Only 35 days...

I can't believe it is only 5 weeks until we get married. I just have this feeling that those 5 weeks will fly by... I hope so, anyways!

So as I sit here typing this entry, our cabinets are being installed just a few feet away. They did about half of the installation yesterday and are finishing everything today... and I am so excited about seeing the finished product. It looked great yesterday, but will look even better today. AND our appliances are being delivered tomorrow (except for our dishwasher, which has to wait on the countertops). Countertop people are measuring on Tuesday, installing a week from Tuesday, and then the dishwasher is being installed on Thurs, June 19. At that time the kitchen will really be completed.

I'm so glad we can at least breathe now - the amount of work WE have to do is minimal. There are lots of last little projects (like putting up new light fixtures, another coat of paint on our back wall, installing the faucet after our cabinets are in, renting a dumpster for a day and getting rid of the huge pile of trash next to our house, etc) The major projects are being done by others - installing the cabinets, appliances, countertops.

So, now that we are nearing the finish line of the kitchen renovation, there is something I want to stress about our project. We could not have done this AT ALL without the massive amounts of help we have received. So here is to all the people who spent an afternoon, a night, a day, several days, weekends, etc, helping us out. Thanks goes out to: Eric, Daniel, Amy, Corrie, Jason, Trevor, all who helped us out at different times.

Special thanks goes out to a few more people:

The Travelers: Leah and Kristin made the 2 hour drive up to Atlanta to spend the weekend helping me paint - at a time when I REALLY needed best friends around. With the price gas is right now, this help is even more amazing - thanks guys!

The Super Travelers: Like I said, considering gas right now, a huge thanks goes out to my parents. They drove up to Atlanta THREE weekends in a row. They provided invaluable help painting and moving everything I own. All while my mom was in the midst of finishing her last year of teaching, so she had enough of her own work to do. I love my family and the sacrifices they would make for me during the busiest, most stressful time of my life.

The Expert: Kyle got massive amounts of invaluable help and expertise from his uncle, Dave. He is the expert on all things plumbing and electricity in our kitchen and with him we were able to save thousands not having to hire someone to do that work. He spent several long days with Kyle that are amazing.

And - last but CERTAINLY not least - the SUPER COUPLE: Without Randy and Emily, I really don't think this could have gotten done. Randy spent several late nights working in our crawl space, lots of time teaching Kyle a bit of the construction knowledge he has gained, while Emily helped me pick out colors and paint. They both are the main reason our floor got tiled, and that we are able to have our cabinets installed right now. Kyle left for Hawaii and hadn't had time to finish tiling the floor, so it was up to me to get it all done. Which I could NOT have done without the help of Randy and Emily (since they know what they are doing and I do not). They are the most helpful, accomodating, godly couples I know - and we love them for it.


I can't wait to post pictures of the finished product - eventually, they'll come :) But trust me, it's looking gooooood.

And now I'm off to order my wedding cake from Publix. Now that the test is over, and Kyle is back from Hawaii, I don't have to spend every spare minute of my time on the house. I can concentrate on what I need to - the fact that we are getting married in 35 days and there is a LOT to do! :)