Visitors and Studio Setup

We had guests for tea on Thursday, one bearing the gift of a pot of lavender.

 The kids got right to work de-coating and de-booting him so he could get right down to the serious business of play. His mommy gets baby brother out of the car.

 And finally, the studio, complete with pianos. Different than the previous location! I am very happy teaching here. There were two performance classes this weekend and I was able to seat the whole studio (35+ students plus one or two parents each and the occasional sibling) in only the two sessions. I am so thankful to the Lord for providing such a pleasant room to work in. And now I go for some sleep! Thanks for stopping by. Have a good weekend.

Groetjes- en knuffels aan de kinderen- gezondheid allemaal. Waneer een nieuwe kinderzangboek klaar es, misschien kunnen wij een kopie hebben?

EEEEK! --Yay!!

A Truck in our driveway- that's a sight we've seen a lot recently, for various reasons. Carpet delivery, carpet cleaning, appliance delivery/removal, moving, insulation, a bunch of other reasons I am too tired to remember right now...

          But This Truck:
...was in our driveway to deliver pianos! I took Luke with me to the old house and the moving van showed up right away. Three large guys came into the studio and stood over the pianos and crossed their bulky arms and decided we were going to have a little piano recital right there, specifically a little B flat Blues. I was not exactly in the position to refuse. Well, after that Charles said, "Well! Something's gotta happen to ME before I let anything happen to your piano!"

But I was still praying them over the driveway and up the lift to Marc and Bonnie's house we go. At the base of our hill I looked back to see the truck stop at the bottom and my heart sank- I was just imagining pianos falling out the back and soundboards cracking and hammers flying. But I should trust more. Everything went fine. No pianos dropped out the back.

Luke documented this whole post for us with his photographs.

 Taping pads to the floor first...

 In comes the little piano! This one is a breeze compared to the behemoth

See, these guys were big. You don't mess around when Charles says "play." 

(Remember, Luke took these pictures)

 There you are little piano, in your corner!

 James says- No worries man, We got it AAAALLLL under control!

 ARRRGH! I can't watch!

 Yeah, Mommy looks happy, but she's living rigor mortis right now. CALM DOWN!
 A critical moment! Tipping the piano! (mypianomypianomypianomypianomypiano!!)

(Again, remember Luke took these pictures... )

Well, they're IN! SAFE AND SOUND. And I will post pictures of the completed studio when all the books are off the floor and the camera battery is recharged! We got the couch in and the books, but not the bookshelf. I have to teach a whole day tomorrow in a totally disorganized room. I am not sure how that is going to work. I know it's going to SOUND good, but thinking clearly is going to be a challenge. Thank you Lukey for the pictures!!! Thanks to the Lord for the pianos moving in- and moved some of His servants: big strong movers from American Spirit Moving who did a really great job.

In the House and Out of Doors, Scrubbing Pots and Sweeping Floors...

Our kids helped us a lot this morning. "Moving" is still a work in progress, but with the kids generously pitching in it has lifted the load. They are eager to spray cleaners, water, air freshener, perfume, anything in a spray bottle. This afternoon they did lots of school with Marc, and tonight when I came home at 9:15 they were still at it! All curled up together on the couch reading about Ancient African history wayyy past bedtime, but we have to keep reminding ourselves, 8:00 bedtime for us just doesn't exist. At 9:15 we had not even eaten supper yet. 

We certainly do keep weird hours. 

We finally have our bathroom cabinet handles! So I put everything away in the bathroom today- it feels great to have that done. Amber loves cleaning this mirror. She helped a lot today. Actually all three kids did cleaning and help with dishes because we wanted things to look nice for when Joel and Amy came over to see the house for the first time and have lunch with us. Which they did. My brother came in the house with a loud "OH, NO!" and spent the next 15 minutes telling the kids how AWFUL and HORRIBLE our new house looks, which they really appreciated. (VERY bad. Even the doorknobs were just TERRIBLE. BOO to the doorknobs! Good thing the kids know their Uncle pretty well.) 

And the laundry room is painted, but in real life it's NOT this yellow. I don't know what the camera did to this color, but it's not this bright! I am glad it's not, because I'd get a headache doing the wash! But this shows you at least that the paint job is finished. 

It's hard to believe I'll be teaching here tomorrow! This makes me think about what a big day tomorrow is going to have to be to get it together. Uncle G came over again and really put some work in my lighting in the studio. I have a new track lighting and the little lights are beautiful. In case you are wondering, Uncle G stands for Uncle Genius. Also Uncle Generous.

 This is an example of the track light head he installed. Marc enjoyed hearing him talk shop with the lighting guys and the Home Depot guys when he described the difficulties with the broken arm of the track light. The substitute was far less expensive than the replacement. And it was done today!

This is in the kitchen, a special memory of Belgium.

It is SO good to finally have a clean room!!! And hey, new faceplates! All the downstairs plug and light switches are replaced and have new face plates as well. This is a new feather in Marc's construction cap.

 And our house got its face washed, too

 The kids enjoyed taking pictures of their dad doing ladders. I always forget how dangerous it looks until I see him do it again.

These two put in a lot of work around here today!
And tomorrow the oven and the new dishwasher come. We had an installation date for the 28th but someone cancelled and they moved us up. Was I ever glad. I have been only handwashing dishes (or paper plates) and stovetop meals. Marc took a tour in the kitchen tonight and started laughing. "We have a Maytag fridge, a Blomburg dishwasher, a Whirlpool oven, a KitchenAid range top and an Emerson microwave! If someone has to ask us what our appliance package is we'll have to say, uh... got 20 minutes? It's pretty eclectic around here." AND TOMORROW THE PIANOS COME. NO MORE COMMUTING!

Painting the Studio

The studio lines are cut in the first picture, then the kids help fill in the first coat. It goes from dark taupe to light gray. I liked the taupe a lot, but the studio gets very little natural light, so the dark had to go. Painting a wall is a real chore for most people, but it's a kid's dream come true. This place should be open for business on the 17th! I am really looking forward to it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy (Backwards) Days

We also found out that the dishwasher is very good for hard-baking leftovers onto stoneware surfaces... So we  made an order for that as well as the oven which is gone now. It's just a big hole in the wall. I don't mean it blew up, I just mean Marc removed it.

Our schedule runs so much later than the rest of the world! I hope any overnight visitors will be OK with rising late and going to bed late because around here 9:00 is the new 6:00. I was explaining to a client yesterday how our day is backwards compared to the rest of the world- Rise late, take a bath, play, practice piano, eat a large warm meal, start working on some school, I go off to work, the kids do lots of school with Daddy, I come home from work and we have a light supper, reading the Bible as a family, then bedtime. That's a backwards day if I ever saw one!

The kids were hugely enjoying Gerald and Piggie books- Mo Willems is a genius- and also Pippi Longstocking. The luxury of going to the library and having a place to park the books helps relieve the stress of the fear of losing them! We've been to the library twice this week already. School is slowly starting back up for us. Clothes are also slowly finding their ways into closets. Mom helped again today!

Insulation was pumped into attics. It was fascinating to watch it speed through the tube. It reminded me of Augustus Gloop Goes Up the Pipe from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And Amber got some instruction from the Shades and Windows Guy (Uncle Ed).

Today Marc put up the first two coats on the ceiling of the studio. Now I have to pick a color, because he has only one more hour of work to do, then he starts painting walls!

bed and topiaries

Our new bed that came in today

 So that is why we wanted a practically black wall.

 ...and here are the little topiaries we put together for the fireplace mantel. When we were at the store getting the things today, a lonely little toddler about N's age freaked out near me and panicked because he lost his mommy in the store. He then made a beeline for the door and we chased him down and I picked him up before he made it outside to get flattened by a car. The interesting thing is, when I picked him up, I held him so he couldn't see  me, and he calmed right down. So I went on a mommy hunt with a stranger toddler held dangling out at arm's length, never having seen me. I don't think he spoke my language, and it's good he didn't see me because I didn't look like his mother. She was way at the back of the store!! When he saw her his little legs ran!

Now, it seems like everything is "perfect," but I have to confess we always get reminded that nothing here is:

The "new" oven's heating element is frightening to use- I keep thinking of all our work that we put into the house and wonder if that thing is going to catch fire and- then I just have to remember two things- 

1. "Where your treasure is, that will your heart be also"- I've been thinking way too much about this new house. Heaven should occupy my heart because, thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross of shedding His blood to wash away my sins, that is my real home, and 

2. I should stop using that oven. 

Marc started cleaning out the studio for painting! 

Sisters, Vacuums and Skating

What a beautiful weekend it has been! The sun filled the room at breakfast and made it pleasanter to traverse between the house and the storage area while I was frantically looking for clothes for the children for Sunday School. I was afraid it was going to be the first day Amber went to Sunday School in jeans. But we did not have to come to that.

My sisters came over today and looked over the house, then brought in the best vacuum cleaner! It's my new toy! Pa will have to fight me for it when he comes. He likes a good vacuum cleaner too. Honestly I never thought I would "love" a household robot like a vacuum cleaner, but I guess I never had one that really worked. The one I had (and still have up to now) is ineffective enough to make my sister comment in it's disfavor, which means it must be pretty bad, because she's doesn't just spout a lot of negative opinions like some people. And the other vacuum cleaners I had were stronger but far less reliable, bordering on dangerous. I remember one that died with a boom and a horrible groan and then it emitted a feeble wisp of smoke that must have been timed with the exit of its smelly soul. We lived the next day or two with all the windows open.

I've cleaned so much the house is looking better than ever, and I feel like the 1960's housewife with the heels and fresh hair ribbon waiting for her husband to come home in his business suit to ask what's for dinner with a kiss. I need to practice my high, feminine voice.

When I had my sisters here I was able for the first time to live out a dream of mine, to take from my pantry the beautiful fixings of a Belgian-style tea party. It's a most heartwarming thing to do, and the kids even said, Mommy, can we please make this a tradition every Sunday afternoon.... They got used to it in Belgium, too. Tea, any other warm like coffee, -or as in our case- cider, chocolate, cookies... laughter and a chat. No pictures this time- Amber took some of us, but they turned out really weird so I thought I'd skip it. Not my sisters' fault either.

Marc is feeling better. His cough eased up and he has his voice mostly back.

I have been learning about the cold weather in Europe! Even an Elfstedentocht is being considered- Maybe Friday or Zaterdag is Elfstedentocht 2012!
If it goes through I cannot even imagine the intense desire of the competitors to win that skating marathon that can only happen when the ice gets thick- and hasn't happened since what, 1997? If it keeps freezing so hard, then maybe the Nederlanders will hear the affirming "go-ahead" words that only the chairman of the Frisian Eleven City Skating Marathon can say to the country of the Netherlands that makes their hearts beat high (and any other European who likes to watch crazy sports on TV):

"...it giet oan!"

We're In!

Last night was our first night here! It is so incredible to go from 820 square feet to over twice that. It used to be that when I made our bed that the room was 80% clean. For 9 years Marc could not step off the side of his bed because it hit the wall. Now we don't even have a bed, but that will change Monday, Lord Willing. Wait 'til you see it! For now we have a mattress on the floor, and I can tell you it's a very normal sized room for most people, but to us it feels like the Amiens Cathedral. We don't bonk into each other to get out of the room or wait in line to get to the sock drawer anymore.

We're really thankful and happy: Jamin expressed our feeling with grateful thanksgiving to the Lord. The kids prayed for a year about adding on, and now that the answer was completely different than we expected, we just give thanks!

It is still kind of paint fumey in here (no worries- low VOC paint- or was that no VOC?) but it all smells fresh and new. The carpets are either brand new or fluffy from a cleaning, the furniture is in (THANK YOU to Reese and Michael and Cristian!!!! They were absolutely great.) Lukey said all day yesterday and all day today "I'm so happy..." and Amber said quietly to me while taking my hand, "Mommy, it's just a dream come true." But tonight she lay in her bed and the light went out and she said, "Hey! I'm all alone in here!" "That's having your own room, sweetheart! Isn't that cool? There's nobody to bug you and keep you awake." "But I have nothing to do!" "Going to sleep is what you have to do." They had such a busy day: they went to the beach with my sister (again a big thank you there!!) who took them for the whole day as I had seven and a half hours to work and Marc had a house to empty, and what a day they had! Jamin put it this way: "We saw three trains and two pods of whales!" They saw wild orcas! I'm all jealous! 

We had breakfast this morning together in the homeschool area, sitting on the floor, then Marc and the guys had Garlic Jim's pizza on the deck because it was a beautiful day, and one of my students brought me Indian food for lunch because they offered to help me out that day. I am so grateful because all the food in our house was gone by lunchtime and the food was so good! I've only had Indian food one or two other times, and I liked it lots then, and this was the best of all. Tonight we ate dinner at our table in the eating area for the first time, and it was a peaceful feeling. We have to keep looking around us!

 These were the worthy young Levites who were helping us move into our tabernacle...

 Reese in back and Michael... Michael looks like he's thinking about lifting the whole thing up with that strap.

 And now that troublesome thing has got to come out of there! (The fridge, I mean.)

 (The wooden box went upstairs to Amber's room.) This room is a work in progress...

 Bookshelf in progress

 Kitchen color in, and still trying to tackle the construction clean!

 Finally the fridge is in! The fridge came from the old place and fits perfectly. I heard it was really troublesome to get it inside! The door frame it's next to looks slightly banged up, but I know a good painter.

 The Rogers sent us a surprise package with love which came while I was teaching today. It was generously stuffed with treats, fudge, chocolate covered espresso beans, apple cider, tea, cookies, fruit roll ups, coloring pages from Bible stories, boxes and boxes of brand new crayons, a beautiful book, toys, chips... a candle, bath salts, and more... Wow! What a sweet ! On the box was written "To be opened at your new house!" THANK YOU ROGERS FAMILY!!

This is the living configuration for now

 And we got these in the mail! (Als je zou zeer goed kijken, kun je jezelf vinden...)

 In the study- a desk is to be set up...

 in Amber's room a bed is to be made and slept in,

 And in the boys' room too...

At first I hated that light because the whole room was an ugly metallic bronze-gold, but it works with this color all right. 

Thanks for checking in, to family, but also to those who I know care about us. When the dust settles (and gets wiped up and out of here) we can't wait to have company! And I believe I know some with tickets...