Coming Soon -- The End of "The Long Winter" Phase of 2013

I ordered {and pre-paid for} propane today!  This is cause for huge celebration, just trust me.  Anyone who has read
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder will be able to understand why I've referred in my mind to November 2013 as "The Long Winter" for us.  Here's the story.

Brian's mom and her husband had graciously given us an Indiana State Parks pass for Christmas.  Many months later in October as we were {still} unpacking boxes we came across a gift certificate included with the pass, which we could use at any of the State Park Inns.  Our 15th anniversary was just in August and we celebrated with a take-out pizza.  :)  So, we arranged an overnight away for a belated anniversary trip at the beginning of November - our first night away in 5 years!  Two days before we were supposed to leave I was awakened around 5 am with a loud banging/clanging sound, and noticed how chilly the house seemed.  Brian was not in bed, so I went searching for him.  I found him in the basement and was informed that we were out of propane, or at least that's what it seemed as the furnace wouldn't turn on.  We managed to get a few space heaters from family, and the kids were all set to stay warm while we were gone for *one night*.  :)

Just a week before this, we knew we had about 20% in the propane tank, and I had called about getting it filled.  The representative at AmeriGas kindly informed me that we would get a significant discount ($150 or more) if we waited until December 1st to order the fill.  This was a 12-month promotion - the last time we ordered gas was in December of 2012.  Mind you, last winter the propane was only used when Brian, with various others, was working in the house - we weren't living here, so it wasn't being used much, less than 50% of the time, and kept at a very low setting as manual labor tends to keep you warm.  So, back to October, Brian and I thought we could make it on 20% until December 1st.  A week later, we learned we were wrong.  When it was really cold outside, there wasn't enough pressure in the tank to move enough gas to light the furnace.  But we decided to hold out for the discount anyway because, frankly, we needed it.  Though, in hindsight, it did prove to be more difficult to get through the month than we had anticipated.

The reason it's been a long, challenging month is because without propane, we have had to heat our home with space heaters {in the bedrooms and laundry room} and a little wood stove.  This wood stove is "EPA approved", although honestly I question the EPA's stamp on this one.  It is also about 3 times too small for the size of our 4000 square foot home.  And it's chimney is several feet too short, which means the potential for back draft is huge, especially when it's really windy (and we have had plenty of smoke in the house to prove it).  And - the icing on the cake - it is located on the porch.  Yup, you read that right.  The porch.  The folks before us enclosed the wrap-around portion of the front porch, stuck a wood stove in it, and called it heat.  That tiny 8x8 foot area does get really warm!  But that alone doesn't do much for the rest of the house, especially the far corners - the dining room, kitchen, laundry room and pretty much all of the upstairs.  Which is, obviously, why we need the space heaters.

This situation has just been one thing after another.  First, in order to keep a little stove burning you have to constantly be adding wood to it!  Which means we can't fill it and leave it to burn through the night like we could if it was the right size and in a central location.  So Brian and I have had to take sleep shifts for the last 5 weeks - he staying up until about 2 am keeping the fire going, and me getting up at 4:30 am to keep it going until the rest of the family is up.  Also because of the constant need for wood, and the fact that this is our first winter here so we didn't have any already cut from last year, AND the fact that we don't have the luxury of buying wood, Brian and Andrew have been chopping wood in their free time.  Which, really, Brian doesn't have free time because in this house there is always something needing attention - plus his car broke down the second week of November, so he was also trying to fix that in his free time (still not fixed, but thanks to his brother we have a running vehicle for the time being!)  Andrew has really gotten good at chopping wood, and he's very proud of the physical work he does - as he should be.

The third week of November the glass panel on the wood stove door shattered into a million pieces.  That was exciting, and a little scary.  Then also the rope around the door that seals it has come unglued and unraveled so that more air gets into the stove than should.  This means that the wood burns at a much faster rate, which means that we are going through wood faster than ever and having to fill the stove more often.

The fourth week of November Brian injured his hand, which is swollen and painful and aggravated by the vibration of the chainsaw.  But when you have no insurance, here's what you do with something that's not life-threatening - yuh deal with it!  He has continued to work through the pain, because really, he has to.

And finally, the electric bill.  Oh, my, today it came and it hit me hard.  I thought the highest bill had come and gone with the heat of summer and the window a/c units and the dehumidifier in the basement.  But, I was wrong.  The blower and fan required to move the hot air out of the {tiny} porch and into the rest of the {very big} house, combined with the space heaters, apparently costs more than the previous scenario.  :shrugs:  What can I do?  "Hey, South Central Indiana REMC, I think we should at least get a Christmas card for all the money we've sent you this year!"

Then of course it has been too cold or wet for the wood to dry outside, so we bring into the house enough for a day or two to let it dry inside.  This is NOT recommended for those with allergies.  We have had some issues, but again, what choice is there?  We just step up the immune-boosting herbs, do nasal rinses, try to clean the ash/dust that is falling like crazy, and keep our faces smiling.  :)  Because in all honesty, it could be worse.  I have often thought of The Long Winter just for the humor in my own mind, but also to remind myself that at least it's not that bad.  At least we're not braiding straw to burn in a little lamp for heat.

Anyway, the propane is ordered, and paid and we have no idea when they will deliver but we trust they will and we are very much looking forward to flipping that switch on again!  Until then, you'll find us chopping wood, or hauling it into the "fire room" as it has so been named, or filling "the little wood stove that could".  But that season of life will soon be over, and we will be glad!

First Thanksgiving in Quincy

Happy Thanksgiving to all our loved ones - friends and family, near and far!  We wish you a blessed day of love and gratitude, for those are some of the most important "things" in life.

As we began preparing for our first Thanksgiving celebration in our new {old} house, we were reminded of the many things for which we are thankful.  Yesterday, together with the kids, I worked to clean the house a little.  They picked up the loose odds and ends that had been left or forgotten throughout the last week.  I vacuumed the ginormous amount of dust/ash that falls to the surfaces of a home heated with a burning wood stove.  Mia worked to clear the island counter, which has a tendency to be a carry-all for many things - books, papers, bills, Lego creations Gabriel feels deserve the honor of center stage, among other things.  Riley cleared the desk which is the second place to be a carry-all - sewing notions, math books, books on CD, notes-to-self from yours truly, and various other items.

We didn't spend a lot of time on cleaning.  It's not about perfection.  Just clearing the work space so that we can have a clear view of what we are actually working with.  From that task, we moved on to food prep.  The girls cubed 2 loaves of rice bread to be made into croutons for our homemade-from-scratch stuffing.  While they did that, I washed and cut the many vegetables I will use in my stuffing, homemade broth, and in the turkey.  Meanwhile Andrew chopped more firewood and kept the stove burning hot to keep us warm as we worked, and Nolan and Gabriel helped him bring the wood in and stack it neatly to dry, as it is too cold for the wood to dry outside now.  Later I whipped up a coconut cream topping, while the girls worked on the cranberry sauce.

As we worked side by side, we laughed, talked about past Thanksgivings, and expressed our excitement and anticipation of the one to come.  Mia asked if I enjoyed all the work involved in Thanksgiving, "It is a lot of work," she noted.  Yes, it is.  And my reply was yes, I absolutely enjoy it.  I love all the work that goes into making a feast for my family.  We don't eat like this every day.  And I also enjoy taking the time to research good recipes that are tasty, allergy-friendly, and also healthy.  That combination is not easy to come by.  But as a mom who's been cooking without many conventional and often-used foods for many years, I find the challenge fun and very rewarding.

As we gather round our table this afternoon to celebrate our gratitude together, it will be a time of love and joy and openness that will be cherished as a memory for all of us for many, many years to come.

So what will be on our table this afternoon?  Here's our menu, keeping in mind everything is without dairy, eggs, nuts, wheat/gluten/oats, soy, beans/legumes.  Drum-roll, please.....

• Roasted Turkey
• Turkey Gravy
• Muzzie's Fabulous {Allergy-Free} Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Maple Sweet Potato Puree
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Steamed Sweet Corn
• Sugar-free Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Biscuits
• Apple Cobbler
• Pumpkin Pie
• Homemade Coconut Cream Topping

I'm sure eyes will be rolling back in heads by 5 pm today.  :)  Now, I need to go finish my stuffing and get that bird ready to go into the oven!  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone - may your day be filled with love, joy and gratitude.

Quiet lately

Next week will mark 4 months since July 15th, 2013 when I watched our Nolan turn blue and pass out, after many other symptoms which were signs of severe anaphylaxis.  I’ll never forget the sight of him -- lips blue, head tipping down, eyes closing.  The paramedic shouting, “He’s going!” as she scooped him up and into the ambulance.  We rushed off to the hospital following behind the ambulance.  It was an awful gut-wrenching 40-minute drive, not knowing if he’d be alive when we got there.

Even just typing it makes me breathless.  It makes my heart start beating erratically, a lump forms in my throat, tears well in my eyes.

If you’re a parent, you may be able to imagine what it was like, but maybe not really.  I am the mom of a kid whose life is threatened every day by something as simple and non-threatening as food.  You may be able to imagine the unimaginable - the idea of your kid coming as close to death as mine did.  Or, you might not.  Before this amazing kid was part of our lives, I couldn’t imagine.  Not really.  I am a pretty empathetic person, but still it is always difficult to put ourselves in the perspective of a person in that kind of unimaginable position.

Anyway, as the 15th nears this month, I pause to think about the last 4 months.  Everyday I try to remind myself that life is precious, that I have this one kid among the six of them who is a tangible reminder that every day is a gift to treasure.  I try to remember that.  I try to be present with my kids and in my life, to soak up the gifts we have every day.  But as a person who only recently came to know who she really is, and only recently learned to cope without numbing feelings, or covering them up or using crutches to deal with them, the reality of almost losing my son hit me pretty hard.  I look back now and see that I haven’t really written much of anything since then.  At least not in public - I haven’t updated our blog, even though we have so many who follow it.  People - friends, family, acquaintances - who care about what we’ve been through, what we’re doing with our family and our house and how things are going.  

Ozark Mountains

Honestly, we have been busy.  Real busy.  Living in this house is like living in a literal to-do list.  At all times, there are too many things to do and not enough time, people or resources to do them.  And, we’re far away from everything, albeit by design.  But that means going to do anything, like grocery shopping, takes more planning, more time and more work.  (And more gas!)  We’ve had colds and fevers.  We’ve had allergies and asthma issues.  We’ve had injuries from minor to more serious, including a puncture wound in Annie’s foot.  We also took a vacation - a much-needed vacation which was supremely enjoyed by all and which took a lot of planning, time and work before, during and after.  Totally worth it, though!  We’ve had kittens.  9 cats in all - our mother cat Fanta had 4 more kittens while we were gone on vacation (stinker!).  

Turkey Run State Park

So, yes, we've been very busy.  And I had my heart broken, just a little bit, by almost losing Nolan.  And so it has taken some time to heal.  I’ve needed to re-prioritize our life a little bit.  I needed to create an anaphylaxis action plan, now that we are an hour away from the nearest {good} hospital.  Before, it was just 5 minutes away.  This is a big change.  We have taken some time this summer to just enjoy living in the country and just be together after the long period of separation the first half of this year.  We have still completed a LOT of work on the house, but we’ve spent a lot of time hiking at local state parks (they are “local” now!), playing on the property, enjoying the kittens and just being together.  We have taken some time to slow down. We've learned new things like Spanish and making homemade herbal products.  We’ve also taken time for others who've been in need during these last couple months.

So all that to say - don’t give up on us, and don’t forget about us.  I plan to post some updates on the house, I know a lot of you are still interested in what’s going on with that.  We’ve made some really great improvements!  Please continue to pray for us as we head into our first winter here.  We are currently without propane (our main heating source).  We learned we get a significant discount if we wait until December to fill our tank, so we are toughing it out with the wood-burning stove that is located on the porch (not exactly an efficient place - haha - long story) and space heaters. Andrew is quite the pro at chopping wood now!  Also please pray for my extended family as my uncle Dave fights terminal brain cancer.

Lindsay

Anaphylaxis Strikes Again

Nolan w/ his new MedicAlert bracelet

We're taking a break from house stuff to let you know about a terrifying event that happened to our family.  

Last week our most allergic kiddo, Nolan, had another anaphylactic reaction. This was the worst one he's ever had. He's had 2 previously - the first at 10 months of age when we didn’t have epi-pens yet.  We did not even know he had any food allergies yet, though we suspected.  The second episode of anaphylaxis was about 4 years ago.  We administered the epi-pen when he had obvious mouth/lip/tongue swelling. And now, this most recent anaphylactic reaction almost 2 weeks ago.  It was an overwhelming event and came at a time when our life and home are already so chaotic and we have been living under such stress for so many years. He is okay now, we made it through, but I want to share our story so that hopefully it can help another child or another family facing such an awful, terrifying event such as this.

Unfortunately at this point I don't know for sure what caused the reaction.  That is a scary thing because that means it could happen again, since we can't be sure what caused it.  But he had 2 things in the timeframe before the reaction began - a cup of tea, and a smoothie, both of which had only ingredients I knew he'd had before with the exception of a few dry raspberry pieces in the tea - he'd never had raspberries before.  I am in contact with the manufacturers of these products to figure out what cross-contamination we might be dealing with.  I also am looking into some other ideas, but for now, it is unknown what caused the reaction.  He drank the tea just before 4pm, and then I made the kids a smoothie which they had around 4:30pm.  

At about 5pm he vomited. At that time I checked him under his shirt, looked at his face, just looking for any indication it was an allergic response, but at the time I didn't think it was at all. The smoothie was very rich and sometimes - not often - but sometimes, he can't handle rich foods. He had no other signs or symptoms. I was cleaning a horribly stinky, dirty closet at the time, so I went back to cleaning, but 15-20 minutes later I noticed he was lying in bed. I went to him, asked how he was feeling. He said he, "just didn't feel well". He looked ok so I just let him rest. I saw him again another 15-20 minutes later, he brought a tick to me that he'd found crawling on him.  Again, he looked fine to me.  The time-line gets a little fuzzy from here, but around dinner time which would have been 6-6:15, my girls called the others downstairs to eat, and then I heard them shriek and one ran upstairs to me, telling me that he had hives. 

At this point I wasn't sure that the two - the vomiting and the hives - were related because they were so far apart. But he did have hives, big ones, all over. He is very contact reactive, so I put him in the tub to wash off, just in case that was part of the picture. He was sooooo itchy, I've never seen him freak out so much about the itch. Then he said he was having trouble breathing. I gave him benadryl and started a nebulizer treatment, then called our allergist. The allergist is 1.5 hours away now, but we have not switched doctors yet, I didn't know what else to do. I will say, now that I am not in a panic, I know that our allergist tends to be very unmoved and skeptical that it's ever as severe as it really is. (I do not appreciate this and already wanted to find a better doctor, but it's just been a crazy few months with little time to look for a doctor in our insurance network, etc).  But in the moment I wasn't thinking about that tendency of his.

The allergist, was also not convinced this was all one reaction to the ingested food (which, remember, at the time, I didn't think there was anything he'd eaten that he could possibly be reacting to), and he advised me to watch him for 15-20 minutes to let the benadryl take effect. He said take him to the hospital if the breathing doesn't get better after the treatment, or if he starts to have trouble again or seems confused. 

There was no oral/pharyngeal swelling - not through the whole thing. And I think that's what I was waiting for with the epi pen. We have given him the epi before, but it was obvious oral/lip/tongue swelling.  He never showed those specific symptoms this time.

Around 6:45-7 he said he was hungry, he was breathing okay and the itch seemed to subside a little so I let him sit down to eat.  Shortly thereafter he got up and walked to me, and then just kind of melted to the floor. He didn't pass out, but maybe his knees buckled? I don't know. He curled up on the floor, and that's when I knew this was not my kid, something was very, very wrong and I called 9-1-1. We are in the middle of no-man's land, 30 minutes (if you're truckin'!) to the nearest hospital and I was the only adult home with our 6 children. I did not feel comfortable driving him myself. So, then we waited. I stayed right by him, he was very calm and I did ask him questions and he was alert to who he was, his surroundings, etc. But he remained lying on the wooden kitchen floor. It was so strange.

At 7:30 the EMT's arrived. They came in, assessed him - what is he reacting to, what had happened, his medical history, etc. The main EMT said she thought I could take him to the hospital, or she could take him - it was up to me. He seemed "okay" enough to them. He was lying in my lap, sort of sitting up, leaning against me. She brought in a heart monitor and took a reading “just to be sure”. As she did that, I asked her to check his blood pressure, knowing that blood pressure can bottom out when they are going into anaphylactic shock. She basically told me no.  She said, “Nah, it’s really not very informative with little kids”. UGH. Then she looked at the screen and said, “Oh, what’s that”, and then explained he was having an arrhythmia. He had a premature beat. Then, he turned blue and passed out!! So, they scooped him up and headed to the ambulance. I followed with my other 5 kids, and got there about 20 minutes after them, I guess, according to his chart. I couldn’t run all the lights and get around traffic to keep up with them. (Most agonizing and terrifying half hour of my life, not knowing how he was in that ambulance, was he going to make it? I’m not sure how one ever fully recovers from that).

According to his record, he arrived at the ER at 8:06pm.  When I found him in the ER, the EMT told me that during transport he’d vomited again and they'd given him more benadryl via IV. I know now that I should have given him the Epi, but why didn’t THEY?! She also said that when she asked Nolan his name after the vomiting, he said “I don’t know”, but she dismissed it as him “joking with her”. !!! Oh my word, why would she not take that confusion seriously, given all the other signs and symptoms?!?

In the ER they finally gave him prednisone around 8:30pm. But still no epinephrine, even in the ER. This ER staff was the worst I’ve ever seen, everyone might as well have been wearing robes and slippers at the pace they were moving. Before leaving, the EMT stated the hives looked better.  I said, "No, they just have all swelled together so that you can’t distinguish them, which is typical for Nolan." No one said anything. It was as if I hadn’t said anything at all. I pointed out his ears, they were just so, so swollen and red.  But everyone ignored me.

Brian arrived around 8:45pm.  Around 9pm they put him on oxygen, though no one said why.  Then a little later they gave him some IV fluids. A little monitoring here and there, but pretty much I just sat there watching him myself. He started sneezing with the oxygen - they used a nasal cannula, I cannot imagine why not just a mask for a 7-year-old, but whatever - it was a minor thing compared to the lack of emergent care. He couldn’t stop sneezing. They finally just took the oxygen off, but he continued sneezing.

They discharged us just before 10pm. This, I could not believe. Around 9:45pm the “doctor” came over and said, “Oh, these have really lightened up”, referring to the hives on his legs and ankles. Yes, they were lighter. They were pink rather then bright red, but no smaller and certainly no less visible. I, again, pointed out how swollen his ears still were. No response. I was utterly dumbfounded. The nurse took Nolan's IV and stickers off, handed me discharge papers, saying, "Here ya go", and pointed me to the door.

The next thing I knew, I was in the parking lot looking at my son, knowing he should still be in observation for at least a few hours, probably overnight. I just could not believe this experience. I sat in the car with him, thinking it all through and then headed home. He continued to sneeze until we reached home and he got into bed (our bed! - we watched him through the night, something the ER should have done). He did change his clothes before getting into bed, and even after the 30+ minute drive home, he still had obvious hives. At that point they were much smaller, but still clearly visible.

I did not sleep that night (or many nights since). I laid there with him, checking him every so often. I could not turn off my mind. ...What had he eaten that was missed on my allergy radar?...Why didn't I give the epi? --> wait a minute, I am "just a mom", why didn't any of these medical personnel trained in emergency care give him epinephrine?!? ...How the heck are we going to live out here in the middle of nowhere with this hyper-allergic kid and that crap-hospital?! ...Why did no one listen to me - the EMT disregarded my request for blood pressure reading (which, by the way is a basic vital sign!!); the doctors and nurses ignored my observations of his condition.

I contacted Putnam County Hospital during those sleepless hours that night, filling out the online contact form stating I wanted to file a complaint about the care he received (or, really, did NOT receive).  I have since spoken on the phone with the ER manager, who told me she's received several complaints that her ER staff is "too laid back".  Several?!  Really?!  I am writing a detailed report of the incident to send to her, and to the hospital administrator, including current guidelines from the National Institutes of Health for anaphylaxis and food allergy.  If you or someone you know suffers from food allergies, asthma or both, please take the time to read this short primer on anaphylaxis.  I made the mistake of thinking that it's just oral/throat swelling that requires epinephrine.  I know better now.  But it's rattling to the core to know that your local emergency medical care teams do NOT know or understand there are many more presentations of anaphylaxis and that epinephrine is the only life-saving treatment.

I also have been in touch with the director of the Owen County EMS, which is the only EMS service in our entire county.  They're it, so we've got to do what we can to educate them.  On the phone, the director was unmoved, telling me, "Epinephrine is really hard on the heart".  I'm pretty sure that dying is even harder on the heart!  So, I will be giving him a report in writing as well, along with the NIH written guidelines for anaphylaxis treatment.  I plan to hand deliver it with all 6 children at my side, so that the EMS team can meet us in a non-emergency way, as the likelihood of us seeing them again, unfortunately, is pretty high.

Please share our story with anyone you know who deals with food allergies, asthma and or anaphylaxis.  Did you know if you have food allergies AND asthma that the likelihood of death from anaphylaxis is higher?  I didn't.  Not until after this incident.  I am NOT thankful that Nolan almost died, but I am thankful for the tools and resources available so that I can be better prepared and informed for next time.  And hopefully, with diligence and determination, I can enact change in my local medical community to be better prepared and informed as well.  I can hope!

Together

"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all!"

I read the above quote this past week and it really stood out to me, because it is just so true.  You may or may not know how much time our family spent separated this year, but it was a lot.  There was only one weekend from Christmas 2012 until June 8th, 2013 that Brian was home with us and not working in Quincy.  As the year progressed and the time to move was closing in he was working out there more and more, and finally the last month before we moved he lived there in order to work on the house at every waking opportunity.

I'd just like to take a moment to pause and reflect on what an awesome man I have for a husband and father for our children.  He worked through fatigue, sickness, lack of food, lack of money, sometimes lack of proper tools and materials.  A lot of people helped - a LOT, and I don't mean to minimize that, but Brian did the lion's share of the work on this old house.  I am so thankful for him and his dedication to the care and provision of our family.

Okay, back to the story of our lives. :)  I know that since we moved the few days leading up to the eviction date of June 13, I have not updated the blog except with some pictures from the first week.  Well, folks, things have been pretty busy, and pretty chaotic.  But that brings me back to the quote at the top.  It could have been pretty easy for us to wallow in our situation - that first week we had no washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, water softener, drinking water filter, etc.  It took us about 5 trips to get everything from Noblesville to Quincy.  By the time we got here our time and energy were spent, and our money was gone.  And this house, she still needed a lot of work!  But we are together again, and that has made all the difference.  The separation of our family was by far the biggest challenge.  We are so thankful to be together, to be living under the same roof (even if it does leak! lol)

All the kids seemed to come down with a bit of a cold, which we decided was from lack of sleep and changes in the allergens of the environment.  Nolan, however, was getting more and more sick the longer we lived here.  The middle of the second week here we began giving him two breathing treatments a day, along with two nasal rinses daily and his usual daily antihistamine and asthma preventative medications.  We also decided the boys' room would need to take priority over other repairs, so that having the room sealed up would hopefully eliminate Nolan's exposure to allergens while he slept.  We accomplished that task last weekend, the 22/23rd.  He is now down to one treatment and nasal rinse a day, so that is progress.  

The rest of the house needs the same work - sealing up the walls/trim, etc, painting (to seal in odors, etc).  Trying to clean/dust the place is sort of like putting a cork in a firehouse with the walls still open to the rooms, allowing drywall dust, mouse "stuff", and who-knows-what-else into the room.

Also last weekend we found that mice or a mouse had been eating out of our potato crate.  We found about 1/3 of a sweet potato gone, and the scat as evidence of the thief.  Andrew set a trap and the next morning we caught a very well-fed mouse.

So the next most immediate priority became making the pantry mouse-proof.  I wish I had taken a before-photo, but those of you who saw it will remember the shape it was in.  Brian tore out the shelves, fixed the walls, put in some leftover laminate we had for the floor, sealed up with caulk and baseboards, and cut and installed new shelves from wood we have out in the barn.  It is almost finished!  In the meantime, our "pantry" has been grocery bags on the floor.  :)

Another thing that kept us busy the first couple of weeks was learning to live with ticks!  Mia, Nolan and Gabriel all had attached ticks, which was no fun.  Nolan's had a nice "meal" before I found it.  That was a little scary.  Fortunately they were all dog ticks, not the black-legged deer ticks which carry Lyme Disease.  So checking for ticks whenever we come inside quickly became routine.  I also made a great herbal bug spray that has really helped with all bug bites.  Clearing the land is really the biggest project for which we don't have time, money or equipment.  If you read anything about ticks, you'll learn that keeping a "tick safe zone" is really important.  Clearing tall grass back away from the house so that the kids have a safe place to play.  Eliminating leaf litter.  Trimming away the dead trees.  These are all things that need to be done, but we do not have the equipment to do it.  We have a push-mower and are keeping the area right next to the house and under the tree swing mowed but the thing is on it's last leg.  So, we're just doing the best we can.  Watching for a super great deal for a brush mower on craigslist.  :)

We also got some cats this past Monday, hoping they will help with the mice population.

 We were connected through my mom with someone she works with, and ended up with a mother cat and her 4 kittens.  The mother has already caught a chipmunk, so she's a good hunter.  We hope she develops a pallate for mice! :)  Her name is Fanta.  She is an orange Tabby.  The kids named the kittens.  There are 3 grey females named Hot Shot, Tigress, and Molly Boots.  And a ginger colored male, named Ginger.  :)  They have taken up residence in the barn.

So, that's life in the country for the last 3 weeks.  At least, the major parts.  Lots of laughs and fun in between (like when I was startled by a vulture near our mailbox and jumped sky high and shouted Holy Crap!)  LOL  It's hard, but it's fun and the kids love it.  And, best of all, we're doing it together.

If you find yourself without much to do and want something to keep yourself busy, come on out.  There'll be plenty of work to do for quite a while to come, I'm sure!  Especially landscaping!  Bring your tools!!  :)  Seriously, just because we've moved, doesn't mean the work is done!  It's been fun having helpers around, Brian especially misses you all.  ;)  

Photos for now...words to come...tomorrow?

We've been a little busy, moving, trying to unpack, trying to clean, while still doing serious repairs in the midst of it all. 

Keep us in your prayers please.  I'll add captions hopefully tomorrow.  It took entirely too long to get these photos on here, and I cannot figure out how to make them a little more blog-friendly than just straight in a line.  So, try again tomorrow.  Night, all!

Lindsay

Boys' room

Boys' room

Upstairs hallway

Master Bedroom

Girls' room

Playroom/sitting room/??

Upstairs Bathroom

Hole near tub/shower due to plumbing leak

Parlor/living room

Kitchen/dining room

dining room

R

A

Little a

G

M

N

Burning stuff

That's what you do with your trash in the country ;)

Update 5/21/13

This past weekend we had more new faces and were able to get many things accomplished.  We have a few painted rooms!  We have an exhaust fan in the bathroom!  Brian is almost finished sanding and sealing the floors!  Thanks to those who helped, thanks to those who donated materials and funds.  We continue to be humbly grateful and in awe as we watch God working through His people in this situation.  

Things are coming together for sure, but as we look at the calendar, the deadline is closing and there are no more push-backs.  Even thought it may still look impossible to be move-in ready in just a few weeks, with God?  We know with God we can accomplish many things.  He is on our side and know He is faithful.  Thank you for trusting Him as you come along side to help bear this burden with us (Gal. 6:2).  

Below you'll find updated lists for what needs to be accomplished the upcoming 2 weeks. 

*Items in bold are things Helpers can do.

**Please let us know if/when you'll be coming so that we can plan according to how many people will be there to help**

We need to get all of these things finished this week/weekend (Thurs - Mon 5/23-5/27):

• roof repair
• sand remaining walls, then wipe those walls*
• prime/paint remaining walls*
• texture ceilings*
• sand/finish floors
• hang cabinets
• repair upstairs bathroom floor*
• fix lazy susan*
• touch up cabinet paint*
• convert cabinet to sink base*
• caulk/foam windows/doors*

Then, next week/weekend (Thurs - Sun 5/30-6/2) we will need to do these things:

install laminate flooring
install carpet
install kitchen counter top, sink
install bathroom fixtures
• patch/paint around new windows (hopefully they'll be in)*


install trim if we have time/materials
• put covers on switches and outlets*
• clean, clean, clean*

The following week would be cleaning/moving week.  And that's it, folks!  We are out of time!  

Obviously, This is a very tight schedule! We need as much help as possible!

Updated materials/supplies needed:

• leveling compound and vinyl for upstairs bathroom
• bathtub/shower enclosure for upstairs bathroom
• plumbing fittings for kitchen sink drain
• outlet and switch covers
• carpet, tackless strip
• baseboards, window/door casing

Helpers To-Do List :) Plus Needed Materials

Here's a list of what helpers can do when coming out to the Quincy House, and at the bottom is a list of immediate material needs.  Brian has his own list of things he is doing, as well as a few other "skilled" people.  These are things that anyone can do.  Come on out!  Any Thursday through Sunday the rest of the month!

-Helpers Clean house top to bottom - continuous project 

-Helpers finish hanging drywall after roof repairs

     **need one more sheet 5/8" drywall** (see below)

-Helpers mud and tape wall and ceilings after final drywall is hung

-Helpers sand walls
-Helpers wipe down walls for paint #Helpers paint walls

-Helpers texture ceilings

• Master bedroom 
• Girls' room 
• Window room

-Helpers remove burned floor in window room, replace with plywood

-Helpers repair holes in upstairs bathroom floor 

-Helpers convert cabinet to sink base

-Helpers fix lazy susan cabinet - Is falling apart,. Needs to be put back together with brads or staples

-Helpers touch up cabinet paint

-Helpers caulk/foam windows and doors

-Helpers put covers on switches and outlets

**Immediate needs:
plumbing fittings 

tub/shower, pipe fittings

outlet and switch covers 

carpet for window room

Still need some trim 

one more sheet 5/8" drywall

Down to the Wire, Updates, Photos, and THANK YOU

Hey there!  It's been quite the harrowing week.  We received notice from the Sheriff's Department that our house is scheduled for Sheriff's auction on June 13, 2013.  On that date, they will transfer ownership to the highest bidder, and then change the locks on the house.  So, we need to be out *before* June 13th.  After the Sheriff's auction any of our things left inside still "technically" (Sheriff's office lady used air quotes when explaining this) belongs to us, but we'll have to make an appointment to be let in to get it, so it's just much more complicated if we don't get our stuff moved out before the eviction date (date of sale).

The notice came like a sucker punch.  While we were expecting the news, with all the putting-off that has happened for the last 6 months, I think Brian and I both expected the date would be later, though neither of us verbalized that to the other.  As one dear friend so poignantly said to me after the notice came, "Even knowing the inevitable will come doesn't always prepare you for impact."  So very true.

So, we are definitely down to the wire now.  There is much to be done and little time to do it.  I sent an email to many friends and family last week stating these things, listing off many things still needing attention, and giving dates for when Brian will be out there working on the house.  And the response to my "hail Mary email" (as Brian calls it) has been really profound.  We had a few new faces out in Quincy this past weekend,  in addition to some of the "usual suspects".  I wasn't there as it still isn't a Nolan-friendly environment, so I was home with Nolan and a few other kids.  But Brian tells me they got quite a bit of priming done, I think all the walls are patched, ceilings are patched, he was able to check the roof to see what exactly needs to be repaired (it's WAAAY up there!), and got the windows ordered for the two rooms that need them most (those are being donated by a dear friend).  There were other things that are escaping me now.  Brian knows it all, but between working a full-time job and fixing up a dilapidated old house in all his other time, he barely sleeps, let alone has time to update the blog.  :)  So, I'm doing my best to update you all!  Some new photos are below. (More to come!)

We still have many needs - a bathtub/shower for the upstairs "attic", as Gabriel calls it (because that's what it looks like!).  We need paint.  If anyone would like to donate a can to a good cause, we're your cause! :)  And, well, Brian says he'll email me a list, so I guess I'll add more later.

Brian and I are just so overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love for our family during this tremendously lengthy and difficult trial.  We have always been people who have tried to "pay it forward", to help others whenever possible.  And this experience has allowed us to see and feel what that is like from the other perspective.  There really are not words to describe what it is like to have people take care of your family and help you in ways that sometimes you didn't even know you needed.  The notes of encouragement, the prayers, the funds, food, building materials, the time, energy, blood, sweat, tears.  So much has been poured into our family these past two years, and we are so grateful to so many people.  Thank you all for allowing God to work through you to help our family have a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothing to wear. There is so much to be thankful for.

Please continue to pray for us.  Mostly for Brian.  Six months of working non-stop with no break, no weekends, no days off, most of the time not even a good night's sleep, is challenging for anyone - even for my machine-of-a-man. :)  I am so very thankful for him, and I'd like for him to stick around for a while after we actually get to live in this house he's building from the inside out.  So, please, continue to pray for his safety, strength, energy, and health.

Sincerely,
Lindsay

"He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:29-31

Miss R

Resident Toad. Yep, he lives in the basement.

Creek on property, flooded.

Mister G 

Andrew the young man, with Resident Toad.

Andrew primed the entire dining room.  Go, 12 y.o.!!

primed dining room

He did the trim, too, after these photos.

He slept for a week after this. (nah, I'm kidding!)

Part of the "grand parlor" (great room)

grand parlor

Updating the Old Blog

Current state of things in Noblesville house :)

Okay, Okay, so it's been over a week again, and still no update.  I know,  I know.  I'm sorry, we're just busy with not-so-important stuff like educating and caring for 6 kids, packing, unpacking, looking for things we need but can't find because we're packing (and unpacking), building a house from the inside out, dealing with flooding, etc, etc.  You know, just mundane every day stuff, right? :wink:

We have a lot on our plate, folks, even when life is at "baseline", we have more stress than your average Joe.  Like a few weeks ago when Nolan tried on a new backpack and had an anaphylactic reaction to it!  What?! I know, right!?!  It was insane.  But that is our life with Nolan - zero to 180 in no time. Flat.  But, have you met the kid?  He's totally worth it.  :grin:  (He recovered fine, by the way.)

The update on the house is that we have WALLS, and a CEILING in the parlor (that's a living, room for you urbanites).  Brian is finishing up skim-coating in various upstairs rooms, and then it's priming and painting, priming and painting.  Andrew (12 y.o.) primed one whole wall (big walls - large country rooms, with almost 10 foot ceilings) last weekend, being the hard-working little man that he is.  Andrew also took photos, but they're on his camera and I haven't downloaded them yet.  So, photos to follow.

Still on the to-do list before the place is Nolan-safe - lots of cleaning.  Drywall dust everywhere, people!  And cabinets installed in the kitchen.  (Remember those awesome FREE cabinets?!  Yep, well, they're still on the back porch.  So.)  And, did I mention the priming and painting?  And, eh-hem, don't forget about the bird infested attic.  Oh, yeah, today Gabriel found a bird's egg in the house...and...he dropped it.  Splat.  Tears.  Oh, what fun this adventure continues to be!

Still on the "we need" list - We still need a small bathroom sink and vanity, and tub/shower for the upstairs bathroom.  The cabinet/sink/vanity my uncle gave us is super-duper-fabulous, BUT, we don't have enough time to make it work, because it is so big it will require moving the downstairs one upstairs.  Brian already estimates he has about 12 full days of work left in the house (on the weekends, in his "spare time"), and that is NOT including a major bathroom overhaul.  We also need...wait for it....paint!  And primer!  And elbow grease!  Manpower!  Helpers!

Thanks for reading.  Please continue to pray for us.

Lindsay