All I know to say is, I’m exhausted. Let me catch you up a bit… We’ve been going to Grace Baptist Church since about September of last year. We’ve gotten pretty involved there, especially with the children’s ministry. Well, about 2 months ago, I think…right before Gustav hit, anyway…our music/youth minister felt God leading him toward some other ministries here in the city, and he resigned. After he resigned, our pastor asked Jake if we would consider coming on staff at the church–Jake as youth minister, me as music (although it would be fun if Jake would lead the music :-) ). At first, I was opposed to the idea. It would mean that we’d have to commit to staying in New Orleans longer than we had originally planned. But the more we talked and prayed about it, the more it just seemed right, and we started getting excited about the possibility. Well, to make a long story short, the church seemed to think it was a good idea too, and so now here we are. Jake’s the youth/children’s minister, and I’m the music minister. As a part of the deal, we get to live in a house right next to the church. The only catch is, the house is in need of a lot of work. So that’s what we’ve been doing for the past month—working on that house. We’re pretty much moved in now (by that, I mean that all of our stuff is piled in boxes in the house), and tonight will be our first night to actually sleep there. There’s still a good bit of work to be done. The kitchen floor is not finished, and you can’t get to our bedroom without walking through the kitchen, so we’ll be sleeping in the living room for another week. The bathroom had to be completely redone, and as of right now it’s just an empty room of frames and pipes, and nastiness. That’ll be another 2 or 3 weeks, probably. But there’s a small apartment space downstairs in the house that has a working bathroom that we can use for now, so we won’t have to shower under the garden hose. :-) Those are the major projects left, but there are still several smaller things that have to be done as well. We’ll be working on it for probably the next couple of months to get it completely finished. We’ve come a long way though, and I think we’re both pretty much pooped, but we’re still really excited. When it all gets finished, though, I expect each and every one of you to come visit us. We’ll have plenty of room for you as soon as we can actually unpack the boxes and start putting things away.
So that should catch you up for now. Oh yeah, one more thing…we’re getting a dog! More on that later… :-)
If you did have to shower under the hose, they make a solar camp shower you could hang up and use! :) I’m sure the house is going to look fine, and God will use you two in a mighty way there. A part of misses NOLA, but only a small part, like my pinky toe nail. I told ya’ll that you could have your child to potty train. Now you have to train a dog. Sarah would have been easier, and she would have been more funner too! Keep praying for a job for me!
Dave
PS, I think Jake should lead music for “Comic Relief Sunday!”
Are you really sure you want to open up your house for all of blogland to take you up on? There’s no telling who would show up on your doorstep. Even me – I’m just a friend of Jake’s sister…I could show up – and say – hey – you offered. :)
Congrats though! It sounds like God is using you both in big ways! I’m sure the house will become home sweet home for you soon!
you know, opie taylor would call that “adventure livin’”
Dave – Ship your daughters to us anytime (the two potty-trained ones). You know we’d be excited to have them visit and spoil them for a few days. And we are praying for you. And for the women who have to live with you. :-)
Jen – Just because your comment made my day, consider this your personal invitation to come visit us. :-)
Shannon – We might just be “adventure livin” in your living room before the week’s up…
Look, it’s a package deal. We save $$$ if we ship all three!!! Kirsten sleeps through the night anyway, it’s just all the other baby stuff that you’d have to deal with! Bottles, food, diapers(Jake’s favorite) and loud baby outbursts. I think she has turrets :) That would be from the Reid side of the family. You’ve been around Myra long enough to know what I’m talking about. Loud…random…outburts! Sorry, post traumatic stress flashback from when we lived there!
I’m sending some pics on Jake’s email
Dave, I got the pics and the kids are sure growing up! Please send all three asap! :-)
Watch out about those invites. Your meddling mother may return one day! You have done a wonderful job with the decorating. (What little I was able to see) I can’t wait to see the final product.
See you in a couple of weeks.