We were grateful to have Konrad and China with us for a couple more weeks in December, and it was special to celebrate their first wedding anniversary together here in Peru. We also got to share an early Christmas with Caleb’s family and Konrad’s family—an extra blessing before the holiday season fully arrived.
And, in true Schmidt fashion, we celebrated in the most practical way possible: by tearing down a chimney.
The chimney had never worked well. Even when Levi’s family lived here years ago, they barely used the chimney or stove. So, I reached out to Levi to ask if we could finally take it down. He gave us the go-ahead, and that’s how our early Christmas project began.
Konrad’s friend Orlin was with them for the trip, and Belinda’s brother Rawlin was here visiting. So with the five of us men, China, and the children, we set to work. China and the children took on the bulk of removing the chimney flue during the day—an impressive feat. The men joined in toward the end when we had to tackle the foundation, which turned out to be made of exceptionally stubborn concrete. That part took hours, leaving us with a sizable hole in the kitchen floor and a deep appreciation for extra helping hands.
A few weeks later, we finally got the floor replaced. Percy filled in the hole with cement, and we took the opportunity to redo the entire dining room floor. Percy spent hours removing the old tile with a chisel and jackhammer before we laid down new tile—black, gray, and white speckled, chosen for its ability to hide dirt, a crucial feature for a large family on a farm.
Once the tile was in, Stephanie, Miss Robyn, the girls, and some visitors painted the kitchen walls a dusty rose. The fresh paint, combined with the new floor, transformed the space entirely. The extra room has been a bigger blessing than we expected. Somehow, everything flows better—not just in the dining room, but in the living room as well.
We’re thankful for everyone who helped make this happen. It’s a simple thing, but it’s made a real difference in our daily life. And sometimes, tearing down what doesn’t work makes space for something much better.
Juan David 