Busy Building Day

Today when I entered our future house there was a very experienced team already working to build the support beams for the flooring that will be laid for the second story. Although there was a little less for me to do, I tried to keep busy doing what I could. The carpentry work required skills that I do not have, and the team had quite a rhythm going. I was able to run to get some joist brackets from Menards, and worked to keep the build area clean. It was rewarding when one of the men thanked me for cleaning, saying that it was an important role that made the site easier to navigate. Dad worked today as well, he was busy on the 2nd floor helping to get the beams into place. Here are some pictures of the work that was accomplished. By next week the 2nd floor plywood flooring should be completely laid out.

Dan builds the landing for our stairs going to the 2nd floor.

The support beams for the 2nd floor...

Framing on the 1st floor with flooring laid on top.

The front hallway...

Support beams for the floor.

The main floor of the house, front to back.

Great Morning

When I knew that my friend Phyllis from Vineyard was coming out to the house today, I got excited and decided to join her for a great morning together. Her husband, Dan, had the day off and came out too. It was great to be together with them and the regular Wednesday crew, they accomplished a lot in just the morning. Thanks Mom for hanging out with the kids for the morning! :)

The house now has no second floor, but not for long! The plan for the afternoon was to start rebuilding it on top of the framing that is already in place on the main floor. Phyllis and I tore off siding from what will become a back porch area, hauled things to the dumpster, and did lots of sweeping!

I also had the opportunity to meet a woman named Amy who coordinates volunteers at her church Trinity Lutheran of Roselle. They hope to encourage more of their members to volunteer to work at Habitat sites in the area. It was great to be able to touch base with her this morning, and encourage her interest in having the church come out.

Here are some pictures from the morning:

A full dumpster gets picked up...

Cutting out the old beams, 2nd floor...

No 2nd floor!

In a Day

No floor last week...

They say that Rome was not built in a day, and this is certainly very true. Our house will not be finished in a day either, but it is amazing to see what can be accomplished in just one day.

Last week, when I left the house there was no flooring throughout the entire first floor. Today, upon returning the entire first floor was built!

By the time Chris left today, there were framed walls for our hall entrance-way, basement stairway, and den! The team today was really working hard, and included regular volunteers as well as a great group of students from Northwestern.

If you are interested in getting in on the action, sign up today! There is always work to be done, and even though I am not skilled I was busy almost every minute.

New flooring this week!

Framing our entrance-way!

Day Two!

Day One...cold and snowy!

The first floor getting torn out...

The basement looking through the flooring.

Wow...no more floor!

Day One!

Day One...warm and sunny!

A new roof!

Cutting out walls!

Down comes the wall making room for a future side porch.

Lunch Anyone? :)

New Year

As our family enters into 2012 we realize that this will be a year full of many adventures and challenges. Our house has officially been added to the volunteer calendar, and we start working tomorrow. We are walking very humbly in this process, because we know that God is blessing us with an amazing opportunity.

When visiting another Habitat home in Elgin I learned that a volunteer had taken on the project of refinishing the original handrail going from the first to the second floor. This labor of love literally involved striping layers of paint off the large piece and recreating the missing pieces to complete the railing. I was moved to tears to think of the heart that went into this home, and now our home will be filled with love even before we move in.

Chris and I have lived in a spacious and gracious 1920's apartment, and in the basement of our friend's warm home (that was once a barn), and now we reside at my parent's handsome colonial home. In all these places we have found home, in each other and with our four wonderful children. That being said, owning a home represents something to a family and we are very ready to make a home together in the very near future.

In God's faithfulness to both of us, in our marriage, in our financial journey, and in the gift of our children there are so many stories or testimonies. Every story points back to God and how good He is. Through trial and through blessing He is our heavenly Father who loves us. He loves us so much that he gave us love through His only son Jesus.

Every volunteer that steps foot in our home and the other Habitat homes all over our Nation and world are a reflection of this love. For this gift, and the work ahead of us in this New Year we are extremely grateful.

1 John 4:7-12

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."