The Main Floor

It seems like each time I post now, something new is happening. Things have been moving quickly here the last few days. Putting the floor down is exciting for me, though, because I am such a visual person and I am looking forward to being able to see the floor plan instead of just looking at the blueprint. I can't wait to stand in the kitchen and 'see' it even if it's still just the footprint. I have a hard time visualizing things. I'm sure I've mentioned this before. ;-)

 

Coming out to check the progress. 

The view from the back.

The view from the front. 

Ben is making some adjustments to the beam pocket.

We try to make sure our tools match our truck.  Haha, not really, but they are easier to find this way.

Grinding down the concrete.

Ben en route to the basement. 

Don't worry, he had a soft landing!

The engineered beam is in place.  This is the beginning of the main floor.

It is actually three beams nailed together and they are h.e.a.v.y.  Yikes!!

If there is something dangerous to be done.... Matt's your guy.  OK, OK, walking across a beam (or three) isn't exactly dangerous for a young man, and a framer at that. It's just that it would be dangerous for me to do. 

Overall, things have been going well for which we are grateful. We still have to work around the weather (it's still winter?) and of course, everyone's busy schedules but it seems to be working. Thankfully, the work is getting less finicky and more straightforward meaning more of us can help which does make things go faster. We had a family work day over the weekend where everyone got to help but I think I will give that a post of it's own. 

My favourite part of this project is the opportunity to be together. To talk and have fun and even resolve conflict while we are working together. I love that everyone helps out and each contribution is valuable. The person inside preparing our food is helping to build this house just as much as the person outside pounding the nails. Each person, has their own strengths and weaknesses (do NOT ask me to climb anything!!) and sometimes different ways of doing things (two construction workers building a house is amazingly similar to two women working in the kitchen, haha). Together, we can accomplish so much more than we could alone. (Even if, occasionally, one has to gently suggest a better way, ahem, pull rank). I think the Lord had this in mind when He created families and in creating families, created churches. To not just put random people together with their own interests and agendas but rather, hand pick individuals with completely different personalities and strengths, and put them together. All having different yet equally important roles. Helping each other, they can therefore, accomplish much more.  What this looks like is different for each family/church but ultimately, the chief goal is to glorify God together. The trick, after you recognize your complete inability to do this without Help, is to know your role and do it with all your heart, as unto the Lord. This will require practicing humility daily (ask me how I know!) and purposing to love each other. Over and over again. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. This isn't something we, as a family or even individually, have achieved or will ever fully achieve here on earth.  But we are working on it. Together.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole body were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members of every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

1 Corinthians 12:14-27