Sometimes Christmas miracles happen in the bathroom! It's true!

I told you all I had something to tell you that would make you cry for me. Here it is:

Our house is becoming a senior citizen, I am afraid. She is creaking and cracking and growing old. With her old age, hard times have come upon her, as her care takers are too busy care taking children to care take her. But alas, her rescuer has come. In the form of a guy we refer to as "big Rhett".

cute huh?

Our "little Rhett"

was not necessarily named after him, so much as because of him. We love "big Rhett" and he is one of my favorite friends of Corey's (the whole 3 he has, he is just NOT that social). When our 3rd child, (our first son), went 15 days without a name because Corey wouldn't budge on the name, Nathan, and I wouldn't commit to it, I finally said "Fine! But I get to name the next baby!" He agreed and then completely lucked out when the name I chose for that 4th baby happened to be a name he loved anyhow. We had our "little Rhett" and he was a precious little guy. When I told my BFF his name, I could tell she didn't love it when all she said was, "oh." When she saw him 3 weeks later, she realized why we named him Rhett and liked it instantly. That was his name! He was, and always has been, a Rhett. "Little Rhett" loves "big Rhett" and I think "big Rhett" has affectionate feelings for "little Rhett" just because he was named, not after but because of, "big Rhett" Make sense? We were especially amused at a party one day when we had "big Rhett" and "little Rhett" together and we were impressing upon "little Rhett" that "big Rhett" was a Rhett also and the very reason we named "little Rhett", Rhett. We were trying to impress upon him just how exciting that was! "Little Rhett" sat there thoughtfully for a moment and randomly said to "big Rhett", "Do you like blue?" "Big Rhett" never being slow on the draw said "you know,... I do!" "Little Rhett" was amazed. They were the same!

So one day we called "big Rhett" who owns, TOBIN RESTORATION COMPANY, (Ingrain that in your mind followers because it is IMPORTANT), to come look at the bathroom in our home which is, may I remind you, now a senior citizen. After one to many toilet floods, bath tub floods, and every other kind of flood or water spillage you can think of, our floor was rotting, and molding, its way up through the vinyl, and one of us was going to fall down through it! And it wasn't going to be me because I lost ten pounds and I won't use that bathroom anyhow! "Big Rhett" gave us his advice. Months later did we follow it? Nope. We wanted to, but time and money and skill left us stupefied on the whole project. Not to mention that even if we fixed the floor the whole rest of the bathroom needed to be repaired as well, and it was just to much for our little non construction minds to comprehend. So we left it.

So a few days ago we receive this email from "big Rhett":

"We have decided as a company to do a Christmas gift this year. We thought since we repair homes that this is what we should do for our gift. We would like to have your bathroom for a couple of weeks. I have made arrangements with most of our subcontractors and suppliers who want to be a part of this project. We would do all of the demolition and get everything dry. We would then bring in our trades (plumber, electrician, carpenter and tile guys) to do the repairs. We have tile for a tub surround and tile for a new floor. Our cabinet guy will make a new vanity. Our painters will repair sheet rock and paint and our plumber will work over the plumbing system. We will install new fixtures and faucets. You will have a sparkling new bathroom. We would seal off the doorway and lock the door when we leave everyday so you couldn't see what it looked like. We would clean carpets in the hallway, living room and down the stairs when all the work is done. After we are done we would have an unveiling of the new bathroom, kind of like extreme makeover. This would be a good project for our employees and give them a chance to do something good for Christmas. It would be good for both of us. I need to have your permission to go ahead. We would like to start 12/7. What do you think?"

What do I think? When I stop crying and smiling and doing a happy/thankful/thrilled/ecstatic dance I'll let you know!

To the angel bathroom miracle workers: Seriously, we are humbled. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. You can't possible know what it means to us. Actually I'll show some pictures of our bathroom in its present state, (brave I know), and maybe then you'll know what it means to us. I hope you know. I hope you know what your talent and gift can bring to our lives. Relief, safety, and answered prayers. We are blessed to rub shoulders with you in the hallway of our home as you reconstruct our bathroom and, a huge smidgen of our lives. We are in awe at your humble generosity.

To Claudine ("big Rhett's" wife): Behind every good man is of course a woman and that's you! Thank you for your friendship and hand me downs.

Even more good news, as "big Rhett" and his crew were looking at our bathroom they realized if they change the door on the bathroom our other three old doors, in the same hall way, would look even more old. One man signaled to "big Rhett" to give us all new doors there, as well. Just like that. New doors. Doors I have wanted for the whole 8 years we have lived here. White, new, hole free, beautiful, fresh doors. Thanks.

The pictures turned out a little crazy because of the lighting but here it goes...

This is part of the vanity. Because it had to be centered there was just wood on the side by the wall. I was constantly having to clean out dust and debris from that.

The floor is all raised here from water making the wood swell. No base boards. We took the baseboards out and had plastic ones to replace them but didn't have the right kind of saw.

Hole in the door....Really?

Crackage



Shower panels that were breaking apart and the window was so old and too huge for a bathroom window right there by the shower, don't you think?




By the tub and floor the wood was just disintegrated and swelling and raising...



More of the same. This was a pretty cheap vanity. The drawers became crooked as toddlers used them as step stools! UhhGG! It is frustrating. Unintentionally the kids ruin everything. My sister in law Tracy has given me comfort one day in telling me, "You can have things or you can have kids." I chose the kids. I love that choice. It was the right choice for us. But it is difficult sometimes.



Mirrior from when I was a kid, the sink would never drain. We found out it was becsaue the pipes were a little wrong. No place to hang a hand towel becasue it was broken.





This picture doesn't quite show it but most of all these dark spots on the linoleum are the wet moldy spots.





Today was demo day and I thoroughly annoyed the workers with my pictures taking. I will keep you all updated as to how it's going!