QUESTION:  1903 is significant because it is . . .

A)  the year the first coast-to-coast automobile trip was completed

B)   the # of square feet in our “finishing project”

C)  the # of drops of stinky sweat per minute I produce during the hottest hours of our “finishing project”

D)  All of the above

ANSWER: D)  All of the above

As I stepped into the garage a bit ago, my dad was singing some stanzas from “Come, Come Ye Saints” (a church hymn).  The double meaning of the words did not escape our notice:

And should we die before our [project]’s through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!

917 square feet of staining down, 986 to go.  We then will apply a layer of topcoat, followed by some light “spot” glazing, and then two more layers of topcoat.

“All is well, all is well . . . “

Tender mercies have been showered down upon us once again.

Do you remember my post about our garage full of unfinished furniture?

Be honest.  Did you ever think that Bryan and I would finish that project in our lifetimes?  Well, apparently, the heavens knew that we wouldn’t, because my dad called a few weeks ago and said that he had a strong impression that he needed to come and help us with our project.  His sacrifice is an act of pure love and a demonstration of his willingness to obey spiritual promptings.  He doesn’t like to leave home.  He will be away from his own bed and his dear wife for a month!  But he’s a godsend, an angel in a dust mask, and is the only reason why our project will actually be finished in this decade.

We love you, Dad/Grandpa!

p.s.  In case you’re wondering what the heck this contraption in the corner of our driveway is . . . .  It’s a “spraying booth,” not a playhouse for the girls.

p.p.s  Speaking of angels–Ariana wheeled out this refreshment cart to help nourish our fatiqued, sweaty bodies.  You’re a sweetheart, Ariana!

Yes.  We’ve been to Disney World.  We’ve been to the zoo.  We’ve been to the movies, bowling, miniature golf, and to museums.  And all of these things are super entertaining, but I’m frequently amazed at how much fun kids can have without us having to spend a dime.

One of our new “free fun” favorites is this city park with a water playground.  The only downside is that Vivi begs to go there 24×7, rain or shine.

It’s crazy what kids will get into when you’re otherwise occupied.  (And, no.  In case you’re wondering, my negligence (this time) wasn’t because I was blogging or quilting or anything like that.  I was actually trying to finish up some painting in the girls’ room).

I’m surprised (and VERY relieved) that most of the fingernail polish ended up on Vivi’s toes and not on the tile or carpet.

MAGIC IS . . .

. . . pushing a button and instantly seeing the results.

. . . producing crystal clear images with a gadget that only professionals or the wealthy could own just a few short years ago.

. . . staring through a lens directly into the face of an angel fresh from heaven.

. . . Photoshop.

. . . this favorite hobby of mine.

Thanks to my friends for entrusting their beautiful infants to me and my trusty camera.

p.s.  Just to clarify–this is a picture of my BELLY, not my BUM.  Of all people, I would have thought that Bryan would know the difference.  Apparently not. 🙂

As I was stripping on my driveway the other day, my neighbor stopped to chat while on her morning walk. She offered up some helpful tips; it turns out that she has a lot of experience in stripping but has given it up after 40 years–too much work!

OF COURSE I am talking about stripping furniture!

Although I really try to keep my kids away during the process so they don’t inhale anything toxic, I did let Vivi come out as I was cleaning up yesterday. Here’s a picture of Vivi demonstrating how NOT to wear the mask, and you can even see a bit of the antique bed I’ve been refinishing in the background.

I’m so excited to get these darling garage sale gems completed and another item checked off my to-do list.

We received a sweet note from one of our little friends, Isaac Clark, today.

Lots of good things are happening in that home!  Thanks to the Clark family for coming to dinner on Sunday.  Dinner and games with friends–a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!  (I totally forgot to take a picture when they were here.  Dang it!)

My friend, Judy, has bag tagged me. I guess that I’m supposed to reveal the contents of my bag. Thankfully, I cleaned out the diaper bag this morning, so the list will be mercifully short:

1. Sippy cup w/ the remains of chocolate milk from earlier today. Thankfully, it hasn’t started to stink yet.

2. A barrette

3. Receipt from dinner–we met BT at Chipolte before he had to head off to a church meeting.

4. Cell phone

5. Here’s one thing that’s not in there–fruit snacks. Although Vivi remains unconvinced and is crying and pulling on my arm as I type.

6. A baggie with a few pieces of trash accumulated during today’s swim practice.

7. Wallet

8. 3 disposable diapers–I ran out yesterday and had to borrow one from a friend.

9. A ziploc bag of wipes.

10. A near-empty bag of mini goldfish crackers

11. An unopened bag of Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookies

12. Excedrin Migraine–a LIFESAVER

13. A single kleenex, unused

14. A bank deposit receipt

15. Reimbursement check

16. Lowe’s paint chip card

17. Altoids

18. Crayons

19. Barbie toothbrush

20. Gum

21. Bib

22. Plastic bracelet (essential accessory for Vivi these days)

23. A baggie of Crayons

24. Pen

25. $0.32 in change

26. A baggie of more change

27. Feminine hygiene products–won’t need those for a while.

Okay, so I THOUGHT that the list would be short! Oh, well. I tag Deanna and Melissa.

Early this morning I lay awake, unable to sleep, as I reflected on an incident I observed yesterday . . .

As I was cleaning up from a mother/daughter activity, I occupied a room with a group of boys and their leader. As I washed dishes, I bristled as some of the boys referred to one young man by a feminine derivation of his name. I cringed as they poked fun at some of the “less cool” kids.

The group was then asked to divide into two ‘teams,’ and two outgoing young men promptly nominated themselves as ‘captains.’ As they took turns picking from their peers, my heart ached. At first, all eyes were hopeful, but as the sorting started, three boys stared down at the ground with somber expressions. They knew, and I knew, that they would be the last selected. And although we had hoped for a different outcome, we knew this from the beginning. It broke my heart to see the humiliation in their faces and to know that, at that moment, they probably wished that would have just stayed home.

It was their pained images that occupied my mind in the middle of the night.

I honestly cannot understand why taunting occurs. I cannot fathom why capable, confident young people fail to see beyond themselves into the hearts of some of their less fortunate, more awkward peers who desperately want and need to be accepted and befriended. I cannot comprehend how any of this can happen in a setting that is designed to be a safe-haven from the storms of the world.

I pray that I may know how to be a part of the solution.