Before and After: Vintage Chair

Believe it or not, I just may cross something off my to-do list today!  

 Okay, realistically, it's only started. I specialize in starting projects.

But started  is one step closer to being done.

Right?

~ ~ ~

Now, I know you are just dying to know all about my project,
but I have a daughter crying on my shoulder at this very moment.

No worries, she's fine--just sad that the big girls get to go swimming without her.

Duty calls, but I will return!

 
There. She's all better.
Nothing that a batch of no-bake peanut butter cookies can't cure.

~ ~ ~

Now back to the big reveal.
Drum roll please........

The chair before...

...and after!

There.
That only took me two years and 20 minutes to accomplish.

These beauties have been patiently waiting for me
ever since I lovingly rescued them from a trashy yard sale.
 Trouble is, I have a project list a mile long.
Just ask Todd.

So they sat like this. Um. Not too comfy.

But I'm not sitting on this either. Ewww.

So today, after years of neglect,
comes 15 minutes of fame for my homecrest girls.

Just in case
you ever stumble across
a set of 1960's vintage Homecrest patios chairs
that beg you to stuff them into your van and take them home,
I will explain the transformation in my very first ever
"how-to-make-something-ugly-into-something-sorta'-cute"
post.

~ ~ ~

Okay people.
We have another meltdown on our hands.
Pretend you can hear lovely elevator music while I put you on hold,
because all I hear is crying.  Oh, and arguing.

~ ~ ~

I'm back again.
That's the way we roll around here.
Scattered.
~ ~ ~

 I feel I need to  
hurry 
to get through
this next part
before another 
fiasco. 

~ ~ ~
 Or 
maybe
it's just the
sugar 
from  
two 
no-bake 
peanut butter cookies
  rushing through my
veins.
~ ~ ~

So here goes.
With as few words as possible.

Supplies.

(The Mr. was so kind as to cut the circles from our old basement plywood.)

Absolutely critical supply.

Sand and tape rough edges.
Don't want the "fabric" to rip.

Trace.

Cut.

"Measure."

Cut.

Good enough.

Now smile and take a goofy picture
because you are a clever momma and have sent your four children
on a walk around the block to get slushies which will take them at least
fifteen minutes!

Next, you'll need this.

Do something like this.
I know that is vague, but you just have to wing it.

Wah-lah! A lovely combination of duct tape and staples!
 Hoping the duct tape keeps the tablecloth "fabric"
from tearing away from the staples.
 It's tacky and it might not work. 
Whatev's.

So there you have it!

Cute and comfy!
 (The chair--not me.)

Now, who wants to clean up the mess 
while I call Better Homes and Gardens?

Wait a minute. 

I still have three more to go.

I need another cookie.

Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled

 For the last few days, 

this has been my go-to phrase of encouragement and strength.

Yes, I talk to myself.

"Do not let your heart be troubled."

"Do not let your heart be troubled."

"Do not let your heart be troubled."

 My heart's been troubled...

~ ~ ~

We met with our church council seven weeks ago.

We joyfully shared our call to adopt,

and asked them to prayerfully consider how church could help.

We were given the okay to ask individual church families for support and to use the church mailboxes to do so. We were also told we could communicate and update through the church newsletter. For this we are grateful.

We have used the mailboxes and the newsletter. 

   This week,

we learned that our church council decided 

not to financially support the adoption of our son.

Apparently, this had been decided weeks ago,

but not communicated to us until now.

Ouch.

I'm not going to pretend that this doesn't hurt--it hurts a lot.

I'd rather not share news that is

discouraging and disappointing.

But this is part of the journey that I've committed to share.

It's a faith journey that is teaching us far more than we ever imagined. 

And for some reason, 

this disappointment is part of God's plan.

 It reminds me of the wise words

shared with me months ago by an 

adoption experienced friend,

"God will provide, but maybe not in the ways you'd expect."

Yes, we had hoped and prayed for financial assistance from our church,

 but God has different plans.

Perfect plans.

We have seen Him at work

 in the hearts of many individuals,

within our family and our church family,
to give generously and sacrificially.

We are almost halfway there,

praise the Lord!

And

THANK YOU!

We really, really, thank you.

We are blessed and encouraged by the gifts you have given,

the prayers you have prayed,

and the words you have written.

You are a part of God's provision,
part of His plan.

"The Lord has done great things for us, 

and we are filled with joy."

~Psalm 126:3

Joy,  knowing that God is sovereign over every detail and every dollar.

Joy,  knowing that God loves this little boy more than we can even imagine.

Joy,  knowing that God has the perfect plan to bring him home.

Discouragements and disappointments may come,

but bitterness will not be part of our journey.

"See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God

and that no root of bitterness springs up,

causing trouble and by it, defiling many." 

~Hebrews 12:15 

I will not let my heart be troubled by this anymore.

For I know where our help comes from...

 "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, 
the maker of heaven and earth."

~Psalm 121:1

Sunday Slide #2: For my Family

Okay family,

How about a little game of "I spy!" -- What do YOU see?

And one more...just because seeing the old balcony reminded me of this one.

This picture scares me.

What are you doing and why?

Sunday Slide: For my Family

Dear Family, 

Remember gathering up Sunday nights in the living room for a slide show on the wall?  Can't you just hear the hum and click of the slide projector?  Can't you just see the dust particles in the light beam and the hand shadow figures on the wall? 

I have an idea. 

I love these old pictures.

You love these old pictures.

They bring back good memories. 

But you are there and I am here and we cannot share the memories together.

Or can we?

I propose we can!

I'll post a picture from the archives on Sundays (if I can be that disciplined).

Then you leave a comment about the picture, if you feel so inspired (which of course I hope you all do).

Feel free to leave your comments at anytime. Even if you forget or get busy and the days and weeks go by, you can always come back and leave a memory!

And don't forget to check back and read each others memories!

I think it will be great for us and fun for our kids.

No, it's not the same as Sunday slides on the living room wall, but shall we give it a try?

Sunday Slide #1:

Ohhhhhhhh...this is going to be fun!!!!!!

One Ordinary Day in June

For no particular reason,

I decided to document June 1, 2011 in pictures: 514 pictures to be exact.  That's crazy, right? And really, that wasn't a complete day because I didn't begin until 9am and I quit by 9pm. If  I ever decide to do something like this again, I'll plan ahead and have my house all clean-- and maybe even do my hair-- and go somewhere more exciting.  But as for this impromptu day, what you see is what you get.  Well, maybe that's not exactly true. What you see is what I picked to show you.  Not like anyone wants to look at 514 pictures of us ...
or anything else for that matter!  

So without further adieu, 

I present to you in chronological order,

with the photo-graphical assistance of Gabby and Josie, 

and with the mortification and chagrin of Hanna,

and the indifference of Jacob, 

and the puzzlement of my husband,

  " One Ordinary Day in June."

(Actually, this is a pretty slow day for us which is why I even attempted snapping pictures all day)

 

Goodnight!