What a weekend . . .

Ever wondered how much the awesome playgorund e quipment your kids love at the park costs? I can tell you it is a pretty penny. When we left our old building, we let behind a playground that reached $100,000. That playground was bought in peices and was done over about 8 years. This weekend we put in 5 LARGE peices of equipment at the new site. All totaling over $55,000. It was a HUGE project and this record breaking hot and humid weather did not help. There are still many things to finish before all the peices are functional, and about 30% of the mulch needs moved back, but it is mostly finished. It was back breaking work and I'm tired.

I did manage to get up and attend our first church service in our new building this morning. When I left the building at 8:30 last evening I thought there was no way I could make it this morning, but I was up and wide awake at 7:00 this morning and then was joined by McCartney, so we got dressed and went. We are pretty much unable to attend church as a family since Dustin really isn't able to go, which breaks my heart, but maybe someday. The service was fabulous, and the new digs are great. Working in the new place for the past 2 months, it has been great seeing the final touches going into the building. I still have some sewing to do this week for a couple awnings that the decorating commitee asked me to do, but I plan on knocking them out tomorrow.

This building was home to another congregation for many years. That church split in much ugliness. It was diffcult for many of our members that used to attend church there to sit in the service in their old sanctuary. I asked one woman if it was more difficult that so many things had changed or if that made it easier. She said, "It's just very strange to be sitting in this place again." I sat near the wife of one of the former church's pastor. You could tell she was quite emotional. I felt for her as we worshipped in this new place. It must have been incredibly difficult and yet healing to come full circle. It will be interesting how our congregation changes in this new home and in this new area of town. For me it was quite a relief, I am thankful that all the work is done and we can finally enjoy it.