This past week, all of us have had new experiences and have added to our skill sets! We’ve all tried our hand at painting with a roller, touching up around woodwork with a brush, realizing paint does not come off clothes, and finding joy in removing the tape after painting is finished! Norman and I (Susan) are in the middle of covering our kitchen floor with pseudo-boards. It’s a sticky, gluey mess which takes a long time to peel off one’s hands. Ouch! But we trust the finished product will be worth it.

Now, the living room and one bedroom are painted and ready to be carpeted. The girls’ room has a first coat of paint on it, soon to be added to with the appropriate chosen colors. In their case, it involves one color per wall, including pastel blue, green, pink, and purple. Should be colorful! And happy!

Our new goal is to be able to sleep in our new home Tuesday night (tomorrow!), Dec. 17, 2013. Admittedly, there will be only futons on the floor, and we have to bring our own breakfast since there is nothing in the kitchen but a half-finished floor! BUT, we will be in our new home! We plan to move slowly over the next month to bring things from our apartment and from storage into our new habitat.

One amazing blessing in all of this (and there are quite a few!) is that, when we first moved into the tiny apartment that has been home to us for about eight months, I prayed that God would allow us to leave it by the end of the year. (The main reason for my plea was partially due to the fact that there is no hot water to the sink, and washing dishes in frigid water in a non-central-heated home is quite cold. Pitiful of me, I know.) However, due to Norman’s back-breaking job of pushing ahead through the many projects, in spite of two weeks of a nasty cold trying to hold him back, we are now on the cusp of moving in before the end of the year. God is amazing! I am very thankful!

We will be sending out our new address soon, though we will still be forwarded mail sent to the old address for up to a year.

Thank you for praying us through this task. This house and property is a true blessing from the Lord. Psalm 103