Thankful Thursday

I have so much to be thankful for today.

First off, I'm feeling much better than I did the past three days.  I was fighting a fever, an allergic reaction to an unknown source, a scratchy throat, a headache and chest congestion.  After going in the ocean yesterday, taking medicine consistently, and sleeping for about 14 hours straight the night before, I think I've rounded the corner. Praise GOD!

I'm thankful for:

• Modern medicine that reduce painful things like a fever
• Friends that I can share life with
• Children, and the happiness & energy they bring 
• The summer, and a job that allows me to enjoy it fully
• REST and A/C

Yesterday morning I went to Waimea with Robbie, Raquel, Neil and the boys.  It was a lot of fun, and just what the doctor ordered for my sickness--fresh air and salt water!  The boys had a blast as usual.  They were quite the jumpers.  Once they started jumping off the rock, they didn't want to stop!  

Asher had to wear goggles like his brother, even though he's scared of the water.

Maybe next time Ash.

Ez thinking about who to bomb with his sand ball.

Maddox preying on the easy target--Asher.

Ezekiel about to jump from the rock!!

Then, at 5:00pm, Uncle Frank, Aunty Tam and Jared brought the NPC youth over to the house for a pool/pizza party.  It was a wonderful day; the only hiccup was when a police officer came and told us we couldn't park on the road in our cul-de-sac.  I'm pretty sure it means someone from our neighborhood called the cops on us, and that makes me sad.  All the neighbors seem super nice, and I thought everyone liked us.  Oh well.

The girls didn't last long in the pool.  It's pretty cold!

Not sure what game this was...

Uncle Frank was exhausted, haha.

Chicken fight.

The Winners!

Pastor Mike talked about our hope in a BIG God last Sunday.  I think it's awesome that the only reason we know LOVE is because he first loved us.  We are able to love because God our father modeled it for us by sending Jesus to suffer his wrath in our stead.  [1 John 4:7-12].  That's why I think modeling and teaching by example is so important.  I am intrigued by the fact that we can't do anything to earn God's favor.  It seems so foreign.  Everything in our culture tells us that in order to be accepted, well-liked, loved, or promoted we must meet a benchmark or quota.  It tells us that me must measure up to a specific standard.  Then, and only then, will we receive the prize,the admiration, the praise, the bonus paycheck.  

It's only natural that we would carry over this thought process to our relationship with Christ, but the beauty of the gospel is that there's nothing we can do to be accepted by him.   There's nothing we can say or think that will make God like us more than he already does.  We simply acknowledge him as our savior and trust him with our life.  I like this quote by pastor Mike Ohara:  

"We are saved by grace for God's glory expressed through good works.  It's not a balance of grace and works.  It's ALL grace.  Works is a by-product of grace."

So, I'm thankful for grace too.  Without it, I'd be dead in my sin.

Cabinet news

I've been feeling a little sick lately.  Yesterday I woke up feeling really achy and I have these really itchy bumps on my legs!  I tried to rest most of the day, but by 3 or 4 I was getting antsy.  Itchy legs and all, I decided to go up to the house to do some work.  Uncle Frank and Mike had also just arrived.

Here's some updated pics of the bathrooms:

Durock is up!

Uncle Frank putting up the RedGuard.

What I had to do yesterday makes me sick to my stomach...

Let me back up a bit.  So, in order for our bank to approve our loan for the house, there were some things that we had to pay for up front for the house to be in "livable" condition.  One of those things was to rip out all the drywall and pay someone to remove mold and do all these air samples in the house.  Then, we had to pay someone to put brand new drywall back up and semi re-install the kitchen cabinets.  Since we didn't own the house yet, we we're allowed to do it ourselves.  It was one of those things that we just had to deal with.  At that point, we hadn't thought too much about remodeling ideas because we were so focused on actually getting the house.

With the beam having gone up a week and a half ago, it was time to talk to the electrician about kitchen lighting.  Mike's had a rough plan drawn up in AutoCAD for a while, but we couldn't measure things out until I decided on the layout and we ordered the cabinets, etc.  Finally, we had the electrician come scope things out again.  Guess what he told us?  We have to remove all the brand new drywall from the kitchen [sad face].

So here we are, back to square one in the kitchen.

Last Thursday, Kim helped me take all the top kitchen cabinets down.  The next day, Jordan and Mike removed the bottom cabinets.  After than, we finally finished demoing all the tile downstairs so we could visually lay out the kitchen.   With everything out, it was easier to see the vision.  I'll post a few pics to give some perspective.  

So that's what I spent my time doing yesterday--removing the brand new drywall in the kitchen.  On a positive note, I will say that Mike's Dremel multi-tool is pretty awesome for the job!!  It's cuts drywall like a beast :)

Back in March or something when we got all the mold removed.

Kitchen still intact.

Cabinets are out and tile is demoed.  Sink remains.

Here we go again.

I had to cut this side out to make my pantry wall!

I tried to make large cuts for easy clean up (July 2013)

Trying to sell the remaining cabinets on Craigslist.

On a positive note, we went to C&C last weekend to order the cabinets.  It can be hard to communicate with the employees there as most don't speak English very well.  However, we talked with a very helpful and knowledgeable girl and were very satisfied.  Luck of the draw I guess :)

Here's a rendering of what the new kitchen will look like.

MOONGLOW out by the pool :)

Saturday's Accomplishments

This weekend, we had several volunteers to help us on the house.  Once again, what a blessing it is to have friends that are not only willing to help, but who tell us they're coming over to help!  Uncle Frank, Drew Stewart and Co., Mitch and Jared all helped out on Sat.  Our neighbors are continually astounded and repeatedly tell us, "you guys have SO MANY friends."  Yes, we do.  Yes, we do.  Here's what we were able to accomplish on Saturday alone:

• Poured concrete into both footings for posts (and beam)
• Removed a stubborn tree stump from garden area
• Removed "ghetto" solar panels from roof
• Installed upstairs new guest bath window
• Finished up electrical in attic and both upstairs bathrooms
• Made forms for pouring concrete footings

We had a lazy morning and didn't get up to the house until about 9:30am. Mike and Uncle Frank stopped by our friend's house from church who let us borrow a concrete mixer (thanks Josh Hvidding!)  They got to work right away on mixing and pouring.

Thirty-seven, 80 lbs bags of cement!

Mike, the apprentice :)

Pouring carefully.

Filling in the hole, finally!

Enter Drew Stewart and Company.  Drew brought Ez and Maddox, and Auntie April put them right to work.  We had a big stump to remove, and Dad told them they couldn't go swimming until they helped me get it out!    It was a great motivator... 

They weren't very excited about this job.

Picking up rubbish wasn't cutting it... EZ wanted the tools!

I finally caved and let them try out the bigger tools :)

Maddox in motion... he only nicked his leg once, after that he was more careful :)

We took a lot of breaks.  The boys got side tracked with other jobs too.  There are just many things to try on a job site like this one... and so many mentors :)

Maddox helping uncle Mike tap the concrete.

He liked this job.

Ez wanted something that was more skillful... 

so he tried out masonry.

Uncle Frank likes to start 'em out young.

Since Maddox was the master, he didn't need anymore supervision.

Ez was trying to coach him.

"Pound it harder, Maddox, like this... " (*note the fist and face).

Finally, after all that hard work, we let them swim!  Child labor laws.  There were a few minor incidents (let's just say Maddox can't quite touch the bottom of the shallow end yet).  Drew and Mitch had to jump in [on two separate occasions] to help him out.  It just taught us adults to keep a VERY close eye on the keiki.  Maddox, however, wasn't fazed.  Then Robbie came with pizza and snacks... and Asher (who ate all day long).

Maddox resting after a hard day's work

Asher with his cute "Shaka"

Lunch Time

Asher watering the lawn.  Not sure if I'll get in trouble for posting this one,
but his dad took the picture and it was too funny not to add :)  

After lunch, it was time for the "solar panels" to come off the roof.  These boxes were literally an accident waiting to happen.  Imagine 4 x 4's, plexi glass, aluminum roof sheeting, a hose and a slope.  These are the ingredients used in the home made solar panels that we removed.  Voila!  

Yikes!

Mike said they were heavier than they looked.

Roof walkin ain't no thang.

Comin' down.

Don't fall, Drew!

Professionals.

Spectators.

Panel # 2

Finally finished!

Of course, the day ended with a relaxing game of pool basketball, in which the "boys" (and by boys I mean Mitchell) broke the rim.  Oh well :)  Guess we have to get a new one!   Maddox and Ez loved cheering on their dad...

Smasher :)

2 v 2

A little "D"

Maddox getting super excited!

All "the Boys"

All in all, it was a GREAT day of accomplishment and recreation :)  Thanks for the help and company guys!