habitat: local build

For July's ministry focus I am featuring Habitat for Humanity. Jeremy and I have worked with them for several years now in different capacities. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Jeremy led three teams of men down to rebuild homes near the Ninth Ward, over a period of three years. I helped organize and raise funds/supplies here, as it was a men's-only trip. The guys took all the supplies needed down with them. We even arranged for our favorite chef and her assistant to be there and feed the men daily. It really was amazing as they finished out several homes in the period of one week.

For those unfamiliar with Habitat for Humanity, it is a Christian organization that builds home for people in need, whether from natural disaster or a need for a new start. They state on their website that they have more than 1,500 local affiliates in the United States and more than 80 national organizations around the world. They have helped build or repair over 600,000 houses and serve more than 3 million people worldwide.

Our latest venture with Habitat is really special to us because our friend Stacy is in the process of getting her home built. We are really proud of her because she has dedicated many hours so she could start her build, as well as become a part of her local Circles group to actively move out of poverty. This home is an exciting change for her family.

Starting in the morning: no walls.

Two sides up. Doing prep work for the third wall.

Stacy's goal for this house: to run an air nailer. 

Mission Accomplished!

Building the final exterior wall before the rain hits.

Jeremy and Matt nailing the top plate.

Ralph, 85, was a pleasure to work with.

Ralph and Loraine have worked over 30 years with Habitat.

All four sides up.

This will be an ongoing project we are helping with this summer until it is complete. Again, we are very excited for Stacy and her family.

If you are interested in being involved with Habitat for Humanity, I recommend you start at the local level and get a taste for what they do. It is pretty amazing. They respond to natural crisis across the United States, so there is opportunity to get involved in the capacity as well. They always need hands to help with the work.

Visit their website at www.habitat.org

remodel: block and seal

It is amazing what progress you start to see when the block work goes in. The layout of the house started to take form. I really enjoyed watching our block layer - he made the hard work look easy, and his lines were straight and crisp. When the evening sun cast a shadow on the blocks, each line was as straight and clean as the last.

After block was was finished, we smoothed the crawl space area. Jeremy and Blake ran the tile around the interior edges, put plastic over, then Rock Chuckers spread pea gravel. Today, the boys brushed on the foundation sealer.

Remote control delivery of our blocks.

Always start with the corners.

Randy laying block.

Clearing away the excess.

Blake brushing it smooth.

Jeremy applying sealer.

remodel: a firm foundation

Things are moving right along here on the remodel. The Jamison crew has been here pouring footers and getting all the prep work done for the block layer. Jeremy spends most of the day in the excavator. He has some crazy hours lately, as he still has his other work to do on top of this remodel. He is our general contractor, because he can manage the entire scope of the project. (I think it is interesting, because I have my master's degree in project management, but he is the one who is really gifted in handling all the work.)

Starting the digging.

Claire bringing me a treasure: a corn cob.

Elauna & Frederick with new friend Brent.

Jamison crew. Great workers.

Further along. 

Pouring the cement. Blake, Robert, Roger, "Big Al".

Pouring base for garage walls.

One of Jeremy's first jobs was as foreman for his brother's cement company.

Apprentice.

Finding grade.

Jeremy clearing the grass off the garage soil.

Crawl-space with wall foundations around. 

remodel: phase one complete

Life this summer looks a little different for us. We are remodeling our 100-year-old farm house and making some necessary changes. The foundation in the South end was settling (actually not the original foundation, but the secondary put in during the 50s). We were having issues like doors not closing, huge cracks in the walls, leaks, etc., so we decided to pull that end of the house off and rebuild fresh. We wanted to preserve the heritage so I will do a post on the history of the house at a later date.

We are roughing it in the main house (no running water), while using a bathroom and kitchenette off the shop. Midnight bathroom runs are interesting - we keep the flashlight and umbrella by the door. No air conditioning has actually been really wonderful. The doors and windows are wide open with the breeze blowing through the house. We adjust to leaks in the office over the computer, and light coming through the cracks everywhere now that the aluminum siding is gone. It is an adventure. The kids are loving every minute.

Before:

North side (front) of house. 

west side

east side

back (south/east)

south side with a cute Frederick

The kids before the remodel.

Remodel Begins:

Down it comes. Jeremy in the excavator.

Frederick helping tear off siding.

Half-and-half.

The girls on the front porch. I love the vintage look of this.

No siding on the old house. (East side).

South side. Jamison crew in the trenches.

West side. 

prairie princess

I was able to do a photoshoot for some friends this past weekend, and the little girls looked so darling in their little white dresses. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm - and we met at a nature reserve, so the sounds of the birds and the wind in the trees were so peaceful. Some of the photos looked like they walked right out of Victorian England and the freshness of the gardens within. Of course it makes it fun when your subjects are so adorable. Here are a few of my favorites of the little girls.

new work

Summer time is upon us and at our house that means work is in full gear. And one thing I greatly admire about my husband is that he is an incredibly hard worker. He really embodies that verse in Colossians where it says to work at whatever you do with all your heart - like you are working for the Lord, not for men....it is the Lord you are serving. Sometimes I take for granted that he is a hard worker, and the Lord shows me again how rare a trait it is, and encourages me to appreciate what a great husband I have. (He really is pretty awesome).

His latest adventure is in asbestos abatement. (He saw a market for this line of work with the current green movement, but we still have our other two businesses keeping us busy as well.)  He and nephew Blake started an abatement-demolition company last year and they are now in full swing. They suit up and remove asbestos from buildings and homes, then many of the buildings get demolished, which they also do. This line of work doesn't really allow for the family to help, but the kids do get to ride along for site inspections and errands. I also get to rummage for vintage or antique items - and architectural salvage items. Very fun!

All the gray siding is asbestos. Blake on right suited up.

After asbestos removed.

And it's gone! There was less than a foot between buildings.