The front door is going . . . going . . . GONE!

The original outside door and sidelights are already removed.

 

 

Kim in his "Sampson pose" pushing out the pillars.

Doorway gone, side wall still solid.

The "pony wall" (why is it called that) created.

The new entry area.  The beam above the old doorway was removed, but fear not--the wood is being re-used to widen out the "column" at the base of the stairs.  Waste not, want not . . . why would we not use a perfectly good piece of wood?

      The major work upstairs is done.  There is still a lot to do there, to be sure . . . but it's time to turn our attention to the downstairs.  Especially since we needed to have some activity on our building permit and go for at least a partial pass on the building inspection and thereby updating our building permit, BARELY within the 180 day requirement.
      We put in new sheetrock spanning the old to newer areas.  The old sheetrock was buckling right at the wall where the door was and had holes from the old heat vent--and having been stepped through I believe.  Apparently I haven't taken a picture of that yet.  Since we were up until 3:30 AM putting up that piece of sheetrock on the ceiling you may understand why it slipped my mind to capture the moment in a photograph.  But there is more (not all) of the sheetrock done on the ceiling here.
     Interesting to note on the timing of the Tuesday/Wednesday 3:30 AM sheetrock fest . . . . it was the night AFTER Kim called in for an inspection.  They didn't come Tuesday (at 180 days) so we knew they'd be there the next day.   On Wednesday the inspector was willing to give a partial pass for a wall that he figured was actually done. I think he had to look to find one.  I knew we wouldn't get it all done--even staying up all night--but I guess having at least some of the ceiling sheetrock up showed more progress.  It at least showed good intentions.

SUMMER Summer summer

Some funny/cool entries in my English journal. My interpretations.

"Personal Page" from my Biology notebook.

Pretty much everything I've eaten in Geometry in the past two months.
  Compliments of  Sister Adams' seminary class.

Rough drawing from/for an Art project.

Butterfly from above, both sides, in my planner.

 Pictures, I'm new to this.

First, an explanation. Yesterday I went through my backpack/binder/school crap. Only now can I believe that school is almost over. The journal entries, if you can read them (you don't have to), one says something about cats and dogs and river streets and outer space. This had to do with several successive prompts we had over the course of a week or so.

I CAN draw! Not very well, hardly ever when I want to, and only if you tell me what to draw. Yes, I eat food in Geometry. It's not like I'm eating CEREAL! (<- different story). 

My Biology 'teacher' loves me (us, and she's a long-term sub. With a major in math. : /)

My English teacher hates me the Final had 200 questions and 2 essays. : P

My Geometry final I'm bound to fail, I take it on 6/6 (day of the DEVIL) 

I don't think there's even an exam for Band... :)

Dance, I'm pretty much set, I just don't want to go first.

Art. 3 essays (how do you even find 3 things to write about in art?)

Then, I'm DONE!!!!! :D

kind of ...

On the Stairway to Heaven

This morning I had the opportunity to talk with my friend and work colleague Phyllis Suiter.  Phyllis is a Nurse Practitioner.  I have known her for many years.  She is amazing professionally and personally.  I like her a lot.  Lately as I have been going to the gym in the early mornings I see her and we climb stairs together.  This morning we ended up talking about some of the "weightier matters" death, miracles, priesthood power, and Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.  Phyllis is not particularly active in any church, but has many beliefs and has experienced much in healing and at deaths.  She talked about such things and in very general ways about multiple ways people viewed Christ and belief in a "Higher Power".  I had the opportunity in different ways to bear my witness of what I KNOW of Christ, the Priesthood power, and the Atonement.  I felt to tell her of my experience just this week when I asked Kim to give me a blessing so that my mind could rest and not keep interrupting my sleep with my concerns about the swim team injustices . . . and how I have slept better and been able to have more peace regarding that topic since then.  (I can think about it without feeling my blood pressure rising, that is good.)  She reflected that it was like "releasing" or "giving it up" to a Higher Power.*  I was reminded again how that is made possible by Christ's Atonement.  It really brought that back to me at the truth of what I was telling her.  I recently posted for a friend on facebook regarding this:  Any negative vibes can really bring you down, but it doesn't need to--"give it up" to Christ. Let Him carry that burden--he already has. That's what The Atonement is for, too! It lets you be free of that pain and forgive. You have so many strengths and talents. You are loved by so many people, but most importantly by your Heavenly Father and OUR Big Brother, Jesus Christ!

I am so blessed and I know it!

*As a side note--yes, but it was really only by the Priesthood blessing that I was able to have that burden lifted.

Awesome April

I had a wonderful and eventful April.  I always like April, but this one in particular.  This month flowed from event to event, some planned, some not.  All worth thoughtful consideration.

General Conference--always wonderful & inspirational

The week after General Conference I learned that "favorite cousin" Ann Tate Alger had pulmonary embolism with clots thrown into her brain and that she was not expected to live.  The funeral was Wednesday, April 11.  I was able to cancel my work clinic (no one scheduled anyway) to go.  I took a Greyhound bus (which WAS an adventure).  I wanted to be there to celebrate the life our our dear cousin and to see cousins and aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in many years and I know I may not see again.  Plus--visit my Mom--near her 84th birthday (April 13) and my siblings Melissa & Ron and Paul & Doris. I was able to go to Malad, Idaho and see sites there--who knows when or if I will go there again.  Ann was buried right next to Grandma and Grandpa Burton.  Her sweet family was there all around as was many others of our family.  What a wonderful, caring example Ann is.  And always so much fun.  Her way of telling her kids to take care and be careful was, "Drive fast, take chances, and run with scissors!"  Ann made our wedding cake.  It makes me sad to think she wasn't able to make the wedding cake for any of her 3 children.

We planned for David to be ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood and for our little Melissa's baptism to be delayed a bit so Aria could be here during a break in school.  That followed on the tails of my return from the trip to Utah/Idaho for Ann's funeral.  Aria arrived Saturday night, David was ordained Sunday, April 15 before church and then passed the sacrament for the first time that day.  Melissa's baptism was Thursday night.  We wanted to do baptisms for the dead while Aria was home and since David now could and the only time we could schedule that was Thursday afternoon.  So Thursday Kim was able to baptize ALL of our children.  Alyssa Heyborne came from out of town to celebrate with us and went to the temple as well.  David was baptized vicariously for his Great-Uncle "Bud" Clarence Een.  All of our children in/at the temple.  Melissa waited in the atrium area, I stayed with her much of the time, but went in to see David baptized and some of the girls.  We went almost directly to Melissa's baptism.  She was supported by many family and friends--even our neighbor Kathy Pouncey came.  That's the only baptism she has attended.

We made a quick trip up April 28 for my nephew Eric Hilton's marriage to Jessica Cook.  All of my siblings were there!  David and Lara flew in--although not with any of their family.  All of my siblings were together with our Mom in the temple.  It was great!  It was a necessarily quick trip, but again worth supporting the new couple and a great time to be together.  I'll have to try and remember the last time all 6 of my siblings were together and who knows when we will all be together again--David and his family aren't coming to the family reunion this summer--even though Lara and her family are.

So many rights of passages--all in one month . . . Baptism (both live and vicarious)--entering on the path; Priesthood Ordination--MY only begotten son joins the ranks of The Priesthood, the power that makes the ordinances and so much else possible; Eternal Marriage--the start of a new family; and Death--the loss of beloved family that reminds us of the importance of all of the above and the promise of a glorious eternity together.

Definitely an April to remember fondly!