We’ve got CEILINGS!

We took a few pictures before putting the ceilings in, since many people couldn’t imagine what the house was like without ceilings. So, here’s the view from our bed. All lighting was bulbs hanging from wires, since there was nothing to connect fixtures to!

Here’s Ellie, taken from the entrance to the kids’ bedrooms. The open door is to the bathroom.

And THIS was the view from the toilet. Not entirely private! (Ellie standing on Abigail’s bed)

The project began with removing all clothing, toys, etc that could be removed and covering what was too heavy to move

The “workmen”, ages 15, 18, 21 and 23, built this scaffolding to put ceilings over the stairs. SCARY!

The metal framework was put in to hold the drywall sheets

The whole process really made a mess of everything! (front door to the left, future closet under stairs – and that’s Cappuccino sleeping!)

The exterior scaffolding was slightly less scary, thanks to the porch roof. I did NOT consent to my kids climbing the house, by the way! And that’s the satellite dish we’re praying will pick up more signal!

Grandma, this one’s for you! The men sealed the roof so that NO MORE CRITTERS can get in! (That’s what the green stuff’s for)

After about 9 days of work, we were able to clean and seal the ceilings. Sealing and painting took another 9 days

We made use of a lot of OLD clothes! Anyone recognize this shirt?!?

And just when we were at the end of our strength, thinking the project would go on forever, the cocoon we’d been watching opened and out came this beautiful butterfly!!

Wes rolled the ceilings while Cindy cut in. (Another example of our previous lighting)

This is a bad picture, but it shows how the kids participated in sweeping and mopping the ceilings to prepare them for paint! (Abigail on the kitchen counter)

We left the over-the stairs-ones for Wes!

Then right in the middle of everything we celebrated the 4th of July with a missionary couple who used to live in town. We invited all the kids on camp to the biggest fireworks display in Pinalejo!

Aldan Union Church had given the kids paint for their rooms for Christmas in 2008. We were still painting when we took our unexpected furlough last year, so we finished that up while the house was torn apart! All 4 kids helped sponge paint the girls’ walls.

Ellie and Becca did the windows and Ellie and I did the walls.

Wes didn’t have time to help. He was busy on the “scaffolding”. Cindy was around the corner praying.

Ellie called this picture “Home.” Thankfully we’ve put our suitcases back under the stairs for a while… we hope

Once we got everything painted, Juan Ramon, the contractor from church, came to help install lighting…and a ceiling fan!