J Cooper Photography

Sometimes you have to just hop in the car and drive across Kansas for the day.  It was sweltering hot by 8am.  But that didn’t stop us from driving through Starbucks for piping hot coffee and pumpkin bread for everyone in the van.  We stuffed some jammies and 4 diapers in a bag and headed out of town.  Just for the day.

{All photos courtesy of my Dad who had his wits about him and remembered to bring his camera}

We wouldn’t usually drive the 6 hours for such a quick visit.  But The Librarian had a special request that runs straight through to our core.  She’s working on bringing home a Peruvian Prince this year and we aren’t the type to pass up a good adoption fundraising event.

Her teen boys organized the event with the help of a local pastor whose church meets at a coffee shop downtown.  (Why do I not belong to a church like that?)  There was coffee (duh), desserts, fellowship, live music, giveaways, crafts, and most importantly…family.   The Writer and her family drove across Nebraska to come.  And Mimi and Baboo put in an appearance too.  So we were all together…even if it was just for a couple of hours.  Sometimes that is all it takes.

We bombared The Librarians house with tired, sweaty kids.  I helped her put the finishing touches on the baked goods (ok…I sliced and diced…she’s seen me in the kitchen).

Then we all piled back in the van and headed over to Norm’s for a night of music and caffeine.   I ate a smores brownie bigger than my face.  Teenagers watched my children.  I talked adoption with seldom seen friends.

The Librarian and some of her “olders” jammed for us.  Then “the boys” took over the stage with music that surprised us with its driving beat and recognizable tune.  I had no idea they were that good.  And they were.  REALLY GOOD!

Then The Brainiac won an adorable headband in one of the giveaways and I got to listen to her babble excitedly about her good fortune while her sister cried pathetically that “life just isn’t fair!!!”

People mingled.  People spent their money.  People encouraged my sister and her family by showing up on a Sunday night and confirming this work that God is doing in their lives.

Then we took an obligatory family picture past 9pm to document the sweat and grouchy/sugar high faces.

Then we put on those jammies and piled back in the van and drove home straight through a storm that would wake the dead.  Except the little ones in our car slept and slept and never woke until we pulled into the garage on the other side of Kansas.

I will never get tired of seeing God provide a way for families who say yes to adoption.

How was your weekend?

The pounding on the house has subsided for the week as we wait for the next installment of materials.  The quiet has been nice.  But to be honest…I’d much prefer they just get on with it and save my quiet time for the when the project is finished.  Meanwhile, I am debating the finishing touches (lights, handles, doorbells…you know…the essentials in life, right?)  I have been determined to find the perfect shade of mustard yellow for my door.

So I channeled my inner Stacy and donned my favorite gold and grey attire.

{Don’t ask why I am doing that weird thing with my hands in my pockets.  Cameras come out and I get so awkward. Or maybe it has nothing to do with the camera?}

Once dressed, I headed to every paint selling store I could think of (my kids SO VERY MUCH enjoyed this activity -ha!)  I flagged down the man at the paint desk in each local saying…”show me to this color scheme for my house”.  At which point, each man tried to convince me that I was actually more interested in a beige/khaki/taupe combination.  At which point…I sulked off to look through the yellows all by my lonesome.  I actually collected an impressive stack.

I narrowed down to a few choice favorites and taped them up on my door like the classy gal I am.  Yes, they are still there a full week later.  No, I did not post a tally sheet so my neighbors could vote (although it’s not a bad idea).

I’ve made my decision and I’m ready to head back to the store with paint chips in hand.  You’ll have to wait for the reveal though to see my pick.  Mainly because I haven’t even gotten back to the store yet let alone actually busting out the ‘ol paintbrush.

The siding is coming along nicely.  I’d be especially pleased if there was more of it on the house.

It’s a nice putty grey.  Not too blue, not too brown.  It is “Storm” by Alside (cause I know someone will ask!)  The trim is all bright white.  Originally all the trim wasn’t going to be replaced but after a few unfortunate moments with the construction crew…it’s all gonna be new after all.

This is a terrible picture I snuck out to take around 6:30 am.  I could fake it and say I was going for that dreamy sunflare giving the shot an artistic “golden glow”.  But really….it was just dark and I threw the camera on auto.

The stone is my favorite part.  It is a granite colored dry stacked stone.  I think it adds a lot to the face of the house!

{And yes…that’s me at 6:30am in owl pajama pants and a Kindermusik tee….I told you I was classy!}

I’m hoping to change out the 90s brass for dark oil rubbed bronze or black fixtures.  Here’s a question for you decorating gurus.  If I put dark fixtures on the outside….do I have to carry that inside?  We still have all brass doorknobs that HAVE to go.  All of our cabinet hardware and faucets have been switched over to brushed nickel.  But most of our lighting is oil rubbed bronze.  What’s a girl to do?

I got grey/gold chair cushions CHEAP at World Market (they are 75% off right now).  And a yellow planter on clearance at Lowes.  I picked out some clearance plants that I was hoping to nurse back to health.  Although the 110* weather might sabotage my effort.

{as you can tell…they aren’t exactly prize garden quality yet}

So that’s the scoop on the house.  It’s gonna look fantastic if it ever gets done.

No WWIW this week because I have obviously been spending a lot of time in my owl pants.

And as soon as I can get to the store for batteries, I will share more pictures of things that really matter…like my cute kids