Keeping Kids and Dogs in and Weirdos out!!!

These are a few pictures of what our yard looked like before the fence.

This is what I looked like before I started working on the fence.

I forgot my snap straps when I went to Lowe's to get the fencing materials. I improvised by using the dog's leash to keep the gate on top of the car.

Praise the Lord for dog leashes!!!

150' of fencing, 25 6' poles, 1 4' gate, 2 8' gate posts, a bunch of zip ties, 1 post hammery thing, string to keep the fence square and we're ready to work!

Here are the first few I put up before my sister got here. All of you professional fence people are forbidden from laughing.

Olivia, my sister, arrived to help. She started off by helping to take pictures for the blog.

I got advice to put up the corner posts first, then tie string around them to keep the fence square and at the same height.

Olivia's puppy, Beau, checking out the future control device, also known as a gate.

Well, we got all of the corner posts up, tied them off for guidance and we forth in our post planting. Stay tuned to see how it went.

Do you see how crooked my posts are!?!?!?! I did exactly what I was told, it still was a mess.

The posts are all different heights, leaning, some are on one side of the string, some on the other. Thankfully, God gives grace to the patient.

After about 2 hours, I needed a break. Olivia was so good to take a picture of my red face for ya'll

After laying in the yard all morning, Suvik moved to the back of the car. It's a hard job, but someone has to lay around all the time.

Back to work. I decided to put up the gate posts next. They were much taller then the other posts, so I used the bumper of my car to height.

Pretty creative, huh?

After that, it was lunch time. Crackers, spicy hummus, brie cheese and fruit!!!

The lunch fence builders.

After lunch, when it was working time again, God answered my prayers! He sent my Uncle Jimmy to help us. Yea, Uncle Jimmy!

Simon came out the give us a hand. (Or get under foot, however you want to look at it.)

We chased down the measuring tape all afternoon, but he certainly provided as much help as a

3 year old can.

Uncle Jimmy was laughing at my fence posts. Yes, I said laughing!

He started pulling up the posts. He made us take all the crooked, short or off line posts up and do it again.

He then put them in the ground correctly. Praise God for men who know what they're doing.

A couple of posts were really good and stuck. I got the jack for my car and we literally jacked them out of the ground. (BTW, that was Uncle Jimmy's idea, BRILLIANT!)

Little Simon's face was so dirty! My tub was black from filth when I gave the boys a bath that night.

Well, we've progressed. We have all the posts lined up correctly and we're ready to put up the fencing, right?

We're so close.

Here's the pretty gate up and working.

Here's the first bit of fencing being unrolled. Hallelujah!

Uncle Jimmy got out his Come-Along.

The little do-hickey is a miracle worker for tightening up a fence line.

Simon lead Suvik over the second part of the fencing before we put it up.

"Where's the next zip tie?"

Some how, I got stuck holding the pole that was attached to the Come-Along.

All by myself.

And now, thanks to my Uncle Jimmy, my sister Olivia (she declined to have her picture posted online), my Granny (she kept Elijah), we have a secure place for kids and dogs to play outside.

God is so good. As I sit here and post this, I can see through window 2 of the dogs playing chase in the fence. This afternoon, my boys will be out there playing dirt bomber, sword fight and all sorts of other outside activities. I am so grateful for the money, advice and skill that the Lord provided us in the putting up of the fence.

Honor Thy Mother

Through out the Bible people, particularly Christian, are commanded to honor their parents. We see examples of honoring mothers in Ruth & Naomi (even though she is what we would call "mother-in-law", the principle is there), Solomon & Bathsheba and even our Savior has he handed over the earthly responsibility of His mother to John. My Aunt Carolyn also, is setting a wonderful example to me of honoring her mother. Ms. Betty had a stroke several years ago, is suffering from early dementia. She's not comely of words, or even easy to understand, but my Aunt Carolyn makes an effort to ask her how she would like things done, what she prefers and what makes her happy. Aunt Carolyn doesn't assume that just because others live closer, it's their responsibility. She takes an active role in caring for her mother, not treating Ms. Betty like a burden to be carried, but as a precious jewel that needs special care.

Ms. Betty has about 20 cats(your and my opinion about cats aside), they provide Ms. Betty with daily activity and delight. They seems to help keep her active and she knows everyone of their names. Some stray dogs have been harassing her cats and have actually killed a couple and caused Ms. Betty to fall. Well, my Aunt Carolyn wasn't going to have that. So Saturday, the little boys and I had to privilege of helping erect some lattice walls and putting a gate around Ms. Betty's porch.

The following is a pictorial account of that minor construction...

This is all the lattice strapped to the top of my car. It rode for about 45 minutes from Tallahassee to Ms. Betty's home.

That lattice wasn't going anywhere!

This is porch when we got there. Someone had put up this plastic sheeting to discourage the dogs.

The dogs had torn it down.

I put up this gate at the steps of the porch. It swings shut and locks so they can't push it open.

Aunt Carolyn measured and cut the lattice pieces all round the porch. We tacked smaller wood paneling to the lattice to give it strength.

Simon worked on his building skills. In a few years, Elijah and he will be doing this for us.

This is a picture of the front of the porch. These pieces went all the way around to prevent the dogs from getting on the porch.

We're actually going back again the Saturday to put some lattice on the bottom to keep those strays from under the porch. Ms. Betty says she's not has any more problems from those dogs since we put that up. Aunt Carolyn will be blessed by her obedience to God's written Word in honoring her mother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIJAH!

Last night we went to Chuckie Cheese's to celebrate Elijah's second birthday! He actually turned 2 on August 31st, but alas, late is better than never in some cases.

They started off by riding all the character toys. Bob was popular with Elijah...

Simon preferred the mouse in the car.

The Elijah moved to the Big Man, none other than Chuckie himself!

Simon really liked the mouse!

Finally, he gave Bob the Builder a try.

Then we moved to the games. Kicking a ball was so much fun.

Simon gave it a try also.

Then they shot little jungle flies or something weird like that.

Aunt Olivia helped them shoot baskets. Simon is for sure no athlete.

Elijah played on the inside jungle gym.

Then we all ate. Pizza, fries, wings and bread sticks. Sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen.

But it was very good.

Elijah is waiting for the cake!

" I need some too!"

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...

My big boy blew out his own candles!

Simon enjoying his piece.

Elijah moved past the fork to the fingers. Much easier to use and they don't fall on the floor.

Nonna is debating the texture, the smell, the deliciousness of the cake. :)

"See my cake?"

Aunt Olivia and Simon pose for a pic.

Aunt Carolyn put the ribbons from the cake on Elijah's head. They left a green food dye streak through his hair.

Birthday balloons.

And now the presents. He got some dinoROARS as Elijah calls him.

What else is in the bag?

Coloring pages.

And Bible Books.

We all had such a wonderful time celebrating the life that out Creator has given us to share in. He's such a blessing to us and we know that through prayer, training and God's grace, Elijah will grow into a strong, Christian man who does not compromise is full of the Spirit of the Lord.