2010 Gratitude Challenge: Day 15 OUR HOME

Welcome to our home.  We live in a small town in small time America.  There are only 1600 ppl in my town, and we have no red light, but if four way stops count we have two~one on each end of our little village. Yes, actually we are a village just one mile off of a major interstate.  I feel so blessed to have this old house.  This house was purchased two years ago last month and has been a total gut and remodel because it was so torn up.  It was horrifically torn up because they left dog in here that had stayed three weeks before they were freed by realtors. It was a sad unappy story of people losing their house and leaving the dogs...while the pooches suffered, I know that it was anger that HAD to have motivated that action. NO one would harm an animal that way, much less practically demolish a house with their frightened and desperate clawing to get out...but they did..and so we were able to purchase our home for loads less...and such a blessing b/c we had..notice the word..HAD debt...we were still in the consumer credit counseling commitment to repay 30K..yes, you read that right...at a hefty payment each month that was lasting 4 and 1/2 years..........OKAY~you HAVE to know, that last month was our LAST payment! Praise the Lord..but, but wait. I'm off topic...I am talking about the house we have...and well, not only did we have the consumer debt repayment to make each month, we also had a house in KY we couldn't sell...a gorgeous victorian 3k sq ft home...I loved,,,but not in the right city anymore much less state..it had to goooooo..well, it sold in June of this year...SEE how GOOD GOD is to us? Well, He really rewarded us with this old dilapidated repo home...for a song. A song.  We cannot rent for our mortgage!
But the damage was severe: ceilings down, plumbing toast, door facings and window casings chewed...floor a total waste~yeah-dog waste! And I could go on..but..BUT it had so many good things too...size~2250 sq ft on three levels which means it's easier to keep warm or cool...double insulation-somebody had been thinking! It has blown in insulation AND the foam under the vinyl siding~NEW double hung vinyl tilt in and out windows WITH STORMS...newish heat and air...newish roof on house and garage...3 car garage...full basement (included in the 2250~but has really made it possible to be comfortable in this house...oh well,,,it still has problems...like the funky paint on the outside..somebody got the "bright" idea to paint only a portion OF VINYL SIDING~go figure! But the house is rock solid and warm-huge qualities in this 30below windchill climate! Needless to say WE ARE A WORK in progress! My mother has recently this year moved in with us so we have added a bedroom in the basement and kitchen pantry~but we also added den space...the floor plan is open concept and the kitchen has been redone and the baths are being worked with...NOT a pretty sight where our flooring is concerned, but in time..in time, GOD makes all things beautiful in HIS TIME~so I await further blessings! Last year we opened up a side front porch for a mud room.  Can you imagine how nice it is to have one now instead of slushing in and out all the time?  Oh just in case you wondered, my house no longer smells of reekishness..but often of the good cooked foods and a CLEAN home! whoot! Here's some pics..remember these were taken early~HERE and HERE!  And they are a bit old...no camera right now; CAN somebody call Santa for me?? I'm struggling and FRUSTRATED! LOL!

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