We made some decisions about closet space, etc this week, and the framing went up in the basement for both bedrooms. Both bedrooms will be 9x9...pretty small, but it's what we have to work with. Meri (my sister) will have a large walk-in closet, so that'll help. Alannah is used to a small bedroom, so I think it'll be fine. We also realized that our couches will not fit down the basement stairs, as the doorway is only 30.' Since we have reclining leather sofas that are the newest, we will put those in the living room, which is the room with a TV on the main floor. Since the basement will also have a "living room," Mom wants to remove the TV from the main floor "family room," and leave that as a room for gathering without TV...for board games, puzzles, talking, etc. We will probably sell the 2 couches in that room and replace them with the current living room furniture, as none of the current furniture will fit through the basement stairway, and try to purchase something smaller and inexpensive either used online or from IKEA or somewhere.
We are also making progress on the driveway. Mom is completing the work request form to have a surveyor do a plat of survey. After that is completed, we can turn it in with an application to the village for the driveway expansion.
God also spoke to me in an awesome way this week! I had a dream on Monday night, and shared it with my kids as I was driving them to school Tuesday morning. My dream was that we were traveling somewhere far away, but not moving yet. Tony was driving his truck, and I was following behind him driving my car. His truck kept running hot, and we pulled over several times to let it cool down. Finally, we stopped at a mechanic to find out what the problem was. He came to us in the lobby after about an hour, and told us that the total would be $7800 to fix! OMG. We quickly decided that the vehicle wasn't even worth that much, and decided not to keep the truck. After that decision, it solved several issues that we've been contemplating about the move:
1) finding an extra driver for the day we move, as we have our vehicles PLUS a moving truck
2) lack of driveway space...5 cars would be easier than 6
3) cost of getting license plate stickers when we move is $196 PER vehicle...so it cuts that cost in half
4) one less vehicle to insure and pay for repairs on
Although Tony will need a vehicle daily for work, and I still need to drive the kids to/from school and extra-curricular activities, I believe we can make it work, as my mom will be retired, and Jill's schedule is flexible. I mentioned it to Meri and she agreed, then Mom, who totally agreed. That evening I spoke with Tony about it and he agreed as well. Mom called me the next morning and said Jill and Dad were on the same page. It will not be convenient all the time, and will require a daily transportation discussion each evening, (about the next day) but I believe we will all grow spiritually, as it requires FAITH to make this work! Thank you Lord for suggesting this thought that I had never considered, in a dream! So in the next few weeks, once Tony is able to clean out and organize his truck, we'll put it up for sale. If anyone's looking for a good work truck, let me know! It's in great mechanical condition!
I think that's all the updates for now. I'm including a pic of Mom and the kids after they built an arch at the science center, and a picture of Alannah's bedroom being framed out!
