Laborious

The bathroom accidentally got ripped out last weekend.  I say accidentally because all I asked the sweetest most wonderful Love of My Life to do was a permanent fix to the rusted chain in the toilet.  And the next thing I know, I'm pulling corners of wallpaper while LOML is turning water valves and ripping out cabinetry.  It all happened so fast.  Heehee.  Although not really a planned half bath renovation, it was needed and it's been on the "one-day-we'll-do-that" list.  We've been of the mindset to not start projects until we have the cash to finish them (Dave Ramsey would be proud of that!!).  But with that philosophy, I'm finding that we never start those "bigger" projects because the money saved is eaten up somewhere else.  So here we are, in a bathroom situation.  It might be months before it's done, but we'll get to it.  I've picked the fixtures and finishes and the tile was delivered last week. 

So this weekend, after we did the yard for the first time, our Lowe's trip was specifically for bathroom type stuff...junction boxes for sconces, new **white** switches (I am not an "almond" person), I don't even know what else, but a bunch of stuff for the situation we've gotten ourselves into!   

This weekend was opening weekend of dove season.  If you've never been to a dove shoot, you're missing out.  This is not the "Mohican sneaking" type hunting.  There is talking.  There is movement.  There is action.  And three year old girls can do it, too.  Or, at least sit on the dove bucket with their daddy, calling out "shoot it!  shoot it!" every time any bird passes (even a white crane.  We might need to work on bird recognition).  Bug and I hung around some other littles and their mamas back at the cabin.  I've said before that we love the country.  We love playing in the dirt.  We love wearing our boots.  That little hunt was good for our souls.  And good for a hunting daddy of two girls, if you get my drift.

While we were hunting, two minutes of straight line winds ripped down our street and wrecked havoc on our two gigantic oaks.  Thanks, Isaac.  So, we spent a good bit of today doing the yard {again}.  The amount of sticks we picked up is out of control. 

After wrecking my grocery budget at Sams and putting our littles down for naps, we pressure washed.  And pressure washed. And pressure washed.  And while I did that, LOML hung our sweet little white swing for Bug to enjoy.  It was our gift to Little One for her first birthday.  We spent HOURS in the front yard at the old house, standing under that oak tree.  Push swing, squeal, tickle toes, wave at the neighbor, push swing.  I mourned the loss of that tree (the limb the swing hung from fell after a rough storm and the tree had to come down).  I realize now that losing that tree was the first step in my grieving the move to our new home.  It happened just days before a sign was in the yard.   Sweet days were spent under its branches.  Bug loves the swing as much as her big sis did.  And of course, so does her mama. 

There were other chores accomplished as well.  Working hard together gives a freshness to life.  I'm so thankful for a husband that wants to take what we have and make it better.  I'm thankful for children that love the little things, those sweet blessings from the Lord that I might overlook...like the breeze from a push on a swing.  Happy Labor Day!