"Project Basement"...CAUTION: long blog!

So I just have to say that I am so very thankful for family! Caleb's grandma has been letting us live in her basement for over 2 years now. She has also let us make some pretty big changes! We are so, so, so grateful for her kindness. She is a HUGE blessing!! I am not sure where we would be right now if she and grandpa hadn't taken us in....probably in a box on the side of the road - ok that might be a bit dramatic but we seriously would be in an interesting situation! God always provides though. I am also so, so, so thankful for my hubs, my father-in-law (Gregg), my mom (Sharon) and everyone else who has been helping us with this basement makeover! It has given me something to do and look forward to! And it has given us a comfortable place to live. The pictures below do not give justice to the amount of work that was put in. I wish I had more "before" pictures...let's just say when we first moved in there was just enough room to walk in and out of the front door. Then again, we were only planning on living here for 6 months...oh, funny how God works. His ways are truly so much better than mine!! After being here for a month, I was DYING to move. I got pretty depressed when the 6th month rolled around and I realized we weren't going anywhere on my small income. Praise the Lord I listened to the Spirit and "hung around." So many times I wanted to walk out the door, walk out of this life, walk out of everything I thought was so terrible. I was looking past all the blessings in my life...my husband included. As I've said in my previous blog, its easy to get caught up in the depression...but when you do, you are blinded by Satan's lies.

I never thought I'd say this, but I don't mind living here and I am willing to stay here as long as it takes. Only God can provide a peace that I now have...I thought I'd never be able to get out of my pit. So, thank you all who have been an encouragement to Caleb and me these past years...really, since day one of our marriage. It's not been an easy road...not even close, but how would we realize how blessed we are if we had an easy way out? How many times have I been drawn literally to my knees, humbled and broken only to be drawn to the cross?! So many...and so many more times to come...because I am a Christ follower. Not just a Christian, but a lover of Jesus.

With all that said, enjoy the few pics we have and many more to come as the adventures continue with our "Project Basement"!

This was December 2009...this is way better than December 2008...just pretend a huge pool table (which is in the back in this picture with all the "junk" on top) right smack in the middle of the room. Convenient for the Louvier kids as they grew up so they could play pool and ping pong...but where were Caleb and I going to put our couch? Where would we lounge? How could we have visitors? So the cleaning began....

This is rather blurry, but notice how the pool table is gone along with the junk on top...I was surprised to find a built in book shelf (in the far left corner in the picture) which was perfect for all our textbooks etc from all the years! There's also a functioning fireplace!!!! I was stoked (ha ha, pun not intended)!! Well...its not functioning quite yet...it hasn't been used in years!

The end result after all the random cabinets and junk got moved! Woohoo! We have living room space! Thanks Tim and Jane for the entertainment center!

My mom came up and made pillow covers (from curtain fabric...curtains seen in pictures below), and helped me find that awesome rug! The curtain fabric, table and rug are all from Ikea (thanks Nate and Jen for giving us that table! It's perfect!); the couch (given to us from my dad, thanks dad!) is from Crate and Barrel, and the super soft white pillows are from Costco! Some people like to know where things come from, so for those of you who were curious...there you go!

Ok, so this is kind of a random picture of me opening presents on my birthday after work in July 2009. But if you look behind me you notice the two oval pictures on the wall, the stairs and part of the kitchen...remember those details



Another seemingly random picture...but notice the large tan desk (its a goner now...or at least out of the basement; I threatened to throw that thing into the lake countless times...just ask Caleb) and where the garbage cans are there is soon going to be a new wall...



This was part of the kitchen remodel! The picture on the bottom shows the two wall structures that Gregg and Caleb built and painted (they stayed up for HOURS on end to finish when Caleb was on winter break); and some of the new cabinets are installed.

The result: New and improved kitchen with new curtains my mom helped pick out and hem (Ikea), bamboo shades (super discounted at Lowes), a HUGE new sink, a lazy susan (not pictured; it was given to us but from Ikea), new counter tops with formica, a new drop light (Ikea) and new cabinets (given to us from Gregg's former employer)!!!!

Marsha and Gregg gave us their stove (which I LOVE!) because they got a new one! The cabinets and counter top are all new...oh and the painted wall too!

Remember the two oval pictures from the above picture of me opening presents? Those are now replaced with a pic of us (taken by Olan Mills when we got our church directory pics taken...yay for a free copy!) and letters that spell "LIVE" that Caleb made and spray-painted...I hung them with ribbon. The mirror I got a few years ago at Pier one and it is mounted on our new wall (which is painted deep barn red!)


This is the view looking out of our bathroom...pictures of our cruise with Lindsay and Mark! Truly a fun and memorable time! Can't remember where I got the candle mount but you can find them at Khol's or pretty much any department store for pretty cheap.

This is the bathroom...well what I'm willing to show of it! Mom helped me again with the curtain (which is from Ikea), the framed mirrors are also from Ikea, the wall clock was a wedding gift from Target (thanks Shauna and Jon!), the vase I got on clearance at JoAnn's in Salem, the cabinet is from Ikea but we got it from one of my past co-workers who were moving (yay for discount!), the letters were made by Caleb and spell laugh...

Up close of "LAUGH" and picture frame holding snapshots of our adorable nieces and nephews!!

Whew! That was a lot! Not sure if anyone actually read all of this, but I thought it was important to share what was happening in the basement!

Couple questions I could see arising from this:

Why is there a LIVE and LAUGH?
Answer: It is part of the LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE theme...the LOVE is in our bedroom...but there will be no pictures of our bedroom until we do a bit of a makeover!! That's on the list!

This might lead to another question...what else is on the to-do list?
Answer:
1. Flooring in the kitchen (its just concrete like the rest of the basement) and carpet (to cover the concrete in the living/resting spaces).
2. Fireplace screen...and a working fireplace! :o)
3. Lighting for the kitchen
4. Many more "little details" that may or may not happen while we're here!

Stay tuned for more pics/details about "Project Basement!!!!!"

Life...it's about Jesus

So, lately I've been feeling discouraged to write anything on this blog...obviously its been awhile and I tried to commit myself to posting more! I don't have anything very exciting to write about. We don't have kids. Caleb's in Physical Therapy school full time and I work as a personal trainer...that about sums everything up. Frustrating thing is I LOVE adventure and right now I feel like to experience anything new/exciting is "not allowed." I'd love to write about something funny our kids do or about a great escape my hubby and I go on. But there is nothing. So on goes my life: day in, day out. How depressing right?! Sounds depressing because I MAKE it depressing...my life is truly not as dismal as this sounds. If I let Satan creep in and tell me all the lies and I believe them, then yes that is depressing. But I have Jesus...and let me tell you, life is an ongoing adventure! He teaches me something every day!

Here's 5 lessons I'm learning right now (believe me, there's a million more)...not in any particular order...
1. Be Patient! Wow...I really dislike this one, which is why I know I am being taught it.
2. Do not get caught up in the THINGS of this world! Sheesh...I LOVE "things!" Things are fun to buy and have, but they can become idols so quickly and avert the focus on what's important
3. Accept and cherish the here and now! You can never repeat a day/hour/minute. Once its passed, its gone for good. Being an impatient person, I tend to focus on the days/years ahead and desire for time to speed by to get to the things I really want in life. But when looking at the bigger picture, I'm not enjoying the things in life right NOW that I've been waiting for in the past!! Wow, how selfish am I?? I guess I think I deserve everything...and I deserve it now! Oh how contrary...
4. Spend time with Jesus....I don't do this near enough. If you know me at all, you know I get stressed out often and over the dumbest things. Work becomes my focus. When I focus on Jesus, all stress dissipates and life becomes a joy!
5. Be grateful for what you have. Clearly I do not appreciate the MANY blessings God has given me....I don't deserve any of it. It's time to work on being more GRATEFUL!

I know I am going to continue to struggle with these, but I also know God is EXTREMELY merciful and will help me along if I ask. If you don't know Jesus, its never too late to start a relationship with him. He's already knocking on your heart wanting to be a part of your life...go ahead and open the door.....
believe me, it'll be the best decision you have ever made.

Here's one of my favorite songs to give you hope and a focus: Jesus.

Glorious Day (living He Loved Me) lyrics

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine