Open Hands

Many of you have heard of our friends Joseph and Sarah and their adoption story that just unfolded. They went to Indiana last week to pick up their baby. He was born on Sunday and not long after the birthmom backed out of their adoption plan and decided to go with a local agency. Joseph and Sarah asked for prayers and said they would be flying home in a few days. Jesse and I couldn't imagine their sorrow and having to pack up all the little boy things, but no little boy. On Wednesday Joseph was getting ready to re-schedule their flight home when the birthmom called them and asked if they still wanted to adopt her son. What a emotional roller coaster! They signed papers last night and Joseph and Sarah are bringing home their child.

Jesse and I have talked about how adopting feels like you have no control over the situation. There are so many more people involved than a father and a mother having a baby. Things get complicated. But the story about Joseph and Sarah proves that there is control. God is the one in control. He turns the heart like a river. We are constantly reminded to trust God and let it go. And in losing it, we gain it.

DIY: Chair reupholstery

Look at this thing. What a mess. No wonder it was out by the dumpster. But beyond the visual asthetic appeal of a water stained seat cushion, the chairs were just fine! I claimed them for my own and began the recovery process. I decided to use a vinyl material since I wanted to keep the chair outside on our porch all year round.



Flip the chair upside down and begin unscrewing the chair seat from the frame. It's best to unscrew screws in a "star" pattern and never in a "circle". In other words, undo one and then move to work on a screw opposite from the first, not next to. Another good tip is to only unscrew half way before moving on to the next screw.



The dismantled chair seat and frame:



Keep track of which screws went where. I had one small screw and four larger ones with this chair.



You need enough material to fold over each side of the seat. Excess material can always be cut later, but it's better to have more at the beginning.





Pull material taut around the first side of the chair seat. Have a helper pull and hold the seat in place, otherwise you'll have to use your knees. Staple first in the middle, then pull again and staple on the left side, then on the right.



Two sides, stapled.



Four sides, stapled.



When you get to the corners you'll have to pull the material around the corner and readjust a couple of times til you get it the way you like it.



Cut into each side for a smooth pull and fold over.



Pull firmly til tight and staple down.



Do the same on the other side.



Trim off any excess material.



Completed corner:



Oh, and my husband took this picture...



One down, four to go!



View of the folded and stapled corner.



You can see here that I did trim away the excess material near the staples. And now that the chair seat is newly recovered(!)....



reattach the seat to the chair frame (this is where it's important to remember which screw went where).



The completed chair! Ta da!