Marriage

Fifteen years ago this month, I met my husband, Benjamin. It was not love at first sight, but rather friendship that grew and deepened into love. We have now been married for thirteen years, I deeply love my hubby and feel we have the kind of marriage I always knew I wanted, but didn't know how to have. I have grown and learned a lot in the past couple of decades, come to understand a lot about myself and my relationships.

I have been asked how our relationship has survived, how are we still so happy and in love. I used to answer that it is because we see no other option. We are both so committed to our relationship, that we actively work to keep communication open and "love tanks" full (a term used in Kevin Lehman's book "The Five Love Languages" to define the emotional tank in each of us). Regardless of how I feel today I will invest in our marriage. After all, I may feel differently tomorrow.

While I still think that has played an integral part in our relationship, this past few months I have become aware of a potentially more important piece. We both know our target...and we both have the same one!

Before we were even married, we talked about his and my dreams and goals for the future and most importantly how they fit together to become our dreams and goals for our future. At least a couple times a year, we touch base, compare notes, discuss how things are going and how things have changed. We discuss any changes in our plans that have come about and our options so we can make the adjustments necessary to keep us on the same path, on one we both want to be on.

If I don't know where I'm headed, how can I expect someone else to get there with me? Employment, housing, church, children, education, hobbies, activities, friends...it can all fit when we work on it together and consider each others' needs, goals and desires. I don't feel like I sacrifice for Ben, I feel that we work together to get what is most important to both of us.

As we've gone about rebuilding our home, we've reevaluated our plans for the future many times. We are remaining strong through this ongoing storm because we stand as one, with one goal, one target. That doesn't mean this has been easy, it just means we will survive...and once again thrive...together!

Storm Shelter

The storm shelter has arrived! We had looked at installing one of these in the Corn Crib and just hadn't been able to yet. I am so excited for the kids, as I watch them open and close it all on their own. I feel this will be a safe place for them, a way they can own their safety once we move back.

This lovely couple from Tennessee brought these pieces of steel, big bolts and some major tools to install this shelter in a corner of the garage. It is actually bolted to the five inches of concrete in the floor. This particular model is ADA compliant and is large enough for seven adults to sit in. These shelters are rated for winds up to 450 mph (our storm was 135 mph).

One step closer to moving in!

Painting, part 2

After installing the drywall, mudding every seam and corner (multiple times), sanding and texturing...it is time to paint! Because of drying time for each application of mud and the texture, we had rooms at different stages of this process all at the same time. It was rather overwhelming for a couple weeks. We would start by warming the house, emptying the dehumidifiers, and sanding the sections of mud we had applied the time before. Then we applied some mud to the next section of drywall until we ran out of ready sections or the muscles in my wrist and shoulder could do no more. That is when we would move on to hanging some new pieces to mud the next trip out. After we had one section of the house completely ready for texture, we (actually Ben) would apply the texture and then once dry, I applied the primer and paint.

At the prospect of priming and painting 7500 square feet of drywall (exterior walls, interior walls and ceiling), I requisitioned a paint sprayer from my co-contractor. I highly recommend the Graco Project Painter Plus Sprayer from Lowe's, easy to set up and use and clean up was reasonable for a work site (no running water). I do prefer the look of paint applied with a roller, but shutter to think of the time it would have taken me! The major downside I found to the sprayer, is the uneven spray pattern caused by this amateur. I am sure after another house or two, I would have it down (the last couple of rooms look much better than the first) but since I don't have any intention of making this a career, I settled for touching up with a roller and a little help from my sis-in-law and hubby!

I am currently working on some detail painting, safari in the playroom for example, and do all of that work by hand. The sprayer causes some overspray, so touch up was needed and some smaller areas were done by hand with a roller just because set up and clean up for less than a gallon of paint would have been more work than I wanted to deal with. Overall, I love the colors and the "homey" feel the house is taking on!

Above: Mater Bath  ~  Below: Ben's Office

Above: Playroom  ~  Below: Living Room

I will post more specific "walk through" photos once the floors, curtains and such are done so you can really see my vision for each room.

Next post: installation of the storm shelter!