The Power of the Pen (or keyboard)

I have received a few questions about our housing progress, so let me give you the update.

We are still working mostly on finishing our own house, but have committed to help 4 (yep, only four) other families finish their homes by the end of March (that is our official do-or-die deadline). We found out that we have to have little porches and steps out of every door in order to pass our framing inspection and start dry walling, so we are working furiously on that. Porches, steps and siding. It will all be done this Saturday (including the fascia and soffit—the stuff that covers the eaves). Then we can pass inspection and start all the finish work. Our cabinets have already arrived, we ordered carpet, Pergo, and light fixtures last week, and I have even bought a couple of cans of paint. It won’t be long now, as long as everybody does his or her best. We will be moved in before we go to SLC for conference in April.

So yeah—the building group got split into 2 phases. The poky little puppies have until summer to finish their houses and we have until March. This split is partially due to an email I happened to send the very day the USDA came to review our progress (or lack thereof) and they felt sorry for me. Even though it was a rant that I was kind of embarrassed about (I sent an apology a short time later), it got something done and I am proud of that. See, channeling your rage into writing can occasionally make things happen.

So soon our “Acacia” siding will be all done, our Almond crunch (or whatever it’s called) light “Frieze” carpet and honey oak laminate floors will be installed, then our natural oak cabinets and speckly counters and Corian “Tahiti Sand” sink, but not before we paint the walls colors like “Basic Beige”, “Soft Suede,” “Scrubs” (sea green), “Tea Rose,” and “Cayenne.” One of these days.

Of course I will take pictures and post them here, so keep your eyes peeled, then come see it for yourself!!!