Progress - In Several Ways!

From the following pictures you should be able to see the progress that is being made on the siding to our house. Just is the little bit that has been done we can tell that the house is going to look beautiful when it is finished and that between the new deck and the siding that the value of the house is sure to go up as well.

We've made "progress" in other ways as well. A couple of weeks ago, we were informed that the rack & pinion system (steering) of our van was in need of replacement. The cost of replacement would have be close to, if not over, $1,000. After praying about the situation and also getting some guidance/advice from my father and Stephenie's father, we decided that it would be better to "bite the bullet" (Dad Campbell's advice) than it would be to "nickel and dime" (Dad Campbell's advice) our old van. (Rest assured that Dad Moulson's advice was the same although he did not use the same words!) (As a side note - Had we known that we were going to have to purchase a new vehicle, we would not have spent the money to side the house and put a new deck on. It's "funny" how God works things out. Romans 10:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to those who are the called according to His purpose.")

Well, after a week of searching and praying, we finally purchased a new van. It has everything that we had wanted in a new van. Allow me to give you the specs: 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan, 27,000 miles, stow and go seating, installed DVD system, (the kids were excited about that one) and the list could go on.

The final price tag was $13,900. The same van, everywhere else we looked was anywhere from $16,000 to $18,000. This also happened to be the very first van that we looked at last week. The Lord allowed us to wrap the deal up at just the right time. We are going to be travelling to Durham tomorrow afternoon in order to attend the high school graduation of 2 of Stephenie's nieces and one of her nephews.

Why do we feel that we needed to purchase a new van? The following picture should answer that question.

For the past several weeks I have had to add power steering fluid to our "old" van on a daily basis!

Finally, pray for Stephenie. She has had a stomach virus today. I had it yesterday and spent more time in the bathroom than I did anywhere else. I felt terrible! The only thing that I ate yesterday were two packs of crackers and a toasted peanut butter sandwich. She is still lying on the coach. She hasn't moved a whole lot from that position today. However, she handles pain and discomfort a whole lot better than I do.

Until next time!

Home Improvement, Continued

As you can tell from the pictures, the deck is in the process of being built. Two men from our church and one former church member all came over on Saturday morning to help in the construction. Two of those men have spent many years in construction and so this was an "easy" job for them. By Saturday afternoon the deck was finished. All that remained was the stairs and the railing.

I have been shoppoing for a new grill for awhile. Saturday afternoon, while at Home Depot, I has approached by a salesman, as I looked at the grills, who asked me if I would be interested in last year's model. (The HD distrubution center had sent them a couple.) He said that the price was $100. When I saw the grill I paid them the money and came back later in the afternoon to pick it up. That same grill, this year, costs over $200. Thank the Lord that I was in the right place at the right time. It works like a champ!

Home Improvement, Part (I've stopped counting!)

I truly have stopped counting! Because our siding contractor is a small, family business, if problems arise on a jobsite, it delays him in other areas. Needless to say, he was supposed to start this morning, but was held up. The material was delivered tonight but we don't have anyone to put it on. He is to call me tomorrow to give me an idea of when he'll be able to start. The Lord is allowing our patience to be tested.

Also, we have been unable to get ahold of the mobile mechanic that repaired our power steering pump on the van. It has developed a leak and it is still under warranty. Stephenie thinks he is ignoring us. I'm beginning to wonder myself. We have to get it fixed, though. We have to go to Raleigh next week for a graduation.

With the van "under the weather" I bought Stephenie a pre-paid cell phone so that she can call me if she gets "stranded" by the van. We'd love to buy a new van but with having just taken out a home eq loan to pay for the siding and other improvements on the house, I can't see how we could afford a vehicle payment right now. It's all in the Lord's hands! He's never let us down and I doubt He'll will!

Until next time!

Home Improvement, Part 4 - The Saga Continues

Last Thursday evening, I began in ernest to demolish the back deck.

I spent the entire day on Friday working on the demolition. At times, it was slow and tedious but it wasn't too difficult. The hardest thing was taking down the 2x10 that was how the roof of the deck was attached to the house.

I spent Saturday afternoon working on the demolition. The pile of debri continued to climb. I wasn't looking forward to hauling it off. Our city taxes pay for large trash to be hauled off. However, we have to "prepare it" and then drag it to side of the street. Preparing this trash meant removing the nails from the wood or driving the nails completely into the wood. I did haul off the roofing material to the local landfill. I would have been too much work to pull all the roofing nails out of the plywood.
I took a vacation day on Monday so that I could finish the demolition. Finally, late Monday afternoon, I finished the demolition and clean up of the deck. I discovered that there was some dry rot to the house band. I am having a general contractor, who is a member of our church, come to look at the spot to see if it will be okay or if it needs to be repaired. I think that I will be okay to simply treat the wood so that it doesn't disinegrate anymore.

This is what our deck looks like sitting by the edge of the road (minus the roofing).

Home Improvement, Part 3

Demolition on the back porch continues...

Home Improvement, Part 2

Well, May 16th is the big date! That is to be the day that the siding is to start being put on our house. However, before that day I have a lot of work to do. I have already torn the porch railing off of the front porch and I also have to tear the old deck off of the rear of the house. You will also notice that we dug up the old bushes which were located on the side of the house nearest the drive. Once the work is all done you won't even recognize the house.