Whine Fest and Concrete Porches

Yesterday, I had a good, old-fashioned “Whine Fest”. Not a wine fest-that would have been awesome. But a “let me tell you all about my current situation, God and wonder where the heck you are in all of this” whine fest. (As if he didn’t already know.)

I complained to Him about how much there was still left to be done on our house, why we haven’t been able to complete it-money and time, how much cat hair there was to dust mop EVERY SINGLE DAY, how frustrated I get when I try to wipe down our very cool, but very rustic concrete countertops and the desperate need for a second car.

He spoke to my heart and told me to be quiet. A.K.A.: “Shut up, you little whiney kid.”

That’s when he reminded me of just how far our house had come. For several years, we remodeled the inside of the house. After saving up, we were finally able to start on the outside of our house. I was excited about removing the ghetto landscaping, broken metal edging and expanding our front porch.

There was hardly enough room on this stoop for one human to stand on it, let alone open the door around them. I wanted a porch big enough for a chair or two where Biceps and I can drink coffee and watch the world go by. And once we build our overhang, we can even enjoy it during a rain.

Phase one of our outside remodel began two springs ago. Biceps and I spent a couple of weeks ripping out the landscaping, building a frame to widen the porch and laying landscaping block.

We went to bed each night tired and sore, but satisfied from a good day’s work.

As there always is in a remodeling adventure, there were stressful moments. We were concerned that the frame wouldn’t hold up and concrete would come pouring out.

Biceps ran a wheelbarrow up a makeshift ramp, filled to the brim with heavy, mushy concrete. He then slopped into the frame and as quickly as I could, I raked and scooped and filled the frame in-while getting super disgusting and tired.

Beauty Tip: If you ever want to thoroughly dry your skin out-just slap some wet concrete on it. Works like a charm.

Then came the two tons of rock to fill the landscaping beds. After weed blocking all of the beds around the house, several days were devoted to hauling and filling up the beds with a level 2-3″ of rock.

The pile of rock seemed to be regenerating itself-it wouldn’t shrink. I cursed my calculations and wondered if I had made a huge mistake.

We went to bed tired, sore and a little frustrated.

Weeks later, I took this picture. My muscles were still sore, reminding me of all we had been through. I was so excited with the progress we had made in a matter of weeks.

We went to bed tired, sore and feeling very accomplished.

But NOW, I look at this picture and see all there is still left to do. The beds need plants, the overhang needs to be built, the screen door needs to be replaced…

…but then when I compare it to the before, I realize just how far our home has progressed.

And God, in his infinite wisdom, gently reminded me of this during my whine fest. Which of course made me cry and ask for forgiveness. Which of course he did.

And which of course led me to go sit on my front porch and thank him for his goodness while enjoying a glass of wine.