As my sweet friend Dwan puts it, "CHECK!" I accomplished another goal I had for myself this year. I have always wanted to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and decided there was no time like the present.
I showed up to the job site in BFE (a.k.a Magna) at 9:00 AM and shortly realized I would be the only estrogen contributor the whole day... There's nothing like being the only girl at a job site where men dominate. Let's just say I inhaled lots of cigarette fumes, coffee odors, and learned some new words of which I probably should not repeat. However, I did learn how to put siding on a house, and I also learned it is definitely NOT a fun job. I wasn't sure if the day was ever going to end as I handed hammers and nails to "the
men in charge" and cut siding with the tiniest, most useless cutting tools ever created. Finally lunch time had arrived! I sat in my car all by my lonesome, munching away. There was a storm in the distance... would it come over here? Was I going to be even more miserable? I kept telling myself I
could leave, I was just a volunteer and had no binding contracts holding me back. No! I came to work, and I'm going to work the WHOLE day! Lunch ended, we went back to siding and then the flood came: A storm like I've never seen before sent us fleeing for shelter. Could it be? The work day was over due to stormy conditions? I've never had an answer to prayer come in the form of a torrential rain storm before! I had a big grin on my face as I drove 20 mph on the freeway all the way home in the hail/rain/wind storm.
Ok, so despite all of it being true, the day wasn't
that bad. I learned how to install siding, show the boys that I'm a tough girl, and checked off a 2010 goal. I think next time I will go with an organized group so I will have good company and enjoy the day a little more. I may also wait until all the serious manual labor (climbing ladders in the wind, cutting siding with wimpy scissors, and measuring the same piece of siding 20 times) is completed. But alas, building a house is all manual labor.
Either way, Habitat for Humanity is a great organization that provides low-income, working families with a home. I imagine there is no greater feeling than owning a permanent home for your family as you work to provide them with everything they need.
Here is the Habitat street. They were working on 3 houses at the time.
And here is the dreaded siding! Haha, but we started with only a few rows of siding and look how far we made it until the storm arrived!!!
(P.S. I had to take pictures from my car, cause I knew the guys would make fun of me if I took pictures while we were working... Men just don't understand the joy and satisfaction of taking pictures. That's why they have us girls... their better halves.)
Magically found these two lovely ladies at the starting line amongst a million people.
Ran (literally) into Adam at the last 1/8 of a mile - we sprinted to the finish together!
Oh Tanner, if only I could have kept up with you - we would have raced to the finish.
We were ready for MORE!!!
Oh Scoot Scoot, you have been our lifesaver this summer. There's nothing more summery about driving around in flaming (yes, check out the flames on that helmet) helmets on a scooter all over town.
Check out the view! We ate ice cream cones and watched the sunset. And check out the cool orb made by my camera on Nick's forehead - I think it's an alien.
Our fort! Ok, it's not the most amazing fort you've ever seen, but it was just perfect for us!
Cuddle fest - that's the only way all of us stayed on the blankets/Breeanne's towel...
You missed - but Eric likes it!
...And for choosing the coldest day in June...
...And for cutting your cake with a cool sword!...
...And for inviting us girls to spend the best day of your life with you...
...But hopefully it doesn't look like this when I get there...
... That would be bad...
(Thanks Lauren for reminding me to take a picture - and putting up with Nick's whining whenever we take pictures!)
#2. Tandem bike rides
Now I want one of these:
My very own beach cruiser.
Nick showed up at my house with these the other night. I thought I'd never see the day...
Eating at the Pizza Factory, a laptop, Nintendo DS, games, and lots of movies! Shopping Sprees are the best, and very special when you see a child walk out of Best Buy jumping up and down as if she'd won the lottery! She will have lots of fun with those toys especially during those long stays at the hospital. I love Make A Wish.
And ate this yummy treat:
But when I found out it contains 990 calories, 43 grams of fat, 28 grams of saturated fat, and 107 grams of sugar... I decided I wouldn't kill myself tonight.)
Oh Brian Regan, how I wish I had you in a little bottle every time I needed a good laugh.
Here is the Habitat street. They were working on 3 houses at the time.
And here is the dreaded siding! Haha, but we started with only a few rows of siding and look how far we made it until the storm arrived!!!
Yep, Nick was on the ground most of the time - meaning he was beat by a GIRL!!!
To quote Sara, "Best night of my life", and it will be the best night of your life when you SUMO!
Sprinting to the finish line. The crowd was cheering like CRAZY!!! There were a bunch of us sprinting like mad. It was a SURGE of energy!
Thanks mom and dad for coming to cheer!
...And Nick for waking up at 5:30 AM to take me to the starting line and waiting 2 hours and 22 minutes downtown for me to cross the finish line! You ROCK!
BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!! I CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!
