I don't think I had shared that post with you just yet. Well, I painted the popcorn ceiling to be like a galaxy in the game room. Now I'm in the process of fixing this to look like a black hole in that galaxy. 

At this point, I keep thinking of that one song by Johnny Diaz.

Ever have those days? When you just need that reminder to stop and breathe? I've been feeling that. We are trying to get back into the groove, but it is a steady stepping process. Sometimes those steps feel like one forward and two backwards, but we keep pushing. A lot of things happening. I hope to have many posts to show some interesting projects, so be patient with me. And remember, just breathe.

Monday, May 15, 2023

Finishing Touches in the Tiny House - Almost There!

This past week, we tried not to slow down. Though Saturday I had prior commitments that had me working a yard sale in our front yard. We have sealed cracks amazingly well though. I know, because we have had some heavy thunderstorms this past week that dropped loads of water and tested our build. Not a single leak was found! So happy about that. 

We started the painting. I have decided I'm not a fan of matte paint at all. I prefer semi gloss. Matte feels like chalk on the walls. And messes with my OCD. Makes my skin shiver and nails feel funny too. Not sure why. Oh, and it cracks when over imperfections in the walls. That part surprised me too.

My husband agreed to do an accent wall, so we bought some Strawberry Red by Benjamin Moore. I am really liking the color. Might just do the closet in the same since we should have enough.

We also began installing the flooring tiles. We went with a peel and stick version. Though, we may get the additional glue later for the ones that are on cracks of bowing boards. We have noticed that some wanted to pop up in the corners. The hope is that we will finish the floor tiles today. At least in the main room.

We have decided that the tiny house will have a crown molding and baseboards once we finish the painting and flooring. We still need to add the closet door, adjust the main door that keeps getting stuck, add door frames for both, add the deadbolt to the main door, paint the ceiling after I finish the putty... I think that about covers the rest of our to-do list. Oh wait, have to finish putting the face plates for the electrical outlets and switches. I'm in the process of painting one of them. So until next time!

Monday, May 8, 2023

Pressing On With the Tiny House!

So, so, so close! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and no, it is not that of a train! After stopping two Thursdays back to go help the in-laws move a truckload out here, we are finally back to work. You wouldn't think that driving about 6 hours to load a moving truck full of furniture, then driving another 6 hours back to unload that same truck into a storage unit would count as a break. However, that is exactly what it turned into. As much as it could be, it broke us from the routine of working in the tiny house just enough to give us a second wind. Even better, was that after unloading the truck, the in-laws were even able to help put up some pieces of sheet rock, also called drywall. 

So what is the latest news on this project? So happy you asked! 

We have had to fill in gaps around the roofing. Using expanding foam to accomplish this. It isn't the prettiest, but no one will see it and it keeps things like dust or bugs out. So win-win for me! I have noticed that moths aren't flying around inside anymore, which is wonderful.

Had to pull up one of the floorboards and readjust it as it started bowing upwards a bit. We have another board to finish that same process with before we start laying flooring.

We installed both ceiling fans, all the electrical plugs and the 2 light switches. Don't forget to stabilize the area that a ceiling fan will hang from. We did that by screwing in extra 2x4 boards. Ready for the best part?? We have even hooked up power! It is so nice to turn on those fans while working outside in the heat.

We have put up all the drywall! No more insulation to cough through and no more drywall hanging. We even signed inside some of the walls, while adding our favorite bible verses. Mostly about building houses! 

I added putty around the seams and over screws to give the walls a smoother appearance when I paint them. I can't tell you how much I miss the various tools my dad always had. I'm also glad he taught me how to do the job right. I didn't appreciate it much when he was teaching me as he was such a perfectionist. However, now that I'm doing it myself, I can understand the 'why' so much more. I'm not as proficient as he always was, but I'm still doing the best I can. Today, I plan to do a final run with foam and putty.

An added bonus was the hatch door my husband installed to the ceiling. In case we need to get access to the attic space, there is a small opening that we can shimmy through. 

We have more confidence in getting this done quickly. Even with losing a day because of strong rain storms.  Our goal is to be finished and move-in-ready by the 17th. However, I am hoping that just a few more days and we can call it complete. The flooring may take a while. And then painting... That will be a process. But most of this is going by quicker than we anticipated! Which makes us glad. We also look forward to having our boys back home. They have been busy helping to clean and make repairs to their Nona and Aunts house. I'm proud of them for doing that. 

Until next time!

Thursday, April 27, 2023

The Tiny House Insides Are Getting Fleshed Out

One little thing at a time... That is what I tell myself. I also have to keep reminding myself and the others that there is a purpose for all this! Sometimes the cabin fever hits a little hard and the attitudes flare up. So we have to consider what this is for and the overall meaning of why we are doing all this. This week was by far the hardest on us all. My husband and I even came close to exchanging words that don't fall under Christian curse words level. Don't know what Christian curse words are? Tim Hawkins has quite the list. My go-to is honey sugar ice tea for the biggest needs. Otherwise I say something simple - oh, fudge! But when my husband used a real curse word - something even his coworkers think he is incapable of doing - I had to tell him to reign it in or my red-headed temper was going to come loose.

With that being said, we have moved into what was supposed to be the final week of work. We have to move in increments, but that works for me. I'm worn through. However, it has meant that we missed the deadline and have to adjust the moving plans as far as storing things in the tiny house goes. 

It is like adding muscles, tendons and skin to the room. Weird analogy, huh? We did an anatomy class recently. Still got that on the brain.

Monday, I finished all the painting of the rafters that were already hung. I also put up the insulation we had on hand. Though we did not get the standard version my dad used to get for the houses we fixed up, I learned the hard way that it still had fiberglass and caused a painful itching of the skin and scratching of the throat. I thought this new kind was something more organic, therefore safe to breathe in and didn't need a long sleeve shirt while setting into place. Next batch I added, I covered as much skin as possible. I wished I had a turtleneck shirt, but then I'm one of those people who have an irrational fear of wearing turtlenecks... so.... yeah. 

Tuesday and Wednesday kinda blur together for me... Then again, that is how most of my days have been. I take steps, finish tasks, and forget anything that isn't directly needing my attention. Tuesday was when we got the delivery of the drywall. We had to carry them into the tiny house to keep them from being ruined.

The next day, the delivery of 18 packs of insulation arrived. I spent that day installing 8 of those packs myself. It was hot, itchy and I couldn't finish due to needing more of the crack sealing caulk. My husband and I ended up working when he came home from work until it was so dark that I had to use my cell phone flashlight to see. We found out that the size of wiring my husband bought was too short. So he couldn't add the final wiring. Which led to me not being able to install the rest of the insulation. Which also meant we could not finish the drywall in time. Not that we had enough time anyhow with darkness falling so quickly. 

I'm glad for how much we were able to accomplish. While we didn't reach the goal, we had to accept that it is what it is. We are at the point where the boys can't really help us, especially with the 3 trips the kids have coming up. So my husband and I are doing the work alone. And that is after my husband has full days to work at his job.

Helpful hints for this week:

1. Don't let the stress get too high. Harder to do than it sounds. We took too big a bite when we thought that we could complete this project within a set time. And because of that, we got too stressed out.

2. Even if you think it is helpful, don't remind your build partner that saying the same phrase over and over isn't going to change the facts. 

3. Keep a calm head. Even when others around you can't seem to. Silence might be your best friend. How about what most of us heard as kids, "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." 

4. Order at least one extra... While carrying the sheetrock boards inside, the boys snapped one. Thankfully, we have extra. And we needed to cut some pieces. So we will still make good use of everything. But better to be prepared than without. 

Until next week! We are once again setting a goal. Two more weeks. That is when we hope to have this finished. Let's see if we can. And if we can't? Well, we will do what we can.

Monday, April 24, 2023

From Outside to Indoors, the Transition in Work on the Tiny House Begins!

Every house needs sturdy walls. With a layer outside and a layer inside. We had to complete those outer walls before moving inside to do the inner layers. 

Monday we finished the bulk of the large side wall. My in-laws sent us a jigsaw, and let me tell you right now - it is amazing! Made the intricate cutting so much quicker and easier. We were also blessed that the rain that fell was light. Otherwise it could have been bad for the roofing that was still exposed. It would have made the yard too muddy to be working in. But! I'm glad for the light rain. We had less dust blowing into our eyes this time around.

Tuesday was when we hung the siding on the front triangle of the building. As much as possible, we are trying to line up the patterns, but at this point, we are also just wanting to get it done quickly.

Wednesday was the day we finally finished the roof! I really don't ever want to have to do roofing again. We put the in last shingles as well as the ridge caps pieces. It isn't entirely uniform, but we went with what we had and it works just as well. Besides, how often is someone going to be looking up here. Except the birds of course.... They loved watching us build for some reason. I think they were checking out the new surface they planned to drop a load on. Devious creatures that they are.

Thursday we finished the back triangle part of the siding and one of the upper pieces along a side wall. Not much, but it was progress!

Friday we started putting in the wiring for electricity.

We need to install 2 light switches, 4 electrical outlets and 3 light fixtures. While my husband is doing electrical work (he is that kind of engineer after all), I had begun painting the boards black that will be the rafters along the ceiling.
Why black? It was the color I had lots of after painting the galaxy on our game room ceiling. Besides, my hope is to incorporate an eventual steampunk theme in the tiny house. Black rafters might just be perfect for the idea I have....

Saturday we had to take a break to run errands. But as soon as we could, we were back to work. At least until the dust storm came in.

I had just moved wood and swept the dust away from the porch. But within an hour, it had come back with a vengeance. And then some! Thank God we were able to finish putting up all the siding around the building.
I think God had been giving us mild weather until we accomplished this part. Why do I think that? Because after the dust storm, we had rain come down heavy. And woke up to a hearty cold on Sunday morning! 

While we cut the pieces for the siding, I started collecting the little cutouts from it. I told my husband that I have an idea of how to decorate my Little Free Library that we plan to build next. So he started cutting them to look more like rounded doors! But I'll share more on that with you when I finally get to build it.

 

Sunday was our last day of more than a couple hours to get things done. We have to be finished by this upcoming Wednesday. My husband and I installed the wiring from the main house to the tiny house. Not so easy as the photos might lead you to believe. While he dug a trench, I painted rafters. Then together we had to pull the cables through a tubing that would protect them underground. 

Helpful Hint: Want to know a great tip on this? It involves lubricant. Yes, lube. We happened to have some on hand. Never use the stuff though. If you pour some down in the tubing, the cables typically run in a lot smoother. We didn't do this initially, so I got one of those hardcore workouts. You know the one. Looks like someone playing jump rope in a squatting position by themselves. I had to shake the tubing while my husband shoved the wiring in. Once we added the lube though, it started going a lot smoother!

It was such a cold day, we lit up the fire pit. It was so nice. But it made me wish we had hot dogs and marshmallows... 

So thankful we made it that far. We have the wiring inside going to each electrical box, with an additional one that we hope will be hooked up to an air conditioning unit eventually. We also hung most of the rafters. I have to go back and finish painting them during the day. We were scheduled to get a delivery of sheet rock on today, but rain prevented that. Lord willing, tomorrow! This little home is going to start looking like one on the inside! See you in the next update.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Exploring Midland, Texas With the Nerdy Unicorn!

Midland, Texas was nothing like I'd expect it to be. While being a decent-sized town, and perhaps comparable to Waco, it has a different topography and style. We have been exploring little by little, when we can.  I thought that I'd share some of our favorite places around this town. Whether you are just visiting or if you are considering moving, here is a little insight.

Readers need books!

Since first coming to Midland, we started to explore around it. As a home schooling family, there were certain places we needed to establish ourselves with. The library is my favorite place to go to and was the first place we got hooked up for our book needs. While there are two locations, we have preferred the Downtown Plaza location for its distance from our home. The building itself is a work of art. Murals are painted on each side. One side has a metal art installation that looks reminiscent of a steampunk hot air balloon.  My daughters and I love bringing the dolls out to get some new photos. Inside this one, there are also screen walls that sometimes play movies or just have cool changing images. There are historical displays inside too. We even found the old map section in the back of the adult side. Those are so cool! To make things easy, I often just put in hold requests. They hold things for up to 3 days. If we are in a hurry, this makes it easier for us to grab and go. I love our librarians. They are always friendly! And when I have asked for recommendations on books, donut shops or even where to find a park, they were more than happy to share!

Taking time to play

We have also been to the Dennis the Menace Park. This is a large park with multiple sections for various sizes in kids to all play on. I think that is what we love most about this park -  the various sizes in the equipment. They have something for all kids. Even my teenage boys can fit as they chase around their sisters! And they aren't just the run of the mill slides and swings. They are themed to give kids more imaginative play!

Sparking the Urban Explorers in us

Across from the park, however, is some place we have been wishing we could urban explore.

I've had difficulty finding out what it was meant to be. Ever since we arrived, there has been no progress in the build. Sad really. It takes up an entire city block. The only thing I found was that it possibly was started as a housing project of some sort that has faulted on their payments and not done anything since 2019. It may have been recently sold, though. So maybe work will finally resume. It definitely makes us wish we could explore other places like it around town.
This town is in between transitions. From a booming oil town to a shift towards a tech town. They are tearing down old businesses and some new ones have moved in. That is just since we made the move.

Donuts! 

We started going to the local Shipley Donuts when my kids won free donut tickets from the library for a reading program. We were going every Saturday morning while we could. I love how they had a mural painted on the side that incorporated Midland's oil history.

They are not the only donut shop in town, however, and to be fair we had to give other places a try. We went to Jack n' Jill's, but we had gone after 10am so they had hardly any selection left. Despite that, they were the fluffiest donuts I had ever tried! I'm really hoping we can go back, earlier, to try other ones. My husbands favorites were the cinnamon rolls and long johns.  

Wall Street Antiques

I love looking for deals. And this one place has so many! I've found things for the dolls, relatives, husband and even my sons! This place is bigger than you'd expect when you look from outside. So many booths filled with antiques, vintage pieces and even some new items. You could go every week and still find new things that weren't there last week.

This vintage find was from the 90's. Remember the Sleeping Beauty dolls back then? For the entire outfit, brand new in the pack was only .99. Even better was that the corset comes separate so I can mix it with my Steampunk outfit for the dolls. But that is just one thing I've found there! And the employees are always helpful. Don't hesitate to ask questions!

Where's the meat? 

My husband and I gave up eating most meats you get at the regular grocery stores. We can't seem to handle whatever they are adding in, be it the dyes or the gases. So we had turned to farm stores or farmers markets when we could. My husbands coworker suggested Midland Meat Co. for our needs.

He swore their meat selection was not only amazing, but the best quality that could be found around here. After getting some, we are hooked! We have tried their ground beef, hamburgers, Texas antelope steak, lamb and Wagyu hotdogs so far. I would say that the hotdogs received the lowest score among our family members. But the burgers have become a family favorite. We get the ground beef in a larger pack and I split it up for shepherds pie, chili, and even taco night.

Meat isn't all they have though. They sells seasonings, produce, Volleman's milks and side fixings for your next cookout. We liked their local made cheeses too. So many flavors to choose from! 

Steak Express

Okay, so here's one I'd not have thought worthy of trying. However, we had family visit and decided to order out. After checking options and dietary needs, we all settled on Steak Express. What is it? A steak delivery company! No, seriously, they cook and deliver fully decked steak meals. They offer lots of variety in meats and sides. I wouldn't say this is my favorite place, but for the food being so good, I'm adding it the list. We definitely can't afford it often. A little too pricey for our family.

Having it delivered is a pretty cool bonus too. After all, food like this cooked to perfection after a long day is tiresome.

This is all I have for now. There are so many other places we hope to check out. (I'm keeping a list now!) And as I do, I promise I'll share my results. But I'm curious, so indulge me, if you have time. What is the first thing you would look for in a new town? Let me know and maybe that will be the next place I try to go to.