The Curious Caves: July 2012

Great news... the kitchen floor is almost existent! Tim and I have worked really hard to get it done. I mean muscles-aching, up-past-your-bedtime, missing-out-on-fun-things hard work. But we do have a lot to show for it.

So, here are some pictures of the process:

After taking up the linoleum we scraped up the paper that wasn't super stuck down. Oh, and there were still two layers of linoleum under that. Yes we tiled over it.

Then Tim painted the floor with an oil based primer to seal in the rest of the paper and water proof the floor.

Ken came over and put the gray stuff down, which is a leveler for those spots that weren't quite right.

Then we had to set out the tile to get the pattern and measurements right.

You must also be prepared to eat even though the (gas) stove/oven is in the garage. Here, the hubs prepares dinner on our camp stove in full aproned attire, of course!

Now comes the labor. I spread the goop and Tim placed the tiles. It took a while but we worked for about seven hours one day and got all the whole tiles down.

It's also helpful to invite college students to come help so that they can take pictures with both Tim and I in them, and so they can make spacer art as shown above.

This was after our first day of work with all the whole tiles in.

Ken came and cut the tiles for the edges of the room, so this is what it looks like after putting those down as well.

We still have a few more pieces of tile to lay after Ken cuts them, but after that we only need to grout and seal the grout and then... our refrigerator and dining table will see the inside of our house for the first time! Tim and I are pretty excited to eat dinner at a table and not on the couches soon.

Today was a great day at the house as well. There was no tiling going on, but I did have some really great helpers who came to visit and helped me figure out where to hang things and ways to make the house feel like home. See what you think about our living room transformation during their visit.

I figure it's time for a post that simply shows/tells the state of things around here. Kind of like when the president gives a State of the Union address, but maybe a little less formal and a little less lengthy, and certainly with less clapping!

We have been staying busy, and not just with the house. In my last post I discussed my Tuesday mornings when I volunteer as a tutor at a literacy program. This week I am going to start attending on Thursday mornings as well in the same place with the hopes of leading worship for them. The ministry is called Beloved. I have been practicing my guitar, and hopefully won't chicken out! My fingers are sore. I have also been working my way into Music Together. I am interning on Wednesday mornings right now, but in the fall will have my own classes on Monday mornings. You can learn about MT here, or see the local version here. It's so fun! Tim has been working hard as usual. He has been in the lab with some fun new (expensive!) equipment and today did his first presentation where he was running the whole meeting.

We had a big party on the 4th for our college/young singles at the church- sand volleyball, burgers, dodgeball, fellowship, and plenty of sore muscles to follow. We got to go see some great fireworks that night as well, which happens to be my favorite thing about the day. :) We have also been to a couple of weddings recently. Josh was one of the groomsmen in our wedding and his girlfriend, at the time, caught my bouquet. It was so fun to be part of all the festivities since Tim was in their wedding and I ended up playing a little bit of a wedding coordinator roll for them. I must admit, though, that at the end of the wedding when I was replaying it in my head (because that is what girls do) I did want to change one thing. Chrystal was so nervous just before the wedding started and I did my best to reassure her, but later on was so frustrated because I didn't remember the Lord in that moment. What I later wished I had told her was this, "You are about to walk into one of the best gifts we get this side of heaven. There is a man waiting for you who is God's love for you with skin on. And all that you have dreamed about is going to be immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine." Hopefully it's still meaningful now, if you're reading Chrystal!

My friend Mattie also got married. Her wedding was this past weekend, and I have to say we witnessed a wedding miracle! The wedding was outdoors on Saturday evening, and Tim and I were admittedly not looking forward to 100 degree weather. Mid-afternoon brought some strong winds and rain clouds, and as we drove to the wedding the radio told us it had dropped 20 degrees in the last hour! It was actually quite a pleasant event after that. Mattie, of course, was beautiful and her groom, Cody was beaming. I was so glad to be at this wedding, too, as Mattie was in a small group with me at church that was by far the best small group I have ever been in. It was obvious to all involved that the Lord ordained that group. When Mattie and Cody return from their honeymoon they will be packing up to move several states away. We will miss them, but can't wait to hear what God does through them.

Mattie's always up for an adventure, which is why we get along.
This one happens to involve Big Mama's Chicken and Waffles.

My parents stopped by last Friday and we got to go to dinner. Today just happens to be my dad's birthday. Happy birthday, Dad! We love you lots!

I have to get a wisdom tooth out soon, which I am not happy about, but right now that's still in the future. Our Thursday night Bible study has moved to Wednesday nights, and we are getting ready to take the college kids on a mission trip to New Orleans. Our relaxing time lately has consisted of watching Band of Brothers. I'm a first timer and the show is amazing, but hard to watch since it is so real. I think that pretty much covers the big recent events and day to day life of us right now.

And since we are on the subject of current events, here is what the house currently looks like in each room. (Really, I just took the pictures!)