January 16 – “The Beam”

Yes, we got to see Cailyn again today.  And yes, I held her again.  And yes, these girls are pretty special little things.  I also got some new pictures of Caleb as well.  He's doing great.  He's got his own share of "special" right now in my heart, too.   Today we got some really good news about the house.  Well, actually it would be more accurate to say we saw some good news.  We were scheduled to meet with our contractor this morning, so we drove in to Galveston.  He wasn't there, but a crew was.  We went on inside to see what was going on.  Wow.  They had already finished redoing the anchor bolts around the outside of the house, including replacing one entire two by four along one wall.  They also had the two temporary support walls built on each side of the kitchen wall we were taking out – the one that used to be the back wall of the house before the family room was added.  It was a major load bearing wall.  At the top of that wall were two huge two by twelves nailed together – The Beam - the new system of support.  And they were just beginning to tear out the old wall itself.  They still needed to build the small support wall and add the steel support pipe, but the house looks completely different already.  I think the main thing for me is the anchor bolts.  At least now we know the house won't slide off the foundation next time it rains.    We ended up having lunch at Luby's with Mom and Kel and Christina and Jachin and Micah.  Another great Vaughan family affair.  After we ate we rushed back over to the house and waited for John.  He finally got there.  I don't think he was all that late, but we were really anxious to talk to him.  He went over some more of the specifics with us.  Well, with Chris.  I had to struggle quite a bit to come up with an opinion on some stuff.  Between the three of us, though, I think we have some more jobs that can be started.  We are supposed to meet again to put together a specific budget.  How much for windows.  How much for doors.  How much for electrical.  How much for plumbing (He recommended redoing all our plumbing as well).  How much for air conditioning/heating.  How much for sheetrock (we probably have a team coming down from Arlington to nail up the sheetrock, but we still have to buy it).  How much for insulation.  How much for the roof (We may have a team coming to do the roof.  They were to meet this week to decide and let us know).  I just want to have a ballbark figure for the whole thing.  See, we still don't know for sure how much money we'll have to work with.  We are waiting for a letter from our mortgage company about the insurance.  If we can get a handle on how much it's going to cost, we'll know how close we are on the money.  Then we can start deciding what to cut out or what to include or what to wait for awhile on or what to pray for outside help on.  I guess to a certain extent we are operating on faith that we'll get at least enough to move in.  Some of you builder types are probably laughing at me right now, but this old preacher-dude just has no frame of reference whatsoever for this stuff.  And because of that ignorance we really have to trust God that it'll all work out in the end.    John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."   Father, I know everything will be all right in the end.  And I know if it's not all right, then it's not the end.  I know I'm ready for the "all right."  Help me be ready for the end.  Amen.