Outside and a Surpise Visit

 

We are buried in renovation projects, but I thought I would give y’all a little bit of some eyecandy from around the outside portion of Preservation Acres…

 

 

Almost everyday I pinch myself that we get to live here.  And I pray thank you as much as my feble mind and wayward heart remember. There is no corner that I do not adore.

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For the past week, but especially past three days we have worked our fannies off at the house. Due to the rain soccer was canceled for Miles, and that gave us a whole Saturday to really dig in.

Sweet Man has been a boss, and is getting the floors laid down as quickly as he can. The boy’s room is done and our room is halfway done. Our goal is to get those two rooms done so we can start sleeping there, which will give us much more time to work on the house.

I have been painting trim for days and days.  All the trim in the house is stained and you know me – gotta have my white. So I have spent the past four or five days priming every dark stained surface on the first floor while Nathan tackled the floors.

Yesterday, after church and lunch, the boys and I ran to Home Depot to grab some more supplies before heading to the farm. Sweet Man had gone to the early service at church and had already been at the house working for several hours, but had been steadily sending me his shopping list.

When we finally made it to the farm, Wylie and I (Miles was asleep)  were surprised to see two completely unfamiliar cars in the driveway. Looking at the military bumper stickers on one of the cars we took a wild guess that it was the grown-children of the couple who had owned our house before us. And we were right!

All three siblings, one spouse, and one family friend, had made a surprise call to welcome us to the neighborhood and to meet the family that would be living in their former home. What a delightful and terrific surprise! I don’t know if I can express just how amazing it was to meet them and to hear their stories of living in that house, and then raising some of their kids there as well.  They were able to fill in gaps for us (we are the third owners, not the second,) give us history about the property (their dad built the pond,) and answer so many questions that we have (is that really an old outhouse?)  Each one was so gracious and generous and forthcoming despite their loss.  After losing both their father this past winter (and their mother five years ago,)  I am sure that it was also hard to give up the family home – in fact I know it was. And I understand what that sacrifice is like, having gone through this with my grandparents home last winter.   But I am so glad that they took the risk to come and meet us, to come and see the home that we all now have in common. This place is amazing in part because they lived her and filled it up with joy, and love, and warmth. Their family is defiantly one of kindred spirits, and I feel now more than ever that we have a call to be the best stewards we can be of this home and property. It is a true gift, and it has a wonderful legacy of family and care that we want to continue and preserve.

Before everyone left we traded numbers and cards and promised to stay in touch. And I really think we will. In fact as soon as we are done with the first floor updates I plan to call them up to celebrate!

But first, I have to finish painting all that trim.

Bless.

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Happy Monday Friends!

J