Time to Insulate - First layer

Now that I have updated the blog, I can post about what David and I have been working on this past week - installing insulation in the first floor walls. As the first layer we are using extruded polystyrene insulation. As you can see in the photos, I worked on measuring each bay and cutting each sheet to the desired size. 

As each sheet was cut, David secured them into position with foam around the edges to close in each bay completely. This is a time consuming job which is taking a few days for one floor but once it is finished the walls will have added strength and the house will be well insulated in the winter. 

Once this first layer of insulation is completed we plan to begin running the wiring throughout the house. The second layer of insulation will be installed later. In the meantime, I think we have enough to keep us busy!

Building the Upstairs walls

In March of 2011 we also received an order of lumber to build the walls of the upstairs rooms.

Once it was unloaded the kids enjoyed moving it into the house.

Ryan pretending the boards are SO heavy!

The upstairs of the house will include a bedroom for the boys, a bedroom for Rebekah, one bathroom for the kids with an attached laundry room, and our master bedroom and bathroom. 

David nailing together the door frame for Rebekah's room.

The view from our bedroom.

Ryan sweeping upstairs and happy to be able to see better what his room will look like.

We are all very excited and looking forward to having separate rooms with doors and so thankful for each day we get closer and closer to finishing the house!

Installing Windows

We waited through the cold winter months still grateful that no matter how much snow came to us this year, the house had a roof and plastic over the window bays to protect it. During this time we planned the soon purchase of windows. Winter being the "off-season" for building supplies and materials, you can often save even more money buying during those months. We had already found where to buy good quality windows at a good price. We were soon again blessed with another gift from a family which would allow us to purchase all of the windows for the house! This was cause for another jumping for joy party with our kids! David was soon able to order them and they were delivered in February so we just sat them in the house to be installed once the temperatures were warm enough.
As soon as the temps were warm for a few days, David went out to prepare the window bays and install the first window. He chose to install Rebekah's bedroom window first. She was so excited!

Beka anxiously watching David as he installed her bedroom window.

Over several days David and I were able to install most of them ourselves. There were a few which were too heavy for me to lift, move around, and carry upstairs. So we waited on those until we could get another man to help do the lifting.

Matt Northcutt came out to help install the larger windows.

Beautiful sight!

Side view (we still need to order two more windows for this side.)

Back view

Prayers answered!

As Fall (2010) was approaching and the men were able to close in the second floor walls of the house, we desperately needed to get the roof on before winter came. The kids especially continued to pray faithfully for the Lord to provide the money and materials we needed to complete the house. One evening as David was checking our e-mail and monthly support he asked me (Dee Dee) to come over to the computer and look at something. He showed me a posting on our monthly statement from a dear family, that would allow us to by lumber and roofing materials to put the roof on the house before winter! I, being a woman, began to cry. David, who I know was a bit down thinking we were not going to make it in time before the winter weather came, was speechless. I wish you all could have squeezed into our little house that night! We shared the news with the kids and there was much jumping for joy! I promise that for months they (as well as David and I) have thanked the Lord for the nice people who gave us the money to put the roof on our house. God is so good!
As we prepared to roof the house, David had discussed different plans and ideas with Volodia, our Christian builder friend here in Krasnoyarsk. In the end, they decided that we would build trusses for the structural part and that Volodia and his men would help. I once again was amazed at my dear husband's talents and abilities as he tackled this huge project of building all those trusses - by hand.  Thankfully, a few of our fellow missionaries from the city came out to help David finish those 42 individual half trusses. They completed them just in time as the day Volodia and his men came out to finish the roofing job, snowflakes began to fall.  Although I didn't take pictures of the men as they were climbing up and down on the roof as it rained and snowed (being a nurse I can't watch those things), below are a few pictures of the trusses and roof once they were completed.

David and Matt Northcutt working on the truss for the front of the house.

Inside view

Roof complete - Let it SNOW!

Going Up!

This post brings us to Spring/Summer 2010 when we were able to continue the work on the house and build the second floor.

This is what the house looked like during the winter months.

Once again, as we did on the first floor, David was able to build the two outer side walls of the second floor after which Volodia and his workers came out to help raise them into position.

Second floor walls going up!

That same day we were excited to receive the load of lumber which would be used as the roofing materials. If the lumber is not unloaded by hand, it is precariously unloaded under the power lines and between the poles onto the property. Nerve racking for Dee to watch by the way!

David helping to guide the lumber as it is lowered into place.

Then soon after the kids and Dee were able to watch from the garden (while they were harvesting our potatoes) as David and James, another missionary from the city, closed in the second floor outer walls.

(The angle of this photo is a bit odd since our property has a gradual slope to it and the photo was taken from the garden.)

We knew there was still a long way to go but we were so thankful for the progress made so far!

Building the Walls (first floor)

One of the much awaited days we were looking forward to was when David could uncover the first floor and have enough days of sunny weather to be able to begin building the walls for the house. Those days finally came and David worked hard to get the two outer side walls built.

Once those two walls were built we were thankful for Volodia, a deacon from Krasnoyarsk Baptist Church who also is a builder, who came with some of his workers to help raise those walls into place.

As you can see from the photo, the water hoses hanging on a small fence in our yard have snow on them so winter was again upon us. We had to work hard to be able to finish the first floor outer walls and close it in before heavy snow and winds came to stay for a while.

So, like it or not, the snow fell, and fell, and fell until the area around the house (praise the Lord already closed in) looked something like this...

Well, actually exactly like this! We were able to complete the four outer walls and the floor of the second level and cover and secure the tarps just in time. So, we were once again waiting for Spring. (hint: in the next post it will already be Spring!)

Basement poured/Closing the first floor

This post brings us to June 2007 after the basement floor and walls had already been poured. When you build here in Siberia you must dig so far down to get past the frost line that the difference in digging a bit more for a full basement is minimal. We felt the basement would be an added blessing which could used for church activities or classes if necessary.

Once the cement work was complete, David sealed up the sides of the exposed walls with tar and styrofoam for insulation. Then a tractor moved more dirt up against these outer walls for added protection and future landscaping.

Finding kiln-dried lumber of a decent enough quality to build with presented us with many challenges. After trying to do business with several different lumber mills, we finally were able to find a reliable source with better quality materials. Most people here think that if you are going to build a house warm enough for Siberia it must be made out of logs. The idea being 'the thicker the better', but not much attention is put into making sure the houses are sealed properly. As is the case with the existing house on our property, they are cold and drafty in the winter. We draw attention building a stick frame house here, although it is becoming more and more popular. 

We as a family were all expecting/hoping/praying to be able to move into our new home much sooner than it has happened.  So with every load of lumber delivered you can see in Rebekah's prayer request booklet the dates of answers to prayer! The kids have been so diligent to pray and ask the Lord to provide our needs so that we may finish building our house. 

Rebekah's prayer booklet

This is a little blurry but the top request is "that our wood would come faster."

We spent five months on furlough during the Fall of 2008 to Spring 2009. Since winter would be arriving while we were in the States, we prepared the foundation to be closed until our return. Once we were able to, we finished the first floor as you see in the photo below. 

Summer 2009