Last week was the 5 year anniversary of the day that Rob and I closed on the house on West Johanna Street. I remember one conversation that Rob and I had a few days after we moved in.
Rob: In five years, we'll have a beautiful house.
Katie: FIVE YEARS!?!? No way I can live in this house for FIVE YEARS!!
Though even
he never would have wished his prediction come true, Rob was almost right on the mark. Yesterday, we received a new completion date: October 31, 2013. We bought the house five years ago and moved out to rebuild it almost 2 years ago. The original contract stated that the entire project would take 120 days.
120 days. So, what makes this completion date any different from the last, say, eight dates we've been given? Nothing, really, except that it hasn't already passed and I still have hope. This time, they're going to make it happen. I can feel it in my bones!
The cabinets and built-ins are done! The kitchen cabinets have been stained and the other cabinetry has been primed and will be painted tomorrow! The fireplace stone has been installed and the stone on the front porch is half way there! And it has all been despite the complete and consistent incompetence of our general contractor and due to hardworking subcontractors and to the incredible support, patience, and diligence of our amazing architect and brother, Sean!
 |
| The last stone going in! |
 |
| There will be a hearth added as well. |
 |
| Sean designed the top to jut out. It looks even cooler in person! |
 |
| Sean and I did all of the staining of the beadboard... twice! |
 |
| So many of the electrical cords were put in the wrong places that we had to cut the wall and restain the beadboard... hours and hours of taping and staining! |
 |
| These cabinets will all be painted to match the trim with shelves stained to match the kitchen. Through these shelves you can see the dining room cabinets/shelves as well. |
 |
| I originally got the idea for the striped beadboard at a neighborhood coffee shop. Most of the colors and surfaces we chose for the house are pretty plain/neutral. So, we decided to do this wall with the stripes to do something a little different. |
 |
| Though the color of the stone isn't what we ordered, we're happy with the way installation is going. And, at this point, progress is progress! |
On September 27, Rob and I will celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. Yes, we got married about 2 weeks after buying this house. This home remodeling/rebuilding process has been a part of every day of our marriage. Some days we ask ourselves, what will we do when this is done? What will we do when we have a table at which to sit and eat? What will it be like to have a couch, a bath tub? A disposal, a dishwasher, a dryer? What will it be like to be able to put Maya to sleep in a crib and to sleep
down the hall from her?
 |
Where's Maya? If we let her, Maya would sleep completely covered with blankets.
I swear this habit is due to her having to sleep through our doing dishes or going up and down
the ladder while she sleeps. |
 |
| A peek at Maya from up the ladder. |
While we know there is no way that we will celebrate this special anniversary in the new house, there is still a chance that we could be in for Maya to take her first steps in her very own room! She started pulling herself up today, though. They better hurry!!!
