It was 6:30 in the morning when I heard the first trucks pull in. This was it: Demolition Day! And finding a new normal!
But first, we have coffee... and we make it in the bathroom.
The plan had been to move to an apartment for a couple weeks. While in the apartment, we were going to install a utility sink upstairs, finish the electric in our upstairs laundry section so we could set up a makeshift kitchen and then move back in. We would be set up for a few more weeks of not having a kitchen. Having had to change our plans and move upstairs right away meant having to make do without for the first week or so. And so, we did.
Dirty dishes "station"
And multi-purpose bathroom sink.
We then upgraded to the utility sink we were meant to have in the laundry room to begin with!
And the electric got finished in that section too, so we could plug in appliances in other places besides the bathroom!
And we finally added a supply of paper plates to our every day life!
It has been an interesting season, to say the least. This episode began on January 20th, when Ben had the accident, and here we are 7 weeks later into it seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel in more ways than one.
Of those 7 weeks, I already know Ben doesn't remember the first two... although I am already forgetting things. I went from "what color should we paint the walls?" to scratching my head in perplexity hoping and praying I had understood exactly what they meant when they asked me questions about the beam that had to be put in on day 2. The guys working here were very kind and took their time explaining everything to me all three and four times and once again.
Some days were very fun, watching the flurry of activity. Some days were crazy busy trying to make decisions and visualizing a design that I hadn't had the time to look into and the decisions were needed now. Some days were just quiet with "invisible" progress.
As a family, we're somewhat discombobulated. Our morning routine is anything BUT. School happens quite scattered and we don't really have lessons together these days. We're ready for order and some sense of normalcy. But we are just thankful for the redemptive love of Jesus that makes everything work together for His glory! It has been crazy, but we can trust that He is working good things in our hearts when the little kids are quite literally bouncing off the walls. We have been shown so much care and appreciation through meals that always came at the most appropriate moments.
A week ago, our fantastic cabinet maker showed up with a ton of cabinetry in tow. Today, as I type, Ben and a friend are working on hooking up appliances and Phase 1 of this major renovation project is almost entirely buttoned up!
Ben is doing so much better. He's much more incorporated into life than he was 7 weeks ago. It feels like a "sputtering start" because we find that he can still easily over do it and "pay for it" with a couple of days when his mind is just "fuzzy". But we are beginning to see more of a normal life routine in the near future. We are far from done with the entire house, but we just conquered a whole chunk!