Friday, June 06, 2008

Day Four- Keeping on keeping on

We keep plugging away out there. Yesterday morning I went out early (6:30) and finished up layering the stove with clay. There are a couple finishing touches that will need to be done but for the most part, what you see is what we get.






Here's Dennis working on the bottom bunk of the girls' bed. After I snapped the picture he said, "That's funny, I never once used this level on this bed." He was posing for you. I'm not sure that he actually used the hammer either. Notice his shirt, Mom?





Top bunk + bottom bunk: both levels will have protective railings. The wall plastic will go directly behind. The space you see between the bunks and the pole in the background is where Winnie will go in her playpen. The bunks and that area will be divided by a curtain wall.





This is the very beginning of our kitchen counter. He got more finished before he came home last night but didn't get a picture of it yet. I plan to take the kids out this morning. I haven't taken them out for the last two days because the claying job was a messy one. Button will be so excited to see their bed. She's been talking about the bunk bed at Jungle Camp for a few days now.




The past couple of days have stretched me in many ways, and I'm finding that my grief over my dad is very close to the surface. I think that is a good thing. A couple of conversations I've had with some classmates have sparked a lot of emotional release- aka tears. Sorry if I've scared any of you! I am as surprised as you are to find myself breaking down on the trail back from Jungle Camp. I miss him. I'd love to tell him everything about this Jungle Camp experience. He was a builder and handyman, always working with his hands. His dream was to build his own home, and he never got to do it. And here we are, building our little Jungle home.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sending you all big hugs!! This is so exciting I wish I was there in on the action, I guess I forget about the stress part and just see the excitement of it all. I'll pray for you more!!
Love youse all
Bee

Anonymous said...

Our IM early this morning and this blog have brought me some much needed tears, and I grieve for myself as I do for you. How we'd love to share what is going on with him. Dad would have been very interested, even in his weakened condition, but neither you nor I would want him back that way.
I take it that the stove will be inside the house???? What will be used for the girls' mattresses?
In a real situation, how long could a plastic house last. I'm sure that would depend on a lot of things. I'm just wondering how tough the plastic is?
I hope you all have some really profitable hours at JC today.
I love you. HUGS-----Mom

Ron Easton for Dads UnLimited said...

Thank you for posting all these things, Valerie. What a great adventure and human struggle too. Many prayers for you today and in the weeks ahead for physical and emotional strength.

Jean said...

It is a good thing to be able to shed tears of emotion whether in joy or sorrow - what a release.

"We sorrow not as others who have no hope" the hope is there and you will see your dear Dad again in the glory. Just think about him beholding the face of his Saviour.

I eagerly look forward to your blogs each day to see how you are progressing. I hope you aren't having a deluge of rain like we have been getting the last several hours.

Love, A. Jean