The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6

Saturday, January 11, 2025

Jubilant Kitchens


We are now fully, actually, totally and for reals living in our new house!!!
We received our occupancy permit on Wednesday at about 3 p.m. and had the beds moved over and made by 5.  

The rush of jubilation for this last step has been incredible.  The long, long journey of our housing transition is done.  Thank you Jesus!  It is truly just such a simple joy to wake up in your own bed in your own home, something I will never, for as long as the Lord gives me breath, ever take for granted.

Now, how to celebrate that with all our friends?

I keep thinking I'll post all kinds of pictures in something of a virtual tour.
But the incremental way of our move means that this morning (Saturday) we're making yet another big mess in the name of ultimately gaining more order.  I hope that by bedtime tonight things will be more photo ready, but that won't be today's post.  The full tour will have to wait.

But since it's unaffected by today's hooha, and because I'm kind of excited about how it's coming along.  here are a few glimpses of the kitchen.  

This room has been our main focus since being handed the keys.  We opted to create it ourselves, rather than it being part of the construction/installation of the house, so it was game on from that first day.


The theme was 'farmhouse country kitchen' and the idea was to use as many of the pieces of furniture and accent items we already had in the last house, and build around that.

What's new are all the appliances, the apron sink and stand, and the butcher block counter tops.  Also the window coverings, plus a few odds and things picked up at thrift stores.  


And while I'm not done adding the whimsy that I still have in mind, I'm pretty happy with the result so far.



I'm particularly pleased we could incorporate the antique tea trolley from Ken's side of the family.  It's making for a perfect jam and toast station, and the side leaf extends for a sweet little breakfast nook.



Having costed out two different companies for kitchen cabinetry, and even factoring in the purchases we still had to make, we figure we have saved ourselves close to, if not more than, $10,000.00.  Not bad, since what we've been able to piece together is way more pretty and functional than I even hoped for.



In a similar way that these pictures are just a small piece of the whole 'tour,' I'm feeling a deep sense of inadequacy as to how to articulate all that's on my mind and in my heart as we reach this significant marking moment in our housing journey.  There's such a story here!  And branching off stories all along the way!!  Of the generosity of so many, of the grace extended, of the goodness of God.  This has been about way more than just the material component of building a house.  Way more.  I am overwhelmed with all of it, all God has seen fit to do for us and in us as we made this big leap.


 "It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
To proclaim Your love at daybreak,
Your faithfulness in the night...
For you make me jubilant, LORD,
with Your deeds and the works of Your hands.
I shout for joy."
Psalm 92:2-5


And....just like I hope to post a virtual tour, we do hope to find a way to celebrate with all of you soon in real time and real life.  We would like to have you all over....just not all at once...and we want to find a creative way to do that, to mark this together, and to express again all our thanks for the many ways we have been loved and supported during this time.

Okay, now on to making today's jubilant mess.  

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