Home Sweet Home (almost)

I'm finally posting pics of our new house. We got the keys to the house on Thursday afternoon and I was going in for surgery the following Wednesday morning.  I knew it would make me crazy to have things not decorated while I'm down for six weeks and I was determined to not have any boxes left unpacked. This is what I got done in five and a half days!! I missed getting pictures of the office and the bonus room (I'm not allowed to go up stairs for those) so I'll add those later. The only room I didn't get decorated is the boys room and I'll finish that this week I hope.

Master Bath: I wasn't sure about the river rock but I'm loving it now!

Master Bath: The bottom of the shower is river rock too. The best thing is that you won't be able to tell if it's dirty.

Master Bedroom: Glad our furniture fits

Powder Room: We call it the Africa bathroom

Mud Room/Laundry Room: It't right off the garage, loving the cubbies for school stuff

Other side of the Mud/Laundry Room

Living Room: View as you walk through the entry way

Living Room and Dining room

Dining Room

Kitchen

More Kitchen

Entry Way and the office is on the right

Kid Bathroom

Family room and Paxton helping with the plan shelves

Boys Room: In progress, soon to be decked out in camo

We've actually hacked back the rose bush now. Everything is more than a little over grown.

Above the bunk beds in the girls room

Girls Room: the only downside to this house is it only has three rooms. The girls are learning to share but it's painful.

Girls room

Just off the entry way: Going up to the bonus room

Living room fire place

Back Yard Patio: I think this is screaming for a hot tub. 

Back yard: Isn't huge but it works. No room for a garden though.

It doesn't feel quite like home yet but we're getting there!!!

from paxton

Dad,

Our EQ lesson on Sunday got me appreciating you even more and I just wanted to share that with you.

We watched a “Mormon Message” about what it means to be a Dad.  The message was really nice and portrayed a Dad who gets up every morning before his kids do, goes to work, thinks about his kids all day long and finally goes home to them at the end of the day just to get to spend a few minutes with them before they get into bed.  The Dad talked about how his kids were so trusting of their Dad and naïve of what he has given them – not that he was complaining, but that he loved his kids so much that he was happy to give it to them - that he had worked his entire life to give his kids what they have…..and they have such innocence and trust in their Dad that they can spend their days playing, laughing, learning, growing and just being kids.  The Dad gives and gives and gives to his kids and spouse.  A home, food, clothes, cars, educations, vacations…everything that the kids have came from their Dad.  The message concluded with the thought that the guy was not only a Dad, but was also a Son.  As a Son, he had the same naivety and trust in his Father, both his earthly and heavenly father.

As I’ve gotten older and stepped into the shoes you once wore 25 years ago, I’ve come to realize what a grind it can be and what a burden it is to provide for a family.  Ground hog days of monotony, dull drum, repetition of eking out a living, raising a family, providing for them and giving everything you have and earn to them.  Hopefully in all of that hard work and sacrifice there are a few choice moments that make it all worth it.  I am realizing what an amazing gift it was to me to have you as my Father, who sacrificed and gave and gave and gave pretty much everything you ever earned, plus all your time, energy and talents, just to raise our family.

I know that this is grossly inadequate, but….Thank you!

You Rock!

Paxton