Batch returns to Christmas past...

"Santa" was very good to Batch this year and remembered a wish from Christmas past. When we lost our house on the beach all of Batch's train collection was inside. "Santa" decided to use the eBay elves and buy a replacement...I think it was a hit!!

The train set is a vintage 1970s' Lionel Train much like the set Batch had growing up.

Blast from the past...

I ran into our illustrious "plumber", John Tasselari, today in Lowes. A whole flood of emotion came over me as I explained to the guy next to him in line that he shouldn't give him any money because he was a crook. I didn't get super angry, but my blood pressure is still on its way down.

As it turned out the guy I was talking to wasn't with Tasselari. And Tasselari dropped his stuff and left the store immediately.

It is sad/maddening that the authorities aren't able to pursue this guy and that he is here and likely still perpetuating his scam on others.

B

Busy Season

Since it's been a while since we posted, I'll give you a little summary of where we've been.
As is typical for us, the fall is our personal "busy season" (if you don't recognize the terminology, ask an accountant). After enjoying a quiet Labor Day weekend at home, we have been on the road almost non-stop since September 8th. Although it's been a hectic schedule, we have enjoyed the activities and events we've been able to attend. Here's what our schedule has been so far:
- Wedding shower for our friends Skip and Shelly (Jackson, MS)
- MSU football game (Starkville, MS)
- PCA Women in the Church Conference (Holly only- Atlanta, GA)
- Long weekend with Mom M (Columbus, OH)
- Baby shower for Ashely (local- Ocean Springs, MS)

The next couple of weekends involve local activities such as a Pat Green concert tomorrow night in New Orleans then it's back on the road for November. We'll be visiting San Antonio, TX (company meeting); Miami, FL (Holly only- bachelorette party); Birmingham, AL (pit stop to visit friends); Maggie Valley, NC (Thanksgiving); Atlanta, GA (pit stop returning from NC). I'm also trying to plan a party for the Saturday after Thanksgiving since many of my friends from high school will be in town for the holiday.

What can we say, we're tryin to live the saying "Work Hard, Play Hard!" In the midst of all this travel we have made some progress on the house, so I'll try to post some new pictures this weekend or next week.

Patience vs Impatience

I've been confronted with my impatience in a number of ways this week. Just now, as I began to become angry and frustrated (forms of impatience), I searched BibleGateway.com for 'patient'. A number of verses were referenced, but I found particular comfort in the following result.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

I certainly have seen this truth displayed powerfully in the past year. I see it all the time in smaller, everyday matters. Some circumstances seem really difficult as I approach them... dread takes over and I tend to make those circumstances more monstrous than they really are and wonder to myself, "How will I ever survive?". And often, once the 'ordeal' is over, I look back and see that it wasn't really an ordeal at all, but blessing. Sure, it was tough at times, but it was good too. And when I have truly experienced an ordeal, I can see the blessing of our God all the more clearly.

I also, found alot of timely, practical wisdom for some other current struggles in these verses.

2 Timothy 2:22-26

22So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant^[d] must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

There's a lot to unpack there, but I just thought I'd share.

B

Bittersweet decision...

When we left Houston, TX a little over 3 years ago and settled on the MS Gulf Coast, it was supposed to be a "forever" decision. While we realize things do change, our point was we wanted to settle down and establish some roots rather than moving every couple of years. Well, God has other plans for us, and we are once again moving--more than likely BACK to Houston!!


This is a bittersweet decision. I am leaving a job I love where I was slated to be promoted (BIG promotion) by the end of the year. We are also leaving a house we only recently finished renovating (actually, it's still not technically finished!)- and that was featured on Trading Spaces!! Of course, there are also friends we will miss and hope will visit us in the future!

We are excited about the move and feel confident God is leading us away from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We did not make this decision lightly and do not think the transition will be without hiccups, but we're confident God will sustain us as He's done so faithfully in the past. Please pray for us during this time- specifically:
- for confirmation/clarity regarding where we will move (again, likely H-town, but we want to be sure)
- that the transition will be smooth
- that our house will sell quickly and for a fair price
- that we'll find a new home quickly (preferably one with minimal renovation required!)

If you know anyone wanting to move to the Biloxi area, our house is for sale!!

A Picture is worth a thousand words...

Here are some much requested and overdue pictures of the house progress. Sorry there's not more "story" to go with it, but words are failing me today...

EXTERIOR: We finished planting the front garden (courtesy of Scott) and mulched the beds. You can see Luke and Batch hard at work in the center picture! The last picture is of the rear deck- it's still not completely finished, but we enjoyed dinner out there on Labor Day!


KITCHEN: It's FINISHED!!! The last picture is a view from the kitchen into the living room and dining room. It's a great open space and perfect for entertaining!

One Year...

So I intended to post something yesterday, but couldn't come up with the words. It's been a year since Katrina tore through the MS Gulf Coast. In some ways it feels like it was yesterday and in others it feels like it was a life time ago. We continue to be amazed by God's grace and mercy in the midst of the changes and trials. We have been blessed in ways we could never have imagined, and we are eternally grateful to the many who have given us so much over the last year. Please know that we do remember each and every one of you and praise the Lord for your help to us.

I thought of putting links to posts from this time last year, but decided instead to just encourage you to go back and read them on your own. I don't think separating them and picking out one or 2 would do them justice. People say that memories fade over time, but I can tell you that sitting here today, a year later, typing this post, I still remember vivid details of our beach house- and I'm grateful for that. We have lots of great memories of the almost 2 years we lived there- many holidays surrounded by friends and family. We'll treasure those and remember that just because the structure and pictures are gone doesn't mean we will forget. Our treasures are not to be stored up here on Earth, but with our Father in Heaven. Ok, I get it Lord, and when I forget it again, please use a little more subtle reminder!

Curb Appeal

There really is a lot to be said for a little landscaping. Here is a current picture of the house and our weekend landscaping project. (Yes, that's my mom putting the screens back in the kitchen windows- thanks Mom!) We elected to sod the front yard and seed the back yard. Given it's August in Mississippi, we are running the sprinklers 2-3 hours a day until the sod "takes." Thankfully, Batch and Tim installed a sprinkler system so watering the lawn is not such a chore. There are a few more plants to add to the garden and some mulching to be done next weekend, but all in all, this will be the new appearance of our house!

In the backyard, Batch and Bishop are building this great deck for outdoor entertaining. In addition to the table shown in the picture, we will have some seating along the railings of the deck. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and Batch and Bishop will finish that up on Friday. Here's a picture of the deck in process:

On the Road Again

Well, it's official, Batch is on the road again!

This weekend it's for pleasure. He's off to Vegas with 15 other guys for Skip's bachelor party. Yes, I'm slightly insane to send my husband off to sin city alone, but I trust him.

After spending next week at home trying to finish the house, he will return to TSG on August 28th. He will once again become a road warrior splitting his time between Houston, TX and Cleveland, OH. He's looking forward to the project although adjusting back to life on the road will be a HUGE challenge for both of us (and for Luke, our dog).

A few tidbits...

First of all, BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Steve D and Dad B who've had birthdays this month. I've been off my game this year and basically missed everyone's birthday so I wanted to give them some much deserved and delayed attention! WE LOVE YOU!

We are still enjoying the house although it's still a work in process. We get little things done each day so that's nice. Batch and a friend, Tim, have been working on the sprinkler system off and on this week. On Wednesday, Jerry came by and he and Batch decided to replace the old (rotted and rusted) main drainline to the house. About halfway through the process, we got the biggest rainstorm we've had in almost a year so we spent the evening with no running water, but we survived with no permanent scars.

We cashed in some of the American Express points we've been racking up during this process and got a new vacuum cleaner. I think we're also going to use the points for a lawnmower as soon as we finish the sprinkler system and lay some sod!

Seems like there should be something more interesting to mention that all that, but I can't think of it right now...TGIF!!

Hurricanes and warm Gulf waters...

don't typically mix well so please pray nothing substantial comes of the 3rd named storm of the 2006 Hurricane season, Chris. As of today, Chris is still a tropical storm, but as you can see the projected path leads it straight into the Gulf of Mexico early next week. The latest Gulf temperatures are around 90 degrees which could mean rapid intensification for the storm. Check out this link to our tracking site of choice.

Another first in the Kensington house...

...our first dinner party! Batch made his famous spaghetti, and we enjoyed the evening with about 12 friends. We invited those who were present for our last dinner party in the old house (well, those who still live on the Coast). It was a good time, and we look forward to doing it again soon. We will be having a proper house warming party as soon as a few more items are finished around the place (master bathroom and landscaping). Now, before anyone reading this gets offended at not being extended an invitation to the first supper, there will hopefully be MANY more, and we had to limit the invitees based on places to sit and eat (we still do not have much furniture).

As part of the preparations, I made sure to get my camera out and put it in the kitchen/dining room, but alas, I still forgot to use it and take some pictures of the festivities. Maybe next time!

Busy week...

A couple of milestones this week- we cooked dinner INSIDE our house- oven and microwave only- and as of last night we have countertops and a cooktop! Hopefully we'll be able to find the hole saw we need to install the faucet which will complete the kitchen sink! For those of you at First Pres. on Sunday, we all know how important the kitchen sink is! :)

Besides the usual work on the house it seems like we've had a busy week socially. We had dinner guests Tuesday night, we tried to make it to church on Wednesday evening but ended up working on the kitchen, had an event at a neighbor's house last night and are schedule to head to Lagniappe Pres. tonight for a crab boil. The events continue tomorrow morning with a baby shower for our neighbors Kevin and Beth who recently adopted their 2nd child from Russia (an adorable little boy named Drew).

I'll try to post more pictures of the house after this weekend.

House pictures...

Here are some pictures of our house. It's still a work in progress, but looking more and more like a home each day...

Luke sitting in the middle of his new kitchen!

A view down our LONG island with the pantry in the background. We should get countertops and the rest of our appliances next week!

A view of our "famous" living/dining room from the kitchen

The master bedroom...not much to see here but at least there's a bed!

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be excited about a washer and dryer I would have thought you were crazy, but even I am enjoying these new additions to our home.

One of the guest bedrooms- we used some antique beds Mom had in storage. The cute bedding is courtsey of Lois!!

The front of the house with our NEW front door!! Doesn't it look great? We will likely start on landscaping next week so I should have more exterior pictures to post then.

Home Sweet Home...

Are you sitting down and ready for this news??? We are finally in our house!! We officially moved in on Saturday and have been settling in since then. We were blessed with many helping hands to assist with the final push and cleaning efforts! The church had a group in from Palm Bay, FL to help with VBS in the mornings and help in the community in the afternoons. I'm so terrible with names, but there were 10 wonderful youth who cleaned and prepped the house. I must also mention our good friend Virginia who convinced her boyfriend to spend his Friday off installing our front door so many, many thanks to Virginia and Tim for making the move possible- the front door actually works like a front door now- and by that I mean you need a key instead of a drill driver!!

Believe it or not, we actually had our first house guests this weekend too...the Mahnes and the soon-to-be Manuels came to visit and were a tremendous help getting things put away and just giving us a chance to play for a weekend. They brought their boat so we got to get out on the water some...by the way, although they claim to have cleared the channel, drive carefully...it's not as clear as you might think! Pictures from our adventures to follow later.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!

BTW, our kitchen cabinets are being installed as I type so we might get a kitchen soon too!!!