Friday and Saturday Work on the Mobile Chapel

Jonathan got right busy working the first evening we were there in North Dakota with my brother Hoshea, and the next morning they were already finishing getting these pipes put together.

They hoped to fire up the furnace before lunchtime, but it wouldn't start. They had to trouble shoot,

but thankfully it was just a loose wire somewhere.

Inside we could see that some ladies' help would be nice.

Here was the other end of the chapel before we all set to work.

The men worked at sawing a hole in the wall and putting the furnace vent through.

Then inside, they started on the trim work.

Jonathan masterfully measured and cut.

Hoshea couldn't believe how quickly it went when somebody knew what they were doing!

Of course, I knew what I was doing, too!

I was holding the long piece of trim up with a broom so Jonathan could nail it.

And I was not the only one taking pictures while Hoshea was laying the platform carpet.

The girls were big helps, but they also had lots of fun with the kitties.

And dogs.

Jonathan caulked the vent pipe.

And bent over backwards to help!!!!!

While he nailed up trim over the ceiling seams, I swept.

Two kitties find a warm spot on one of the friendly dogs.

Loved this scene. Too cute!

The girls wrapped potatoes for baked potatoes.

Carrie made these delightful chocolate chip muffins.

It seemed like somebody was always having to go one direction or another to buy supplies such as these heavy duty jacks which they warmed in the house before taking out to use. 

Hoshea figured the chapel weighed around 5 tons, and Jonathan was feeling dubious about how strong the trailer was that Hoshea was going to use to transport the chapel to its place.

Those cold evenings after the work day, Joseph and Mariah came over three different times to join the evening chatting in the warm and cozy livingroom.

Nephew Joseph and Jonathan visiting.

Niece Katy proving that she is a bit double jointed.

Hoshea putting up with Amanda sticking a pink bow on his shirt!

Andrew toying with Amanda's doll stroller while talking.

There was lots of fun and silliness and laughter.

And everyone was glad for warm socks!

North Dakota--And the Ladies Helped, Too!

We ladies got busy the first evening there helping Laurie with her Sunday School projects.

We cut out and glued and laminated and stuck magnets on the back of Bible verse parts.

Amanda colors Bible verses for Hoshea and Laurie to share at the jail on Saturdays.

Laurie was incredibly organized. She'd be busy washing dishes before the rest of us were even up from the table,  and then she'd start something toward the next meal as soon as this one was over.

I really admired her diligence and organization.

For me, it was a huge relief to let someone else shoulder the decisions about menus and what to do each day, and to just help where I could and slip up to our room from time to time to be able to be quiet and rest.

Amanda was only nine, but she was a huge help to her mom. I really admired how well Laurie had trained her girls in the kitchen.

Here all four of them are doing dishes.

More Sunday School preparations, while Andrew does schoolwork--or is supposed to anyway!

Laurie had so many creative ideas for themes and bulletin boards. 

I asked for and Andrew made me a pile of copies of some of her monthly themes for Sunday School.

We tried to pick out on the piano songs they were wanting to learn.

We had no end of entertainment from the kitties.

This one was playing with the snow, in the middle of the photo. 

I loved the cute little sheds outside this large kitchen window. 

The big windows made all the difference in that small house.

We often went out to see how the men were faring, and to help if we could.

Friday being a little warmer than usual (above zero at least! maybe up to 20 degrees) all we ladies and girls took a long walk with the dogs.

The dogs like to tree squirrels and then sit by the hour and watch them. 

Hoshea said the squirrels are the dogs' TV!

Here sits the fluffy squirrel, putting on airs.

The girls helped Andrew split a big pile of wood.

"Don't mess with Carrie!" 14-yr-old Andrew told his dad. "She can carry TWO logs at one time!"

Their splitter splits a log into four sections at once.

They piled this huge stack of wood on the porch and we burnt a lot of it that frigid weekend.

Here is a side view of Hoshea's house. He is wanting to turn that silo into a unique office. He already has a door into it from the laundry room. And he wants a parakeet, but Laurie won't let him have one. 

She wants a beagle, and he won't let her have one. So they have this ongoing decision that when one lets the other have the pet they want, then maybe they will relent about the other. Ha ha!

I loved this tiny bunkhouse they created out of a shed for summer visitors such as their missions director or friends who come through.

"Every Birdie Welcome!"

Hoshea built these lovely kitchen cabinets that are extremely sturdy. Laurie used to have a sunflower theme, and wanted yellow. Now she has old enamel pots, pans, bowls and basins, and such like.

Had you ever thought to use a Quaker oatmeal box for decoration?

How about an enamel teapot for holding kitchen utensils?

In this corner of the kitchen are hung old fashioned aprons and a bonnet, etc.

Well, what with the snow and cold here, I've been blogging away, partly because Hoshea has been gone from our family for years, and it was so refreshing to get to be part of his family's life again for a few days. So I'm sharing a lot for family's sake, and hope the other readers enjoy the news as well.