Color

Siding has been started!!!! It is so exciting to see what color our house will be and know that we won't be looking at that white house wrap forever. :) DJ picked out the color and I was really nervous that it would turn out to be a really ugly color. When I heard that the siding was started, I couldn't wait to see what it actually looked like. I LOVE IT! Who knew? (Apparently DJ but don't tell me him that) The insulation is almost done too so the inside of the house can actually stay a little warm or at least a tad warmer than outside. We also have begun to pick out flooring. We looked at 2 places and think we have found what we are looking for. Everything seems to be coming together well and we are so greatful for that. Please pray for us and for the process to continue to be simple and fun!

The start to the island in our kitchen

One of the pipes in the basement...burrrrrrrrr

Insulation!!!!

The start to our siding!

A little further...

We are getting further and further with the house. Here are some pictures to give you an update...

We have garage doors!!!!

Our front deck.

Some of the wiring

Our main floor tub/shower. This is the same one that is in the upstairs bathroom.

Thanksgiving Teeth

Thanksgiving was a great day that we spent with family. We got to sleep in and then went to DJ's parents house for dinner. After dinner a little competition was started. Ginger and Samantha both have a loose tooth so we wanted to see who could pull theirs out the fastest. The weekend before I was at Ginger's house and she pulled out a tooth then with just one yank so I thought this time would be the same. Lots of people gave it a try to get those little teeth out but no one was successful. In time, I suppose they will come out on their own but it was fun seeing them try so hard to get their teeth out so they could get that dollar from grandpa.

DJ working on getting Samantha's tooth out

Ginger & Samantha trying to get their teeth stuck in an apple.

Duane working on Samantha's tooth.

Taking another look...

Ginger showing off her loose tooth on the left and the hole from the weekend before on the right.

DJ's Birthday

DJ's birthday was the 22nd and so we celebrated the night before with a bunch of our friends. We had a BBQ and then went to the cue. It was a fun night full of lots of laughs.

DJ and I before the night began...

Gathered in the kitchen getting ready to eat...
DJ with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles birthday cake...

Eric & DJ putting up their "gang signs." Eric lives on 14th Ave

so he put up a "14" & DJ & I live on Dove Ave so he put

up some wings :)

DJ, Nick, Eric & Lance

Milestone!!!

We have reached a huge MILESTONE... We now have windows and our outside doors!!! The shingling is also finished and so is the wrapping of the house.

Next steps:
1. Siding

2. Electrician work

3. Plumbing work

4. Insulation

5. Sheet rock

6. Mudding

7. Texturing

8. Lighting

9. Priming

10. Painting
11. Deck

12. Flooring

13. Appliances, furniture, etc!!!!!!

14. Move in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Note that this is how I see things going but then again I know nothing about the process of building a house but am quickly learning that if you have excellent people working on it you will have nothing to worry about! Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support and a big thanks to Signature Builders for all their hard work and for working saturday mornings too! You are all AMAZING!! THANKS!!!! Our FRONT DOOR!!!!!

The house is all wrapped...

The back of the house


The garage facing into the house with the kitchen
on the right and the laundry room to the left

The front of the house where our deck will eventually go!

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD...

We have rafters!!!! And we have a garage floor. Mom took Asher and Will to the house today to see a really big crane. They were quite impressed but had more fun playing in the dirt. BOYS :) The weather looks good for the rest of the week so we're hoping that all goes well. Thanks for all the prayers and support!

We have more progress!!! ***Take a look at our album to the right for new pictures***All of our framing is finished and sheeting is on the outside walls. Next step is to put up the rafters for the roof. Hopefully we have good weather tomorrow and Saturday so that can get done. Next steps to getting our new home: 1. Put rafters in. 2. Sheeting for the roof. 3. Shingles. 4. Wrap the house. 5. Siding...Signature Builders hopes that this will be done within 2 weeks willing we have GOOD weather. Please continue to pray for us that things will continue to go as smoothly as they are.

Start to our new HOME

We have started to REBUILD! We currently have a basement up with framework! This is exciting news but also nerve blowing...So many things to pick out and decide on. We have currently picked out: siding, shingles, front door, cabinets and trim color. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoy seeing the progress.

Keep your fingers crossed!

We got some good news last night...we get to meet with our insurance adjuster on Friday afternoon. We are very excited, scared and nervous. We are hoping and praying that everything goes well. Please keep us in your prayers around 11:30 am on Friday 8/28/09 as that is when we have our meeting. We will try and post our findings as soon as possible so everyone can celebrate or wait some more with us.

Thunder, Lightnening and HAIL! OH MY!

Some of the hail stones we picked up.

Beautiful rainbow

make that a Double!

The beginning of the storm

Wednesday night around 5 pm, a storm came along. It lasted about 5 minutes and hailed alot! We didn't see any direct damage and the aftermath was beautiful with the rainbows. A couple of people even pulled into the driveway to take some pictures of it too.

Well no fire update...but here we are trying to add a little happiness back to the blog so we uploaded a bunch of our honeymoon photos. It was DJ's first time on a plane so that's why the pictures of the plane and what not. Maybe someday we will get back there. This will probably just be added to my "Hopes and Dreams Box."

Mysteries of God

There have been many a question about our home and the events of July 21. Here is the real story...
Around 6:45 pm, DJ and I sat down to have supper. Before we eat, we read a passage out of our devotional, pray and then dig into our meal. We have been married for only a few short weeks and living with someone for the first time is quite stressfu. So, we prayed that night for God to bring us closer together, give us patience with one another and to help us keep loving each other every single day.
7:30 pm we were finished eating and DJ left with the pickup to go to down to get some gas for the skidloader. He returned around 7:45 pm, parked the truck in the garage grabbed the gas out, filled the skidloader and returned the gas can to the garage and proceeded to go to the chicken shed to do chores. I was folding laundry in the living room and about 8:20 pm I heard a crackling noise from the kitchen. I stopped what I was doing and said "DJ what are you doing?" I didn't hear a reply so I walked into the kitchen and saw smoke, so I then walked into the Entryway where smoke was flowing through the edges of the door to the garage. I immediately turned around and ran out the living room door. I yelled for DJ that our house was on fire and he ran out of the chicken shed, turned on the water hose and as soon as that was on he knew it was too late and went through the living room door to grab some of our things. He managed to recover the following: A few of my clothes, my phone, his pheasant mount, his deer antlers, a Terry Redlin plate with deer on it and my Otto's Landing Terry Redlin plate! He returned outside, threw me my phone and told me to get away from the house. By that time, our neighboor Kenton and another guy were outside the house helping DJ. One the firemen were out of time near our home, heard the call and came right over. DJ started yelling "Maria where are you? Where are you?" The neighboors held DJ back. I ran up to the house and said "I'm here, I'm here! I got away from the house and was by the road!" Relief rushed over both of us. The rest is a blur of lights, sirens, hugs, support and ever flowing tears. We got to go in the house about 11:30 pm to retrieve some items we thought we could salvage. We found everything in the kitchen to be burned or melted except one thing...our devotional that we were reading that night was found on the floor just wet! Oh how the Lord is writing his answers on the wall for us!
I find myself to still be angry with God at times and want to know the answers of why us. We had our first start and now we have a second. I find myself turning to music that tells me its okay to be sad and that if I do fall that the Lord will still be there for me and DJ.

Here are some lyrics to songs that mean alot to us right now that are by BARLOWGIRL...

LET GO:
"Let Go"Yeah I trust in You I remember times You led me This time it's bigger now And I'm afraid You'll let me down But how can I be certain? Will You prove Yourself again?

[Chorus:]'Cause I'm about to let go And live what I believe I can't do a thing now But trust that You'll catch me When I let go When I let go

What is this doubt in me Convincing me to fear the unknown When all along You've shown Your plans are better than my own And I know I won't make it If I do this all alone


PSALM 73 (My God's Enough)"(feat. Todd Agnew):

I've had enough of living life for only me And reaching just for the things that keep destroying me So sick of envying the lives of so many I see Somehow believing that they have what I need

[Chorus:]My God's enough for me This world has nothing I need In this whole life I've seen My God's enough, enough for me I can't explain why I suffer though I live for You Those who deny You they have it better than I do Cover my eyes now so that my heart can finally see That in the end only You mean anything

Who have I in heaven but You Nothing I desire but You My heart may fail but not You You are mine forever


We ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers as we find everyday to have a new and different struggle. Pray for us that the sad tears my stop and the happy tears may begin. We love you all and appreciate all you have done for us! DJ and Maria Van't Hul

FINALLY...Mr. & Mrs. Van't Hul

Here we are FINALLY Mr. & Mrs. Van't Hul. We received our pictures a few days ago and loaded them all for you to view and enjoy. Thanks again to everyone for helping us celebrate such a great day.