"Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." James 1:17
If you've followed my blog much or are my friend on facebook, you know I've been wanting another bedroom since we began pursuing the adoption of Luke's siblings. I asked for prayer, I've prayed myself. A LOT. Sometimes for most of the night. As time went on, I accepted that most likely, God's answer was no. I mean, the bedroom wasn't forth coming, after all. And I had a guest house with three bedrooms and a bath in it - in fact, we got that guest house seven years ago, when we thought we might be adopting the very same girl we are in the process of adopting right now. My eighteen year old son, Beau, lives in it. The little boys could have a bedroom out there, and been plenty safe enough.
The problem is that Beau likes to go out of town, and tells me on a regular basis that he will be moving far away very soon. We'll see. But that means that the little guys wouldn't be able to stay out there for long, or even every night.
I admit I fretted about it, even while I accepted it. But about two weeks ago, Luke crawled in my bed in the early morning hours and told me about a scary dream he had had. It really set me off. I kept thinking of him having a scary dream, and having to go outside and across the driveway in the night to get to me.
I called a home improvement man, and got a quote for putting in a floor over the living room. I didn't think it would be much money. After all, the ceiling and walls were already there. We just needed a floor.
His estimate? $21,000...
On our debt free house....
That night, I pleaded with God for a bedroom. I promised to accept a no if that was the answer, but PLEASE, can I have a bedroom? Should I take the man up on his estimate and go into debt? HELP ME, Lord, to make this decision. Couldn't someone else make it for me?
The next day, my son Max came over, and I told him about my sleepless night. He stood up. "Mom," he said, "I'm going to go over to Lelands and see if we can't just tack a barn on the back of the house."
And he did. And called me with the answer. Bradly, who works at Leland's Industries, gave him three options. The first two were for small barns. But the third...
The third was a repo. It was BIG, and the conversion had already started. It not only had a bedroom, but a bathroom and a HUGE room sectioned off. The bathroom was roughed in, with a sink, toilet and tub. All the plumbing was there, all the electricity in, and it was already sheet rocked. And the price for a bedroom, bath and big room?
$5,000!!!!
It was more than I ever imagined I would get. "I'll take it!!" I shouted for all the world to hear. Bill cautioned, "Make sure the adoption goes through, first." "No, I want it anyway!" I replied.
Bill said we could move my washer and dryer into the big room, and I could have the family closet I've been begging for. What is now my laundry room will become a huge pantry.
I am so PLEASED!!!
So we've been working. We had to cut off half our porch. Bill and Max worked for two days on this. Bill had to use the truck to finally get my clothes line down:
And ever the practical guy, he decided to dump all the trash he found under the porch into the hole it left. The little girl in the pink boots is one of the two reasons for all this. Maybe in a couple of weeks, I can show her to you from the front!
Today was the big day. Our new "house addition" was delivered!
It was amazing watching them haul that thing into our yard and set it up. And one of the men working on it was someone I went to church with more than ten years ago, back when he was a small boy. When he told me who he was, I was so surprised!! Here he was, a married man now. How fun to see him!!
The kids and I sat outside and watched for hours. It was just fascinating. We wanted the building to be pushed right up against the back porch and even with it, and that made it quite hard for these poor guys. They had to get the big boss out there to approve it all, but they came through, and I got just what I wanted:
It's high enough that I told Angel-Leah I was just going to make her bedroom underneath it, which brought screams of protest from her. Then, when Max called, I told him I was going to wrap chicken wire around the underneath and make a new chicken coop, which brought screams of protest from him.
Come on, can't you tell when I'm kidding?
Okay, so I AM known for doing things just like that, but still...
Here's the inside. The bathroom is on the left, Luke and Tommy's soon to be new bedroom on the right.
And here's three of the loves of my life:
Sigh...As Tommy would say, "I so happy!"
If you've followed my blog much or are my friend on facebook, you know I've been wanting another bedroom since we began pursuing the adoption of Luke's siblings. I asked for prayer, I've prayed myself. A LOT. Sometimes for most of the night. As time went on, I accepted that most likely, God's answer was no. I mean, the bedroom wasn't forth coming, after all. And I had a guest house with three bedrooms and a bath in it - in fact, we got that guest house seven years ago, when we thought we might be adopting the very same girl we are in the process of adopting right now. My eighteen year old son, Beau, lives in it. The little boys could have a bedroom out there, and been plenty safe enough.
The problem is that Beau likes to go out of town, and tells me on a regular basis that he will be moving far away very soon. We'll see. But that means that the little guys wouldn't be able to stay out there for long, or even every night.
I admit I fretted about it, even while I accepted it. But about two weeks ago, Luke crawled in my bed in the early morning hours and told me about a scary dream he had had. It really set me off. I kept thinking of him having a scary dream, and having to go outside and across the driveway in the night to get to me.
I called a home improvement man, and got a quote for putting in a floor over the living room. I didn't think it would be much money. After all, the ceiling and walls were already there. We just needed a floor.
His estimate? $21,000...
On our debt free house....
That night, I pleaded with God for a bedroom. I promised to accept a no if that was the answer, but PLEASE, can I have a bedroom? Should I take the man up on his estimate and go into debt? HELP ME, Lord, to make this decision. Couldn't someone else make it for me?
The next day, my son Max came over, and I told him about my sleepless night. He stood up. "Mom," he said, "I'm going to go over to Lelands and see if we can't just tack a barn on the back of the house."
And he did. And called me with the answer. Bradly, who works at Leland's Industries, gave him three options. The first two were for small barns. But the third...
The third was a repo. It was BIG, and the conversion had already started. It not only had a bedroom, but a bathroom and a HUGE room sectioned off. The bathroom was roughed in, with a sink, toilet and tub. All the plumbing was there, all the electricity in, and it was already sheet rocked. And the price for a bedroom, bath and big room?
$5,000!!!!
It was more than I ever imagined I would get. "I'll take it!!" I shouted for all the world to hear. Bill cautioned, "Make sure the adoption goes through, first." "No, I want it anyway!" I replied.
Bill said we could move my washer and dryer into the big room, and I could have the family closet I've been begging for. What is now my laundry room will become a huge pantry.
I am so PLEASED!!!
So we've been working. We had to cut off half our porch. Bill and Max worked for two days on this. Bill had to use the truck to finally get my clothes line down:
And ever the practical guy, he decided to dump all the trash he found under the porch into the hole it left. The little girl in the pink boots is one of the two reasons for all this. Maybe in a couple of weeks, I can show her to you from the front!
Today was the big day. Our new "house addition" was delivered!
It was amazing watching them haul that thing into our yard and set it up. And one of the men working on it was someone I went to church with more than ten years ago, back when he was a small boy. When he told me who he was, I was so surprised!! Here he was, a married man now. How fun to see him!!
The kids and I sat outside and watched for hours. It was just fascinating. We wanted the building to be pushed right up against the back porch and even with it, and that made it quite hard for these poor guys. They had to get the big boss out there to approve it all, but they came through, and I got just what I wanted:
It's high enough that I told Angel-Leah I was just going to make her bedroom underneath it, which brought screams of protest from her. Then, when Max called, I told him I was going to wrap chicken wire around the underneath and make a new chicken coop, which brought screams of protest from him.
Come on, can't you tell when I'm kidding?
Okay, so I AM known for doing things just like that, but still...
Here's the inside. The bathroom is on the left, Luke and Tommy's soon to be new bedroom on the right.
And here's three of the loves of my life:
Sigh...As Tommy would say, "I so happy!"
Oh Carla! I'm so thrilled for your answer to prayer!! God is truly good!! :)
ReplyDeleteI so happy for you, too! We serve an awesome, prayer answering God! I prayed for your family when I read your post about bursting at the seams and your need for more bedroom space. Thank the Lord for His goodness and you for your love for children that you care for and are willing to take in the little ones who need you. God bless you and your family.
ReplyDeletePraise God! What a wonderful family you have.
ReplyDelete