Teamwork

Yesterday was a very successful day for the guys. Dave and Jay managed to get the entire kitchen and staircase drywalled. Woo-hoo!

This morning while Dave prepped Eva's bedroom, I took the girls curtain shopping with me. I decided it was time for something new in "The Blue Room", aka my barn studio. The current curtains completely cover the beautiful woodwork that Dave worked so hard on. (If you remember, he took the old original floorboards (wide planks) that were in the barn, planed and refinished them, and used them as the window frames.) I went out looking for valances but didn't find any, so I ended up buying sheer panels. I'm not completely happy with what I got, so I'll go out again tomorrow, just in case something better strikes my eye.

Today is the day Dave and I had planned to work on Eva's room. Yes, Dave and I together. And believe it or not, it is the day that I have actually been looking forward to all week long!

You see, it's been a long time since Dave and I have worked side by side on a task and I really miss the satisfaction of accomplishing these renovations together! In fact, I realized today that it has been almost 5 years exactly since we moved here and began this monstrosity of a project. It felt so rewarding today to get in there again and help with the big tasks! It was just like the good 'ole days when we started with Project #1: Gutting the Barn.

And so this morning, we donned our work clothes and began ripping up the carpet in Eva's room at 10:00 AM, while the girls spent "special time" with Omi. It was a plan that made everyone happy!

Ripping up the carpet exposed the orinigal flooring that Dave had laid as a teenager.

As soon as we started working together, I settled comfortably into our familiar renovation routine. Listening to the sounds of classic rock on the tinny-sounding transistor radio, the heavy pounding of Dave's hammer, the rhythmic firing of the staple gun, the hum of the wet/dry vac and the occasional Tourette's-like "Oh shoot!" that escaped Dave's mouth... This was all music to my ears.

I always get a secret thrill out of handing Dave the exact tool he needs before he has a chance to request it. (It makes me feel like I am assisting a surgeon in the operating room. "Nurse, scapel please.")

The whole experience gave me flashbacks to the period of time when we enjoyed more freedom, fewer obligations and close one-on-one companionship. Before marriage, before children... A long journey ahead of us. Working side by side, charging forward like warriors ready to accomplish all of our common goals.

But even though the work was rewarding, by the time our 3 hour stretch was over, I was getting a little anxious to see the girls.

Sure enough, Amanda had shut herself in the pantry, hiding from Omi because she had a broken toenail that only Mama could fix. And the loud cry of "Ma-maaaaa!" from Eva, as she propelled her little body toward me, arms outstretched for a giant hug. You'd have thought I'd just arrived home from a long vacation.

It felt nice.

And I guess in a way, it was like a vacation for me. I commented to Dave that I had so much more energy today than I usually have by afternoon! Taking care of the girls can be just plain exhausting!

When we stopped at 1:00 PM, we already had 1/3 of the room finished with the new wood laminate flooring and a first coat of paint on the ceiling. After Eva's nap, we'll start up again and see if we can plow through it before bedtime.

The carpet is gone and the first few rows of flooring are in place.

I think Dave and I work really well together.

As we talked and worked side by side this morning, I couldn't help but think of the Wonder Pets theme song.

"What's gonna work? Teamwork... What's gonna work? Teamwork!! We're not too big and we're not too tough, but when we work together, we've got the right stuff."

I think we do have the right stuff, and it's good to know we can still work as a team.

Slowly but steadily, Team Lindsay forges on...