This photo proves we're still smiling, yet we're drowning in the midst of home improvement projects around here. Why is it one project always leads to another and another, and well you get the idea.  If you own a home, I'm sure you've experienced this snowball phenomenon. 

Early in the spring our pipes in our mudroom burst due to a deep freeze.  This was the third time this had happened in this room.  The room has three exterior walls and was not warm enough to keep the pipes leading to the washing machine warm enough from freezing and consequently bursting.  The first time this happened it sounded as if someone were taking a shower beneath my feet.  Yikes.  We tried insulating the pipes, etc. etc. Nothing was a permanent fix.

The ultimate fix so it will NEVER happen again was to have the pipes and washing machine relocated to the interior wall in this room.  My husband dug out the flooring, and wet, disgusting old insulation all the way down to the foundation, then rebuilt and reinsulated.  What a guy! This fall he removed the cabinets, painted, and shopped for wainscoting and tile. 

In the meantime, we had our plumber give us an estimate on installing a gas log in our fireplace to combat the high cost of heating our home.  He suggested we not tile the mudroom floor yet, as he wants to use that space for his pipeworks.  So, we were left with the task of ordering the gas logs from an online resource and getting the chimney swept.

Not long after that, our dishwasher leaked and buckled the hardwood floor in the ktichen, so halt the plans on the mudroom, Let's shop for a new dishwasher and decide on the repairs of the floor.   The new dishwasher is now sitting in the garage waiting for the floor repairs to be completed.  Yes, you guessed it, we're doing dishes by hand, and it's getting old fairly quickly.  We're almost certain we'll replace the hardwood floors in the kitchen and family room with prefinished wood, instead of replacing the buckled area, and living through a sanding and refinishing process which would have us move out of the house for at least four days.  

The fire in the oven topped it all off.  I'll tell you folks it's been interesting around here trying to put meals on the table using a crockpot, microwave, electric skillet and toaster oven, and grill.  It's doable but without a dishwasher makes it all very time consuming.   We've had to remain very flexible, but I'm wanting it all put back together now.  Enough fun and excitement, thank you. 

This week the new oven will be delivered and installed.  The old one was still under warranty.  Thank you Lord.

The dishwasher will be installed whether or not the floors are completed.

The gas logs will be ordered by a friend who's a dealer AND chimney sweep.

The plumber will come and solder, and cut, and whatever else plumbers do to install gas logs.

My husband can begin tiling the mudroom floor, then installing the wainscoting.  When that's begun I'll order new cabinets for that room. 

Whew~ it's enough to make my head swim, and become very grumpy, but I'm still smiling and thanking God for our home nonetheless. 

My thoughts have been on Psalm 27:13-14, which says:

 I am STILL confident of this:   I will see the  goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. 

I don't think it's a mistake that David wrote "wait for the Lord" twice in that last verse.  He whined, and became exasperated just like us occassionally, yet knew where his hope came from.

When I've been tempted to have a pity party, I've thought of this sign  I saw while on vacation this summer.  I knew I took a photo of it for a purpose, just didn't know I'd be preaching to to myself.