WE PASSED!!!

Here's one more reason (as if we need more reasons) to PRAISE GOD...
The plumbing inspector came back out this morning and we PASSED for both water and gas. We will be able to call the gas company next week and have them come set a meter. Batch also called our plumber and let them know we passed and that we'll be ready to install the water heater next week.

Buddy is here today working with Batch to get the final pieces of the electrical complete so we can call for an inspection on Tuesday. That means A/C and FLOORS!!!

We are taking a break this weekend and heading to Chattanooga, TN and Birmingham, AL to visit some friends. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Time to do the tiling...

...we did the tiling! For those of you who remember the old Dunkin' Donuts commercial, that will make sense. For others, sorry for the random reference.

Well, thanks to lots of help from my mom over the past week and a VERY long work day on Saturday, all the floor tile in the house has been laid. Depending on what is happening in the rest of the house this week, we will likely grout the new tile later this week or early next week. We've also put the first coat of paint on most of the trim (baseboards, crown and door molding) T.S. left behind for us to use.

Batch spoke to our local plumber late last week and he said that, legally, the city can not make us replace the washing machine drain since it was existing but that it would likely cause us problems down the road so we're better off replacing it now. Hopefully his crew will be able to replace the drain this morning and get the inspector back out to sign off on the project.

Bobby and Laura have been coming over in the evenings to help with the finish electrical work. They have all the ceiling fans installed and most of the electrical boxes wired up. There are some more ceiling fixtures to install and an outlet or 2 to find (they were accidentally covered by sheetrock) then we should be ready for final electrical inspection!! That means sweet A/C AND installation of our hardwood floors.

The neighborhood handyman is making quick work of our siding project. Almost all the "boards" of the board and batten siding are installed, and he should be able to start putting up the battens this week. We might be ready for house paint by the weekend.

Thank you for your prayers during our rebuilding. Please continue to pray for smooth building and passed inspections. So many things are just sitting on ready waiting for a small trigger to let the progress continue.

We will post pictures as soon as we remember the camera!

Progress Pics

We are installing board-and-batten siding. This is a picture of our house with the boards (no battens yet) but it looks much better than before.

Again from different angles.

Yesterday, we also installed cabinets, a light fixture and the shower head in one bathroom. The camera angles are bad (really bad, but I think you can make out the progress), but it looks a little more like a house every day.

A Brief Progress Report

I know Batch took some pictures yesterday that he wanted to upload to show everyone, but the internet was done at the Leavengoods last night. Maybe this weekend we'll get some more pictures posted. Here's what's been going on this week:
- Siding: As of last night, the cedar siding was complete along the driveway side of the house and people were stopping by to compliment Batch on how good it looks.
- Electrical: Buddy is back!!! He and Batch have been installing outlets and switches all day and have most of the "back" (really the north side) of the house complete. Batch and I will pick out some light fixtures this evening or tomorrow morning and those will be installed. We hope to be ready for the electrical inspection next week so we can get the A/C turned on and begin acclimating the hardwood flooring.
- Painting: You can basically call this complete. There is some touch up to do and the trim still has to be painted and installed, but it looks awesome! Mom will be here to help next week and I think that will be her project- finish the painting throughout the house.
- Plumbing: We had a little hiccup with the plumbing inspection, but our plumber is on the case and will hopefully have this worked out early next week.
- Cabinets: The rest of the cabinets arrived yesterday in a HUGE Bertch truck. I've taken a tiny peak and they are beautiful. If we get the electricity turned on, we might be able to begin installing the next week!

Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers and support. We continued to be amazed by God's provision for us.

Does Birth Order Determine Success?

A very interesting article I stumbled across this morning (and the topic of one of my gradeschool science projects).

I am the youngest of three:

Youngest: The youngest child tends to be the most creative and can be very
charming -- even manipulative. Because they often identify with the underdog,
they tend to champion egalitarian causes. (Youngest siblings were the earliest
backers of the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment.) Successful in
journalism, advertising, sales and the arts, famous youngest children include
Cameron Diaz, Jim Carrey, Drew Carey, Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Murphy and Billy
Crystal.

Holly is an only:

Only Children: Only children have similar characteristics to first borns and are
frequently burdened with high parental expectations. Research shows they are
more confident, articulate and likely to use their imagination than other
children. They also expect a lot from others, hate criticism, can be inflexible
and are likely to be perfectionists. Well-known only children include Rudy
Guiliani, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alan Greenspan, Tiger Woods, tennis' teen
queen Maria Sharapova and Leonardo Da Vinci.

What are you? Do you think our profiles (Holly and I) fit? Does your profile fit?

B

A few pictures of the progress

Batch and our friend CW work on hanging the insulation board. The next step on the exterior work will be siding. Inspired by the beautiful homes of the Springhill and Fairhope, AL areas, we've decided to use cedar siding.

Moving inside the house, we find the first of our cabinet order...it's the vanity and linen cabinet for the "jack & jill" bathroom! The remainder of the order should arrive sometime next week!!

Here's the guest bathroom just off the "man room." The workers did a GREAT job with the paint in that room!

It's time for tile selection...below are our 3 options...let us know what you think. We have one in mind, but enjoy hearing from all of you!

Forward Progress

After months of being stuck in neutral, and sometimes even reverse, things at the house are racing forward. Batch has taken a leave of absence to spearhead the operation and so far it's been well worth it. We are so thankful for God's provision and blessing in our efforts to restart our lives. Here are just a few things to give thanks for:

• The sheetrock is DONE!
• Walls and ceilings are being painted as I type (I'm stuck in the office while others are working on the house).
• Our kitchen and bathroom cabinets will be delivered TOMORROW!
• Our flooring is on order (or almost on order) and will likely only take a few days to arrive.
• Mr. Buddy will be here later this week to begin the finish electrical.
• Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers...our friends have been VERY helpful throughout this process (especially CW- I'm glad you work so close!!).
• The soffits have been replaced and furring strips for the siding are being installed this week.

Please continue to pray for skilled laborers to assist in the cabinet and flooring installation and for continued forward progress. At this rate, we may actually move in this month!! I'll try to take and post some pictures of the house that is slowly but surely becoming a home soon.