tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32575169276752898592024-03-13T04:40:37.285-05:00Ecclesia DomesticaBrendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comBlogger284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-54641071804505195632020-01-12T19:36:00.000-06:002020-01-13T08:01:34.385-06:00Chapel is complete!(Brendan)
Praise God, after four and a half years of work, our little chapel is "substantially complete!" It has been three years since the last post on this blog (wow!) and since then, there have been three years of work and even a ruptured Achilles tendon thrown in there for good measure (unrelated to chapel construction, but that's another story). Needless to say, the entire process took muchBrendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-27695123721925678762017-01-02T00:30:00.002-06:002017-01-02T00:43:49.637-06:00Interior work in the chapel
(Brendan)
This is going to be long because I'm just going to get it over with in one post :-) Now that you've seen the design, here is an update on my construction progress in the chapel (as always, you can click on any pic to enlarge). The first item I needed to get out of the way was a trim piece for the circular window. I built a simple circle-cutting jig for my router and cut this outBrendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-77927983824271913482016-12-30T18:03:00.003-06:002017-01-02T00:44:07.801-06:00Chapel interior design
(Brendan)
For the chapel interior we definitely wanted something timeless
and classically-based. The first thought was to hire a classical architect or
church architect but there's a couple disadvantages with that: 1) It's likely
to be outside of our budget, and 2) Even if designed by someone else, there
would be the task of translating that design to something that I could try to
make or Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-3321433081635048562016-12-29T00:51:00.000-06:002017-01-02T00:44:25.618-06:00Long, slow task of the chapel interior...
(Brendan)
It's been quite a long time since I've posted an update on the chapel, and that's because the interior work is going more slowly than I had hoped. But, a month here, a month there, eventually you've actually made some progress. Here's what's happened since the last post...
Finishing the exterior (painting, final windows, grading, and gutters)
Door frame design and Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-74920669213606708742015-08-03T22:32:00.001-05:002015-08-04T09:28:19.625-05:00Construction Update #2
(Brendan)
Time for another construction update on the chapel, and I think you'll see that quick progress is being made!
July 21
Framing went up really quickly and we were able to actually see the structure and walk inside for the first time.
The first thing you do when you walk in is look up! That's what we were hoping for in the design of a sacred space.
Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-87021899318333073422015-07-20T23:02:00.001-05:002015-07-20T23:03:45.709-05:00First batch of chapel construction photos!
(Brendan)
Construction of the chapel indeed began on July 6, 2015 with a brief visit from our contractor and a first removal of some siding where the door of the chapel will go.
July 6
From that point, I was a little prepared for the hole that would ensue in our backyard in order to place the frost footings and foundation. A little more grass planting will need to happen than I was Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-19382481793168865742015-07-04T01:06:00.000-05:002015-07-20T22:08:54.622-05:00After a long wait... our chapel build starts July 6, 2015!
(Brendan and Molly)
It has been a long wait while we saved to add the chapel that was originally designed as part of our home. In fact, so long that we've grown our family in the meantime! Molly and I are now blessed with seven children here with us on earth, our latest additions being Oliver (who will be 3 in August) and ZĂ©lie (who will be 1 also in August, on the same day as Oliver). Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-77754948546442397642012-05-31T23:49:00.001-05:002012-05-31T23:49:34.951-05:00A gift for Father Evan(Brendan)
Knowing many years ago that my brother's ordination to the priesthood would one day come, I often thought that creating a painting for him would be a special gift. To that end, I transitioned from drawing to painting over the last year with the creation of a painting for Fr. Evan being one of the chief motivations (in addition to creating a painting as a gift my sister and her new Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-43191693526574112602012-05-31T22:52:00.000-05:002012-05-31T23:50:24.030-05:00A truly blessed weekend...
(Brendan)
By the grace of God, my youngest brother, Evan, was ordained to the holy priesthood by Archbishop John Nienstedt this past Saturday (May 26th) at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, MN! It was a truly blessed weekend and an almost incomprehensible grace for our family, and indeed for the whole Church. For the sake of documenting this wonderful event on our blog I wanted to make Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-31118833428515985862012-03-19T00:24:00.000-05:002012-05-31T23:50:04.751-05:00My first painting(Brendan)
I recently completed my first painting, a gift for my sister and her new husband as a wedding present from both Molly and I. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to start the painting until after their wedding (which was in November of last year), and so this is a rather belated wedding present. Better late than never!
I've been slowing teaching myself classical methods of drawing for Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-33362963130655789872011-12-01T08:39:00.001-06:002011-12-01T08:49:28.662-06:00Today, Dec. 1, would have been Henry's third birthday(Brendan)
Today we remember our precious Henry Blaise in a special way, as December 1st is the anniversary of his birth. This previous post has our remembrance video of Henry and the image I created for his grave marker. We love you so very much Henry! Please pray for us!
On December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, mass is being offered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-59899706176104834752011-08-24T22:37:00.000-05:002011-08-24T22:37:26.002-05:00Design for a storage shed(Brendan)
I was hoping never to need a storage shed, but one will definitely be needed. The real reason is that it's also become clear that getting a riding lawn mower would be money well-spent (I've spent an inordinate amount of time mowing the lawn this year, and it's just too much time away from the family). Our hydroseeded lawn has grown in nicely, and with all the rain this year it's needed Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-48181627235232342622011-07-23T16:37:00.005-05:002011-07-26T12:02:24.407-05:00Pioneer School(Molly)
In early June, Clara and Aidan had an opportunity to participate in a pioneer school experience at the West Riverside Museum School through the Isanti County Historical Society in Cambridge, Minnesota. For one week, they toted their tin pails filled with old-fashioned lunches, delved into their textbooks from the early 1900's, and enjoyed schooling in a one-room school house.  Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-34850952769266853952011-07-22T00:03:00.001-05:002011-07-26T12:02:44.669-05:00Giving Twitter a try(Brendan)
As you can tell, posting on this blog has been a difficult task for quite some time. Neither myself or Molly has enough time to post much, and it's not a priority now that the house (phase 1) is finished. God calls us to more immediate and spiritually-important ways of spending our time right now. However, because I do occasionally have something to share, some news or little tidbit, Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-18334668896784616732011-05-28T22:32:00.000-05:002011-05-28T22:32:37.562-05:00Drawing of St. Dominic(Brendan)
Recently our newest godson, Dominic, was baptized and Molly and I thought it would be a great gift to do a drawing for him. It was also a great opportunity to get back to doing some drawing; it always helps me to have a goal and a deadline :-)
I wanted to draw a picture of St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order and our godson's patron saint, so I found an image of a painting Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-25774825928252879202011-05-16T22:11:00.001-05:002011-07-26T12:02:04.249-05:00Evan's ordination to the diaconate!(Brendan)
Earlier this month we had the joyous occasion of attending the ordination of my brother, Evan, as a transitional deacon of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Evan is a seminarian at the St. Paul Seminary and, God-willing, will be a ordained a priest in May of 2012. But prior to that is his ordination as a deacon, and what a wonderful day it was! Praise God!
(Click any pics Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-50771673207019993062011-05-13T14:39:00.001-05:002011-05-28T22:33:32.626-05:00Henry's marker stone completed(Brendan)
You might remember that I designed a grave marker for our son Henry late last year (see this post). Since then the marker has been created by a company near St. Cloud, MN, with Minnesota granite, and now that the ground has completely thawed the marker has recently been installed. We hadn't been able to see the completed marker until the first time we went to see it at the cemetery, butBrendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-18050467771180329942011-02-09T21:07:00.000-06:002011-02-09T21:07:14.832-06:00Great video about the Twin Cities(Brendan)
I saw this on the Star Tribune web site and thought I'd post a link here, enjoy! It's all very true, though I'd rather not get the word out so that we don't have lots of people move here :-)
Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-33743544239697025292010-12-27T14:00:00.001-06:002010-12-27T14:03:35.817-06:00Merry Christmas from the Koops!Here's wishing you a very merry and blessed Christmas to you and your family! Our first Christmas in our new home has been wonderful (and extremely snowy)!
We've had a record snowfall for the month of December in Minnesota...
Francis has been growing bigger and bigger (5 months old now)...
We decided to have a "Little House on the Prairie" Christmas this year, which allowed us to do some fun Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-71688099499416125872010-12-01T06:30:00.014-06:002010-12-01T06:30:02.519-06:00Today, Dec. 1, we once again remember our Henry Blaise...December 1 is the anniversary of our Henry's death and we continue to remember him with sorrow for our loss here on earth, and yet with great joy in knowing he is with Our Lord. If we "run the race, and finish the course, and keep the faith" as St. Paul says, we will be reunited with Henry and we will spend far greater time together than we ever lost on earth.
Our remembrance video of Henry...
Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-78297991613776223522010-10-30T22:17:00.001-05:002010-10-30T22:17:59.625-05:00Happy Autumn!(Brendan)
Somewhat predictably, now that we're past the open house I've kind of ramped down on the blogging. With such a busy house it's not a priority, but, although posting will be less frequent, we hope to keep it going for a while. This is our first Autumn in the new house and I thought I'd post a few pictures of the tree colors and the kids enjoying the leaves (some from a few weeks Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-78328788496132886522010-09-30T00:12:00.001-05:002010-09-30T00:14:32.913-05:00Probably the most permanent piece of art I'll ever create...(Brendan)
Shortly after Henry passed away, in the whirlwind that followed, we were supposed to pick out a grave marker design. When we looked at the designs they had at the cemetery we didn't see anything that we thought would suit us for this marker. Most were too "cartoony" or had some angels or something generic, and it just wasn't something we were looking for. When we were told we could Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-72674532932562504772010-09-15T23:47:00.003-05:002010-09-16T00:09:19.532-05:00In a new school year, an official name and seal for our home school...(Brendan)
Despite having home-schooled our children for a few years, we've never actually settled on a name for our home school. It seems kind of trivial to name your own home school, but I've come to think that doing so is actually quite useful for a number of reasons:For tax purposes, your state government or your local school district may actually ask for a name for your home school (this has Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-17058456023731535782010-09-05T22:57:00.002-05:002010-09-05T23:27:03.665-05:00Interior photos(Brendan)
Well, we had an absolutely wonderful open house yesterday, praise God! It was glorious weather, and there were between 100-150 people who turned out, which wasn't bad considering it's Labor Day weekend. Thanks so much to all those who were able to stop by (and more than a few had a very long drive), and to all those who couldn't make it hopefully we can still have you over soon!
For Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-24527988328136909882010-08-22T23:51:00.001-05:002010-08-23T00:05:31.397-05:00New exterior photos (with grass)...(Brendan)
As we get closer to our open house (on Sept. 4), I thought I'd post updated pictures of what our house looks like on the outside and inside. This is the outside post.
There are three major developments since the last time I posted exterior photos: 1) Our grass has grown in, 2) I finished all the exterior painting, and 3) Our gutters have been installed. The gutters were a great find by Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.com12