www.burlingtonfloorcoveringsinternational.com

     Hi,  I wanted to give a plug to a new company that has been doing the flooring at our home.

BEFORE

 Run by Kyle Santor.   They came out to our house, gave an estimate and offered financing.  Although we did choose to do our own financing, the opportunity was there.  They have been amazing! 

Tyler is prepping upstairs floors here!

Supportive, timely and extremely hard workers. 

 We did alot of prep work and tried to get alot of the carpets out beforehand.   But that was our choice.  They would provide this service if we wanted them too.

  When they got here, they headed right to work despite my trying to stop them to eat a slice of coffee cake!  This is Gerry prepping floor in hallway!

Kayne Santor is

moving so fast, the pictures are blurry!

They removed the remainder of the carpeting swiftly.  They moved a 2 ton bureau (exaggeration~but I can't move that thing unless I take all of the drawers out first)out of my daughters room effortlessly!  Any other heavy items that I hadn't got to yet were magically moved out of the way.  All dooors were taken off the hinges to do the installation properly!! 
On the first day they put all the padding down in the rooms and the stairway.  They left two rooms undone.  ( We put our furniture in those rooms!)

I made T stop and smile for the camera!

Don't worry I'll get to the after pictures soon!

I guess the important things to take care of when you are undertaking a big job like this are as follows:

1.   Make sure that you give yourself enough time to prepare yourself and your home.
2.   Put away all your knickknacks, books, breakables in boxes.  Try to do any painting, wallpapering, home improvement stuff before they arrive.  That way you won't be spilling paint on the new carpeting or flooring!  (like I am apt to do!) 
3.  Make a plan for where your furniture will go.  (Have lots of strong helpers around)
4.  Don't sweat the mess for a little while.  (It will all be worth it in the end.)
5.  Call Kyle Santor At Floor Coverings International at 802-655-9663! 

Now I must add, that these guys took only 3 days to recarpet and vinyl 5 rooms, 3 hallways and a set of stairs!   At the end of each working day, they cleaned up all debris and put things back where they belonged.  They even reset up a bed for my kids.  They were amazingly helpful!!  They were respectful and went above and beyond!! 

AFTER

Downstairs Hall

Audrey' Room

Kayne installing the vinyl!

This will be our new laundry room!

The stairs look awesome!

The master bedroom!

A short and sweet blog to cover an amazing bunch of guys who worked really hard to make things look nice for our home!  Thanks burlingtonfloorcoveringsinternational.com!!!
Sincerely, Janet and Paul Wells!

Happy Birthday Nolan ~ 21 Wow!

     My first born son turned 21 on December 29th!   He was due on Christmas day in the year 1990.  I remember thinking how special that my first baby could possibly be due on such a day.  I remember my excitement at becoming a Mom.  I remember going to midnight mass on December 24th and being so hopeful that I would hold my firstborn on Christmas day!  However, Christmas day came and went and no baby.  I eagerly and nervously waited for the first pains but they didn't come.  At that time, I didn't know what I was having.  I love surprises and waiting to see if it was a boy or a girl was a surprise worth waiting for.  I did have names picked out.  If it was a boy, it was definitely going to be Nolan Michael Parker.  If it was a girl, I had numerous names picked out.
     Finally, on December 28th; at 10pm, my water broke.  We drove to the hospital and were so excited.  The pains did not start until I was admitted and snugly tucked into bed!  He always had good timing.  He still does.  He was born in the morning at 8:28.  I guess it was the best Christmas and New Years gift that I ever got!!

There he is.  My Nolan.  My first born son.  I miss those days when he was little.  He was always wise beyond his time.  He was starting to say words when he was about 8 months old.  He was a chunky baby.  Really couldn't sit up without support til he was about 10 months old cuz he was so fat.  I remember being at the playground with him when he was about 18 months and crying because a little kid called him fat.  I laugh now. 

     He scared me when he wrapped a backpack around his arms when he was about 4 and fell flat on his face in the driveway.  His tooth was knocked loose and I was afraid he would lose it.  Then he scared me again when he stuck a q-tip in his ear to clean it and fell against the vanity in the bathroom.  Ouch, his ear was bleeding and I was afraid he damaged his eardrum.  Then he had appendicitis when he was 16 and proceeded to get sicker and sicker.  He had an abcess in his belly and lost 21 pounds!!  I was never so scared in my life as then.  But look at him now.  Healthy and strong.  God is good!!
Then he joined the Air National Guard at the age of 17!  We had to sign for him being so young.  I was scared then too.   Being a mom to him had so many scary times and so much more joy.  Wish I could go back sometimes. 
     I am so glad for all the time I spent reading to him.  My fondest memories:  reading Berenstain Bears, The Boy with the Drum,  Mrs Doodlepunk, The Elves and the Shoemaker,  the Critter books, Morris the Moose, and a zillion others.  Over and over until he could finish the end of every sentence.  His memory was and still is amazing!  And he is so smart!  Well, I could go on~ so many memories but just wanted to celebrate his birthday with a blog!!  I am so proud of you son.  May God bless you and draw him closer to you.  He loves you so much, as does your whole family!!
Love Mom

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Worthy am I ( a prayer)

Worthy am I 

I am redeemed 

My heart is His

And His alone

I seek to satisfy

Through many means

People, circumstances

Doing what Matters

But none suffice

I must look beyond self

Only at Him

Read His Word

Commit truth to mind and memory

Speak it out loud

I do matter

In His eyes

I am complete already

When will this sink in?

When will I believe it

All the way

Deep down inside?

The work is done

Trust that

Know that

Live that

This is all I ask

That this truth would flow out of me

And others may want the same

As I look at the gifts all around me and realize how truly blessed I am I finally realize, deep down inside just how much I am loved by my Father in Heaven.  May each of these children, Nolan, Jacob, Holly, Audrey  Faith,  Ebonie and Adam be blessed with a knowledge of this that will reach to many generations!

And may my husband and I continue to draw close to You Jesus and lead these children in your way!

Janet will you play with me?

     I spend most of my time, either working or seeing to the needs of my family.  Today was no different.  I got to sleep til 8:30 am.  Had breakfast with my husband and Faith and Noah.  Did a little housework, visited with my Mom when she dropped by.  Talked on the phone with my niece to catch up a little.  Then went for a little run/ walk by myself.  Grover, the dog wanted to join me but usually he drags me along cuz he goes so fast so I left him at home!  Yes, I felt a little guilty when he whined at the door but I gotta have some time to myself...

     When I got home I made lunch for the family and we spent time at the table, talking and laughing.  Just taking our time.  That's the nice thing about Saturdays.  No schedule, no rush.

     Then we all got ready to go to Franklin County Field Days.  We had a great time, eating ice cream, riding on the rides, seeing the animals.  It was hot, standing in those long lines waiting our turn on the Gravitron and the Himalaya!  But Paul and I were patient, letting the kids have their fun!

We got home and took out a bag of chex mix, and cooked up some hot dogs.  We sat on the deck enjoying the coolness of the evening.  The kids lined up the chex mix according to what kind  they liked best.  We shared some with Grover and had lots of good conversation.  Noah called his other Nana on the phone and had a good conversation with his brothers and sister.
     Then Faith and Noah took turns running around the house while I timed them with the second hand on my watch.   In my mind, this is a good quality day with plenty of quality time with the kids.  Being together and talking and playing together.  So it was really funny, when Noah finished his last lap around the house and said, "Janet, will you play with me?  I'm not sure but I think I already spent the day playing!  Didn't I?
I love you my precious family!!

God Answers Prayers in Unexpected Ways

     Recently I posted on Facebook that God answers prayers in unexpected ways.  A few of you commented that you wanted to know in what way.  I wrote that because I want to give glory to God and be a witness.  To get people to think.  To get people to consider God as the answer if they don't already do that.  Because for me He is the Answer and the Way and the One I count on so completely in my life.  It has been that way for most of my life and I feel fortunate that He has given me eyes to see Him and a spirit to sense Him.
     Anyway, as you know we have been taking care of our grandson for the last few months.  At the end of the school year, he was still going to school in Milton.  A 31 mile drive from little old Enosburg.  So everyday, Paul or I drove him to school and picked him up for about 6 weeks.  It was a busy time and a lot of miles.  But as you know, you do what you gotta do and he was able to finish out his kindergarden time at his own school.
     Months ago I had been praying about a certain bill that had to paid.  It was weighing on me heavily.  I wanted to be able to pay it off quickly but other things got in the way.  It was to the school, The Fold where I had sent Holly to school for a year.  It is a private Christian organization which helps trouble teens.  They did so much for my daughter and I will be forever grateful to them.  So it was important to me to pay this bill off more quickly.  I wrote the amount on a paper and sat before the Lord in prayer.  I said,  "Lord I cannot pay this bill off but You can, so in whatever way you could help me do this please pay this bill." 
      I left it at that.  3 months later, Paul and I get a check in the mail from the state for all the mileage we had put on driving Noah to school all those days.  It was almost the same amount as the bill that needed to be paid.  So that was my answer to prayer!  I am so grateful to God for providing that for us!  It certainly did not occur to me while I was bringing him to school all those days that it was an answer to prayer.  God is good!
   
   

Paul Wheels Wells

     My husband is a car guy.  He is a motor guy.  A fix it guy.  An I like anything with wheels kind of guy.  He is a do it yourself  guy.  And he is not a procrastinator.  He starts a project and he finishes it.  All in a timely manner.  Just one of the things I love about him.  I remember when I first met him.  He would do things for me.  I had a broken light fixture in my bathroom and so I had put a lamp up on shelf to use instead.  Not very convenient or safe.  He came along and fixed the wires to the fixture and tada! let there be light.  I think that is when I fell in love with him. 

     Or maybe it was when I came home from work one day and found that he had laid fresh gravel in my driveway.  The lines were perfectly straight and he had posted a sign which read, "Mama's Parking Only."  Just another one of many little things.  He always said to me I love you so much, or "SMUCH."  I came home to find a rock painted and laid by the door, with the words, So much painted on it.  It's the little things and there are always so many of them living with Paul.

     Another time I was going through a rough time and I was having a lot of anxiety attacks.  He showed up after work and told me to open the trunk of the car.  Inside he had loaded with antique fisher price toys which he had found at a yard sale.  Wow, I was so touched and distracted from my anxiety for a little while.

      Two years ago, I pulled into the driveway and he was standing beside something with a blanket over it.  He told me to close my eyes and then he revealed a bananna seat bike which he had completely restored and painted red, white and blue!  I love surprises and this guy is always surprising me!

     Prayers to you my hunny and may God bless you and heal you!!

Love me

A poem for my Dad

I wrote this poem in 2011 for Dad.  thought it was worth sharing again.  I miss him so much.
But I know he is in heaven with his Heavenly Father and that is a comfort.  Look at that smile!



 To describe you in words Dad, is something I've always wanted to do.

To paint a picture of the great things God has created in you.

You are Strong

You are Proud

You are honest and true.

You stand up for your rights and the

rights of all those around you.

When people ask what nationality you are from

You calmly and politely say, 

I am an American!

A Marine you were and 

always will be

The USA is your country 

to which you show your loyalty

Your favorite colors are

red, white and blue

The flag waves outside the 

barn

Ever before you

You are a voracious

reader 

and filled with facts

History, gardening

and political stats!

You are smart and 

bright and always

ready to state

Your opinion on the

latest

debate!

Sometimes we'll find you

in your chair

taking a snooze,

Most often it's watching

the evening news

Or at your computer

checking to see

all the e-mails from your family

You like hot chocolate sauce, oreos,

cheezits and cake

Marching bands, parades

and especially

Christmas Day

Coffee and donuts,

toast and tea

peanut butter crackers are a necessity!

It seems that you are forever hungry and saying:

Grandma, feed me!

(not too thrilled with his gift!)

Things you have done for me

I've been hungry at work 
and you brought me a sub
Had a flat tiire on the highway and you came to pick me up
Water in the basement,

you're there with a wrench!
frozen pipes,
It's a cinch.
For you that is...

Bats in the belfry 
and you showed up with a broom
ou Daddy!

when rats were near, 
you showed up with a spear!
(that is no lie!)
You were my hero 
Anytime of the year!

You gave me away at my wedding
with a kiss and a smile
And here is when I was filled with pride

You gifted me with money
when I was broke
Gave chocolates and oreos
And made me laugh with your jokes!
I'm getting off track here,
this poem is about you
But I just had to brag 
about all the things that you would do.
You gave to all with generosity
and good cheer. 
All nine of would rely on you
whether you were far or near!
Your family was simple
It started with two
It was only Mama and you!

But as the years went by 
It grew and it grew!
Six girls and three boys
and then came some more
Until you had grandchildren galore!

They went to the barn to visit and eat
You patiently carved the ham and roast beef!
Your home was filled 
with oh so much love
You know now
It was a gift from above.

God looked upon you and said with a smile
I think I'll bless Freddy
for a good long while!

You loved each grandchild
Every girl and boy.
You celebrated each birthday with clapping and joy
How many pictures I have of you 
at Celebrations...
Looking intently at the Birthday Child with great expectation!
These pictures I will cherish of you
with my children
Cuz I know how you loved
 them all beyond reason!

I truly cannot put into words, the depth of my fathers character. 

 What a good man!  I miss him so much!