Pop's and Grammy's Living Space Update

Here's our new welcome mat...come see us soon!

Here is our entrance - it isn't finished yet but will be soon. Pop picked out a great door and I love it! He had good taste!
This is what you see beyond the door...we've picked out some cabinets but haven't ordered them just yet. Farm Chick is such a good cook and she and EJ such good hosts and the cowboys so much fun that we are not hurrying. :-)

This is a view of the living space from the kitchen area. We're really pleased...and when our furniture finally arrives we will like it better so we can sit somewhere!

This is our bathroom...the vanity is my favorite thing so far and the inspiration piece for our kitchen cabinetry...I can't wait until it is all done!!

We still have several phases of construction before we are "done" with the basement but we'll get there...watch for updates as we go.

Making Progress

Whew...we are getting some things done in the basement of the farmhouse! It's been a slow go and we are clearing the hurdles as they come. We have encountered a few problems like plumbing leaks and logistical issues (you know, the domino effect - like electrical needing to be done before sheetrocking, etc.). Our electrician (who is also a family friend) was delayed due to his mom (also our friend) was in the hospital twice. We are praising God with them that she is recovering from a near death bout of infection in her bloodstream due to an abdominal abcess. Yikes!

Here are some pictures so you can see the progress...

The Kitchen! There is one of our plumbing leaks...soon to be fixed!

Master Bedroom

Bathroom

A beautiful phone jack...to be hooked up today!

Our test spot for concrete staining...also occuring today.

The entrance light.

Temporary bedroom in the basement.

We'll post more when more progress is made...We're getting excited!!

Demo Day

We had a demolition party at our place last Saturday. We needed to tear out everything in an area of the basement so Pop can remodel. Oh, I didn't mention? He and Grammy are not only moving back home but they are moving into the farmhouse basement. With us...the farm hands.

I can tell this will require some back story. Here goes...

December 2007 - Pop and Grammy are living in South Carolina. They have been there since the summer of 2005 (Pretty Princess was with them too. She was in High School when they moved). However, they were in town for Christmas. EJ, Grammy, Pop and I were chatting one night and Pop casually mentioned that he and Grammy would like to find some land to purchase when they returned in 5-7 years (when Pop would retire from that position). Out of curiosity EJ fired up the laptop and asked Pop for the details on this land/property he wanted to find. Badabing Badaboom...Four Sisters Farm popped up on the screen. Hmmm...Pop was interested. Very interested. I believe I said, "What would you do with it? You aren't moving back for some time." Pop replied, "Well, I guess I'd have you kids move into it."

While it was true that EJ, the cowboys and I were quickly outgrowing our little house, I wasn't so sure about this living in the country thing. I think I probably kind of laughed assuming that wouldn't work out anyway. For starters EJ and I owned our home so we would have to sell it. That seemed daunting on it's own.

If memory serves we tried to look at the property over Christmas but couldn't get in. Pop and Grammy flew back home to SC. EJ and I went to look at the place the next week. We took a video and sent it to them. To say this place was going to need a lot of work was an understatement. It smelled AWFUL. The folks living here had multiple cats indoors as well as 2 big dogs. The smell of animal pee was more than one could stand. I can't even begin to list the upkeep and repair that needed to be done on the rest of the place. As I am writing this I am realizing just how much of a miracle it was that I LOVED it here. I called Pop and said, "there is just something magical here." It just felt right.

February 2008 - Pop and Grammy make a trip back here and check out the property along with multiple other country places. You have heard what happened when Pop saw the pond. This place was sold!

We kept looking at one another going, "This is crazy. Is it really going to work?" We just kept praying that if it was the Lord's will he would work out the details. Step by step he did just that. Our home was on the market for about 30 days and shown around 30 times. Can you imagine how awful that was for a stay at home momma with a baby and a toddler. I was starting to lose my good mind. God sold our home just in time to save my sanity!

May 2008 - EJ, the cowboys and I moved out of our place and into my in-laws place for a couple of weeks. During that time a problem with the financing on the farm came out of no where. The appraisers made a mistake and Pop was trying to correct it from a distance. For a few moments we all wondered if it was going to happen. We realized that we were in fact homeless. God intervened through an incredible lady at the bank Pop was working with. All systems were go again.

June 2008 - A major cleaning followed. We ripped up carpet, treated the floor, painted all the walls, had the duct work cleaned, etc. Carpet was replaced and next thing we knew we moved in. I'm sure EJ has a laundry list of things he did outside as well.

Moving in was like a big party! Pop and Grammy flew back and tons of friends and family pitched in. It was amazing. We were trying to get settled in when relentless rain storms started rolling through. There was a snugly night in the basement hiding from a tornado. If I remember right it included my in laws, all of us, my folks and a friend and her son. It was crazy! The storms just kept coming and pouring buckets of rain on us. We quickly discovered that the basement was leaking...bad. Pop and EJ's new project became repairing the problems that caused the water in the basement. Another example of God's plan. We never would have discovered the problems without that wild rain.

So...that's how it all began. We live in the farm and care for it. In the past year we have fallen in love with the place. We have chickens, dogs, cats and a huge garden. Needless to say we are attached. We have started dreaming about building out here on the land.

So when Pop called and said to EJ, "I want you to discuss with Farm Chick the idea of Grammy and I living in the basement" It didn't take long for us to decide. Let's do it! We can work together to accomplish all our goals. Sure we will have our ups and downs. We know having four adults and two pre-schoolers in one house will be an adjustment. Once the renovations are finished downstairs Pop and Grammy will have their own apartment with a separate entrance. We are all excited and can't wait to make the transition.

These are the next steps...complete the basement renovation, sell the house in SC and move Grammy and Pop in. We are trusting that God will go before us in this transition. Our biggest prayer request right now is that the house will sell quickly. Grammy will be staying in SC in order to work and get the house sold. As you can imagine it's not much fun for them to be apart.

Here are some pics from demo day. Thank you to our friends that helped! Pop, the place is ready for you. See you soon!

There's No Place Like Home

Grammy’s Perspective: Historically, when God has moved us we have had to WAIT to see what He is doing through that move…through the pain of telling family and friends “Goodbye” and leaving church families who have loved, helped, and supported us through a variety of trials in our lives.

This has been no exception. Leaving Kansas after putting down roots was – well – it was painful. We had NO doubt that we were supposed to go – the “handwriting was on the wall.” (Daniel 5:5 gives a biblical reference for this old saying.) It was evident to everyone that God had been preparing Pop for the job he had been offered in South Carolina…it was a dream job. The only drawbacks were moving one teenage daughter (Pretty Princess, who only remembered Kansas), leaving behind three married daughters, three sons-in-law, two grandchildren, Pop’s Mom, my parents, and a WHOLE BUNCH of family and friends. Like I said – it was painful… Our married daughters were stoic when I wanted to just fall apart. Of course, Pretty Princess and I held it together for the good of all on that last day as we kissed our family goodbye. I remember sensing that Lou Lou was not fooled by Grammy’s pretending that it was okay to live that far away from people you love.
…and it didn’t become less painful to be so far away as six more “grandblessings” came.

So...here we are near the end of this chapter. Listing our house to sell and making our lists of things to do before we each leave our work in SC has been bittersweet. We will never forget the things God has brought about during our time here. He moved us for our good – to teach us things we needed to know in an environment where we had only each other to lean on. He has accomplished much in our hearts that we may never be able to convey in words. We are grateful.

I don’t have real ruby red slippers to wear as I click my heels together and say, “There’s no place like home…” but I do have the cutest pair of pink and navy muck boots waiting for me in the mud room of the farmhouse…I think they will do.

Pop's Perspective: I can't express how excited I was when I landed the job in South Carolina. It was and is a dream job for someone like me. I have been so blessed to get to do what I love. It is meaningful work with interesting people and just simply fun. I've had the privilege of training committed young federal officers and helping equip them with the skills to survive in a dangerous world. I recognize how blessed I've been to enjoy such fulfilling and rewarding work.

There are only two jobs I would be more interested in than the one I have in South Carolina. Both are in Kansas and one is right where we would choose to be because of the close proximity to Four Sisters Farm and our precious family. The odds of this job coming open were remote and it was even more unlikely I would be able to secure the position. In my business these type of jobs are few and far between but God is good and always ahead of us. We have again experienced the unlikely and we are not foolish enough to call it luck. God is always ahead, always making a way. We are headed back to Kansas and we are filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. It would be more than enough to return to those we love, but God threw in the bonus of a great job. In these hard economic times, it is so much more than we could have imagined.

I am truly excited to start a new career challenge and spend some time on the farm. We have missed too many birthdays, Easter egg hunts, soccer games, recitals, smooches, hugs, crayon pictures, talks with our children and walks with our grandchildren. I look forward to just being in the presence of those I love without counting the days until we have to get on an airplane and leave. We still have much to do and trying to sell a house in this market is scary. But, shame on us if we don't proceed with faith. It looks like that old barn at Four Sisters might get a face lift a little sooner than originally planned. Why not, you know we're going to be living very close to lots of family and friends.....(you can't see, but trust me, I'm smiling).