iSonto #31

This week we are so thankful for our new kitchen! Kitchen renovations were certainly not something we anticipated doing. I had been content for a long time with our kitchen as it was, aside from the dishes that were hard to keep up with and hurt my back to wash. In the end our drawers and cupboards were also wearing out. It came to a point where we realised keeping up with our work and managing my pain was not going to get any easier until we took the plunge.

Here is our old kitchen:

I did a lot of research, talking, and prayer to try and determine the best company to go with for our kitchen renovations, and which parts to renovate. We had to pull out all the cupboards and replace them in order to fit in a dishwasher. In the end we decided to do the whole kitchen, including the pantry, and to go with O'Brien Joinery as our renovator. We are so glad we did, and thankful to God for the whole process. There were some delays but overall great care was taken and the result is excellent.

Day 1, Monday - the whole kitchen was ripped out! Day 2 - there was a supply delay and we were waiting for them to come back, and going out a lot to keep the children out of the area! We did things that are unusual for us like visiting friends for hours and hanging out in the McDonalds play area! God's provision was evident each day and the children were so happy considering their change in routine.

 

Day 3 - cupboards arrived. When I first saw one of the drawers waiting in our garage, I was so thrilled with it and thought "this will be worth every bit of time and money we have put into it".

 

The step in pantry in the corner took a long time to fit in, meaning a delays.

Day 4, Thursday - the remaining cupboards were put in and electrical and plumbing work was completed. Look - our computer finally has a place other than the kitchen table with cords going everywhere!! We have a wonderful shelf in front of our fridge/freezer section. Nate familiarized himself with the new kitchen, rushing back and forth with containers and trying to climb into the new drawers.

 

Day 5 - plastering was completed and final doors put on. Nate runs out to the kitchen and says "we are going to have a beautiful dinner". We were busy cooking up the home grown tomatoes we had been storing in the fridge.

 

We are just starting to familiarise ourselves with the kitchen and find places for everything, but it is incredible how lovely it feels. We have heaps more cupboards and yet it feels larger! Our bench height is now 93cm which is much better for us both.


Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from these poppies flowering in our autumn garden. I planted heaps of seeds and only got a few plants. Yet if I hadn't bothered to plant seeds there wouldn't have been anything! Another little reminder that even when we don't see much of a result, it is important to plant those physical and spiritual seeds if we want to see something beautiful one day.

 

One funny moment was on one of our many outings, Nate became a back seat driver and began to inform me "there is a car coming Mum, be careful" or "watch out Mum, there is a car coming".