Can We Have An Old Fashioned Barn Raising?

A Barn raising is a one to two day event during which a community comes together to assemble a barn for one of its households, particularly in 18th- and 19th-century rural North America.

Ok, so we don’t have a barn to raise – but we do need a boys bedroom!  As we continue to wait for the Lord to bless us with a precious baby boy (or two!) we have decided to get going on a boys bedroom.  (If you are new to this blog and need a reminder of our current home space – click here to read and see photos)  After much thought we have decided that the best solution for our needs is to increase the size of our family room (which for us is known as the CM/School room) so that we can continue to use it for school, my home based business and also put the couch, games and TV in there as well. We currently use the third bedroom as our family room (with a large couch & TV in it).  By moving those things to the CM/School room we would have ourselves a “boys” bedroom (our “girls” bedroom currently sleeps all six of the girlies and both bedrooms are the same size so we could easily sleep three or more boys in there!) Right now Daniel sleeps in a portable crib in the corner of our bedroom – but when the new little one arrives (hopefully soon!) he will need to have a place to sleep – so……we decided to start moving in that direction now!

We have spent the past couple of weeks cleaning out the garage (which is where the extra space will be added since it sits right in front of the room we are wanting to expand), cleaning out my office and school room (what a chore!) and then moving everything out of both of those areas into the living room and back porch, leaving our house looking like a disaster area!

Yesterday we began the demolition!  Dan and the girls pulled down the garage cabinets, knocked down sheet rock, pulled up carpet and then tile that was under the carpet and hauled debris to a truck to take to the dump today.  Now that we have knocked out the wall between the CM/School room and the garage there is NO turning back!  We are committed.

So far this project has cost us nothing. (but hard work and lots of sweat)  Since you are all aware that we are saving every penny towards the adoption expenses, we are really wanting to do most of the work ourselves….or with the help of those with expertise in certain areas (like electrical and cabinetry) and friends who are willing to give up a few hours to help us tape and texture,  paint the walls, glaze the floor (yes it is cement and we are going to simply use one of those garage floor kits!) and I am sure other things we are not thinking of.  And that’s where a “barn raising” comes in!  We are seeking the help of our “community” of friends and family to help us meet this need for a boys bedroom. 

We have a former student and dear friend who owns a construction company and is going to send a crew out to quickly frame out and sheet rock the new walls.  Before that happens we first need to take care of some electrical infrastructure – like adding a few outlets and overhead lighting in the garage extension area.  We have no experience with this – anyone out there willing to volunteer their expertise and teach Dan how to do this?

Ways that someone can be a part of our community for a “barn raising”:

• Give us advice, ideas, expertise, insights on this “do it yourself” project
• Ideas for where to get supplies inexpensively or even free (you never know!) – wood, sheet rock, paint, glaze kit, tape, a door, double pain window, insulation, nails, cabinets, counter etc…
• Come out for a few hours (or all day) on these two “barn raising days” – Friday June 27 and Saturday June 28 (I am sure these will be just the first of many more during the summer – or call Dan and I am sure he would take your help anytime!)
• Help provide food on our barn raising days to feed the workers
• The electrical needs
• Putting in a new window (or two) – anyone done this?
• We really would like to put up a long row cabinets to store all of our school supplies, my inventory and other storage needs – anybody out there with skills in cabinet making? (doesn’t need to be fancy)
• Putting in a long counter top (24 – 32 feet long) that we can use for each of the girls study areas
• Pray – for wisdom, guidance, good attitudes, safety and provision

Thanks Everyone!  We will keep you posted.