A few months ago we started shopping for flooring. It was quite a long process sorting through the amount of tile and wood flooring samples that are on the market today, so many to choose from. We had envisioned a slightly distressed hardwood flooring that was not too dark in a five inch width. After weeks of shopping we located some fabulous solid maple wood flooring. It was exactly what we had envisioned and at a close out price. The tile was not as hard to select once we had chosen the flooring. We were looking for a tile that had the appearance of stone because the outside of the house will be rock. We wanted to bring that element inside the house somewhere. The tile we chose is in the Baja series named Sahara. It has a stone appearance with a small amount of the same color as in the maple wood flooring. Due to our savings on the hardwood flooring we will be able to install it in every room of the house except the kitchen and bathrooms.
Wild flowers are blooming all over the property now. This one is called an Indian Blanket. There are yellow wild flowers, these indian blankets, the bluebonnets and a violet flower known as dakato verbena.
We continue to try and spruce up the entrance to our place while waiting for the cement slab to fully dry. This is the second native oak tree transplant. The first one I planted two weeks ago and is not doing too well. We placed the little oak trees flanking each side of the entrance. I dug up both from the River where we are presently staying. I am really hoping these will take hold.
Back on March 26, 2007 I posted a picture of piles like these we burned. These piles of cedar and prickly pear were created by the bulldozer clearing a path for our entry road. The only way to get rid of these large piles is to burn them. Yesterday we were shocked to see one of the piles had rekindled its burn, it was puffing away. With all the rain we had since these piles were initially burned I was surprised by this one still smoldering. In this picture you can see the smoke about in the center of the photo. 
Elizabeth Ann is modeling the offical 1910 UT at Austin wool swim suit.
The Bluebonnets are in full bloom. They line the side of the highways and roads with their beautiful blue color. We see continuous large patches like these as we drive back and forth to town each week. These pictured are located in front of Aunt Geneva's house in Eldorado, TX.
1 Corinthians 3:10aBecause of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. The house you all are building is indeed a metaphor to your lives. Enjoy the view of your new home. love kathryn
This picture shows the drop off at the garage. This will be filled in when the cement man does his next pour. The builder will have someone come in and fill in this drop off before the cement man comes back. The cement man has three more small jobs to do for us. One is the upper floor balcony, the second is a three foot skirt at the garage entrance, and third is a small pad outside the back porch. We planned on placing the smoker and barbecue on the small pad outside the screened-in porch. Below is a picture showing where that small pad will be poured.
Later in the afternoon after the cement slab sets, the crew comes back and uses this machine to smooth and polish the cement. It looked great last night when we went over to look at it and walked around on the polished cement slab. We stood at where the front door will be enjoying the view of the lights in San Angelo. Just beautiful.
When we arrived early this morning the men were on the job and waiting on the cement trucks. There were a total of six cement trucks today. The job progressed today from the garage to the front porch and the back porch was last. There was just as much work to do today as yesterday. These men work hard and rarely take a break unless a cement truck is a little slow to arrive. They work straight through until they are finished, without a lunch break. I couldn't do this hard job and really pat those on the back that can.
This morning started out in a hurry when the first cement truck arrived at 8:30 a.m. and the last truck left about 11:30. When that cement starts to pour all the men know their jobs and do it perfectly together. The crew starts by pouring the foundation ditches first then filling in the foundation. I think there were about seven cement trucks in all today. Rita and Dan came up to share in the fun and together we all watched the men work until about noon. It will be a full day for the foundation crew. They will finish up their scraping, smoothing and polishing at about 4:00 pm. They will be back early in the morning to complete the foundation on the porches and garage. 
It has been an exciting two days. I have never seen a more focused crew than these men who installed our foundation. They work through the day continuously until they meet their goal. They know how to stick with a job until it is completely done. Above this gentlemen is tying the re-bar together in the ditches. They use a special hand tool with a hook on it to do this job. The gentlemen in the picture told me " it is all in having the right tools that gets the job done quickly." The picture below is the re-bar covering on the back porch.
When we went over to the property this morning I had forgotten my camera, I couldn't believe I left it behind. There was so much going on with the plumber on the job site, the electrician and the foundation crew all there at once and I missed it! I went back later after lunch to take their pictures and everyone had left. The picture above shows some grey cords and two round boxes. These are the floor plugs one in the study and the other in the floor of the living room. The picture below shows the beginning of the re-bar work in the foundation. The foundation crew will finish up the re-bar work then the foundation can be poured. 
The sun is shinning, the men are busy working and the wind is blowing! The concrete men continue to shovel out caliche dirt from the ditches and leveling the foundation. Then they start laying the re-bar preparing for the cement truck on Tuesday to pour the foundation.
We drive into town on Thursday's to do our weekly shopping. With limited time this morning I am posting the work completed as of last night. Paul is enjoying a stroll through the newly added forms to the front porch. With the added front and back porch forms installed I am starting to actually see the size of the first floor space.
I anticipate everyday going over to the property to see the progress going on this week. This morning we found Gary the concrete man and his helper Jared busy working on the foundation. They were digging the caliche dirt out of the foundation ditches, leveling the house pad and setting forms for the fire place. Jared said he will place the extra dirt from the ditches at the entrance to the garage as that area needs to be built up and then leveled off. I look forward to going back over there this evening to see all their progress. 
Gary, the concrete man and his helper came today to level the house pad. They had to shovel out by hand much of the foundaiton caliche they trenched last week. The recent rain caused these ditches to fill back in. They take the caliche out of the ditch, put it back on top of the foundation pad and then smooth it level.
With the recent wet weather we are at a stand still in our construction. We hope the ground quickly dries up this week. 
So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. John 20:8
Picture taken from Paul's www.old-picture.com website.
We were really surprised by the cold front this Easter weekend. Just last weekend I packed away our heavy coats, took the warm blankets off the beds and removed all the heater coils off the water pump and faucets. Today we have plugged the heaters back in and are staying indoors out of the freezing sleet and rain. 
Looking at the foundation ditches the space of our house looks very small. It is hard to believe we will be walking around in this space someday calling it our home. I am looking forward to the day when I am writing, "we are moving in!" Every little step is a closer reality.
Each day when I am at our property it is hard to imagine I will actually be waking up there someday. It is so peaceful and quiet with birds singing the greenery sprouting and the many pretty bluebonnets all over the property now.
While waiting on the plumber we still have chores to do. We expect the plumber first thing in the morning to start on our job. We were told he will complete our foundation work by the end of the week. 
Steve Gaines of Gaines Quality Building was our choice of builders. He is pictured here in the red shirt and dark green jacket. Steve, his wife Debbie and their two college age girls have spent most of their lives here in Christoval. We had seen several of the homes Steve has built all of which were outstanding. He is well known for his integrity and talent as a custom builder. He builds about two new homes a year and has many on his waiting list. Our first meeting with Steve was in September 2006. His easy going calm disposition, concern in quoting an accurate estimate and eye for detail confirmed he was the builder we wanted. We had just started moving forward in our home building process when Steve was struck with a catastrophic illness. We are thankful to say six months later he has fully recovered and ready to move forward on our home. We think ourselves extremely fortuante to have been provided with such a talented builder and new neighbor too! 
We were surprised to see how much progress was made over this weekend. The crews were working around the clock with all the material sitting there ready to go. In this huge burst of activity the house is almost complete!!!
