Philippines here we come!

A lot has happened since I last wrote...past time to catch up!

After we returned from our week on the road, we spent the next week and a half finishing packing up the house and then moving out on August 17.  We moved to Stacey's parents extra apartment over on the homestead on the Anchor River.  What a fun place to spend our last three weeks here in Homer!  The kids have enjoyed driving four-wheelers, playing in the river, riding bikes, and just spending time with family.  Steve and I were very busy with all the last minute details...more details than we thought possible!  We were trying to get the house finished before Steve and the older three kids left, since when they left all my big kids and muscles left too!  We almost got the job completed and I just had a little bit to do after they left.

Steve, Ann Marie, Ethan, and Tyler flew to the Philippines on August 25.  It was an exhausting three day trip and they were very relieved to finally arrive on Balabac!  Three flights, one van ride, and two boat rides later equals many hours of travel time.  A bed surrounded by a mosquito net despite the heat couldn't have looked and felt better! 

Steve and the kids went over earlier than the rest of us so that they could get some work done on our house in the Philippines.  Two others went along as well to make up a team of six.  They have been working long days in the heat to make our home ready for our family.   The exterior of the house had some work done to it recently, like a new roof, rotten decking replaced, posts replaced, and a new paint job.  The team is there to work on the interior of the house.  They have removed a wall in the kitchen and added this island with a stove top to make the living room, dining room and kitchen more open and spacious.  I am told that since this picture they have added shelves to the cupboard and tile to the countertop.  So they are building cupboards and counters for the kitchen, remodeling the bathroom, plumbing the entire house, and doing some wiring as well.  I'm not sure of all that was planned to be worked on, but I know the list was long!

Ann Marie has been working in the kitchen with Jeanie helping to feed the crew.  She got to experience baking in the clay oven yesterday making breads and pizza!  We will also have a clay oven to do our baking.

I have been getting daily emails from Steve although rather short since they have been working such long days!  Here are some excerpts from his emails...
"We did some removal of tenants- a pair of bats, a bee hive."

"Ethan, Tyler and Jonathan went out to the water after lunch, to swim a bit,  I think Ethan was not used to that much sun, and was feeling ill last night and this am.  I am going to have him rest today and hopefully recover soon."

"We have been working at the house from 7 am to 6 pm, taking off about 2 hours for lunch(includes the walk time).  So we have been very busy, and right after dinner, we go to bed.  There is so much to do on the house.  There is not enough wood for all the interior walls and more will cost quite a bit.  Between the kids rooms we may use plywood- it should be fine.  Dennis is flying to Brooks Point for plumbing parts.  Ed has been a great help.  He has done a bit of remodeling houses, so he has some great ideas, and can tell us how to do things."


"The bats are back every morning, so they really are not evicted yet.  The bees are very small less than a 1/4 inch, so their sting is just a little pinch. They keep coming back too.  We also found some more termite homes.  There are only  a few walls we have not torn apart."

"The house is coming along,  sometimes I don't know if we are getting anywhere.  Had to tear out a truss, it was damaged.  I had been going around tapping on wood finding damage, this one was major. Then the question was what to do with the room it was connected to; make it part of the master bedroom?  I think we will leave as is.  The walls won't be too much to take out if we want to later.  For the kids rooms we may not have enough wood for the walls, we may buy plywood from Townsite, or use fabric for a divider."

"Ethan is asking if he can work today- he does not feel feverish this am.  He slept very good last night.  Tyler may go with Dennis today to Townsite to get more epoxy for the tile.  I think you may like the kitchen!  I am excited about it.  Having the dining room, kitchen, and living room as an open L shape seems like a good idea.  Dennis really likes it and says you are going to love him for it.  It seems we will have lots of room.
We are thinking of having a second toilet/shower outside, under the eaves of the existing bathroom.  That will be later if we have time."

"The people noticed, and commented that the kids seem like siblings, they get along well.  They commented that Tyler is full of energy!  Wait till they see Adams!"

"Ethan helped out at the house yesterday, not working that hard, but walking the .58 mile there is a workout in the heat!(12 min walk.) So we walk just over 2 miles a day to get to and from work."

"The rain forest is just off the right side of the deck as you are looking at the house- you can see it in the picture of the house.  I have been watching a flock (5-7birds)of black and white horn-bills flying from tree to tree the last two days.  The butterflies are big, numerous, and varied!  It is incredible.!  Of course with that are the others...lots of large spiders, small and large scorpions!  I found a small 1 inch scorpion in the wood stacked in the house.  Tyler was cleaning up outside today and found a 4inch one!  It rained this am and was cooler-79, but later the sun came out and it was a very muggy 89.  Most days are in the high 80's.
Tell Kailee and Alyssum that I think of them when I see the butterflies.  And Adams will have so much fun playing with our neighbors. They were having fun in the weeds the last couple of days."

"And I think of you as we work- our house is becoming home."