Friday, June 13, 2008

10 years ago...


A lot has happened in the last 10 years.

10 years ago, we were smaller, younger, and starting off on a new adventure. 10 years ago, today, we moved from the city to the country. 10 years ago we moved into our current beloved home.

~~~


After 18 years in this little house in the Chicago suburbs, in December of 1996 we moved out...


...and moved all 10 of us into this little 600 square foot apartment above our grandparent's home where we lived for the next 18 months while we built our new home.


This picture was taken June 12, 1997 - exactly one year before Dad talked the county inspector into letting us move in to the house.

I'm not sure when this picture was taken... Summer of '97, maybe? We really have almost no photos of the house building process - but we have a VERY LONG home video that covers every aspect very thoroughly.


We did most of the interior work ourselves ("We" being primarily Jeremy & Joshua - who were 17 & 12 during most of the building time - with direction from Dad & Grandpa E). Since it was a bit of a drive from where we were living, Jeremy and Josh would often load up on plans, orders and food, and drive out to the house and spend a couple of days working on their own before coming back to restock and figure out the next step.



Finally on June 13, 1998 moving day arrived. The West family spent the entire day helping us load up, unload, drive back and load up more, unload again, set-up beds, unpack the kitchen... and do whatever else they could to help us 'settle in' on that hot muggy day. Other friends stopped by to help for part of the time, too - though certain ones timed it really well! :-)



A lot has happened in the last 10 years...

7 comments:

Test said...

That family picutre...that's how I remember all of you!

Fun walk down memory lane post!

Anonymous said...

You all look the same... No-one has changed at all! :)
Luke

Ray said...

Greetings in Christ! I know of your blog through mutual friends.

This post shares quite an impressive family history; 10 people living in 600 sq. ft. for 18 months?! What a testimony!

Anonymous said...

Good memories! Fun pictures of the past :-)

Katie W.

Anonymous said...

WOW...LOVE THE PICTURES:)

Justin Kelly said...

Lots of good memories from that Mt. Prospect house!

Rhonda Devine said...

Thanks for sharing some of your family history with us--we enjoyed it! We know what building your own house is like, literally! We finished ours in 1993 and moved in--it's hard to believe it's been 15 years already! It was a lot of hard work, sweat, and tears, but well worth it!
God bless you all,
The Devine's