Week 8 & 9
Week Eight and Nine
Where were we?? Sorry, I got a little out of pocket during the holidays, so I am combining the week eight and the week nine update! More on the reason for that later! Let me bring you up to speed on what has been happening out at the Christian Farm while WE were all busy feasting on turkey!
It seems that each aspect of this build has been touched by it’s own little blessing, and the sheetrock phase has been no exception. So many of you have shared this story of the home to be built for the Christian family with others, which has led to amazing gifts of either material or labor. Kent and Karlene Lawrence shared our story at dinner one night last June. One of the men sitting at their table “just happened” to be from the National Gypsum Company and committed their company to supply the materials for the build that night. On Monday before Thanksgiving, this material was delivered to the site. I want to thank Robert Cunningham and John Mixson of the National Gypsum Co. for the generous donation of the sheetrock and the mud for this home. I also want to thank my dear friends, the Lawrences, for sharing the story.
Right after this commitment for the sheetrock material, we had an Athens Area Homebuilder monthly meeting. It was a special day for I had the pleasure of introducing Melissa Christian and several other special guests to the Association. I also shared the story of the sheetrock material gift. Afterward, Melissa Orbea, introduced herself and her husband Lionel, as owners of Magnum Drywall. She said they would like to furnish the sheetrock labor of the build. With tears in her eyes, she told me her story. Her mother served on the police force in Miami, and when Melissa was 15 and her sister was 10 she was tragically shot and killed. She said the community had come out in force to provide for her family in their time of grief. Melissa felt in helping with the Christian home she could “pay forward” the same comfort and support others in Miami had provided for her and her sister.
Melissa and Lionel took the reigns and handled the entire drywall package including arranging the delivery of the sheet goods and material by Georgia Drywall/Georgia Vinyl Distributors Inc, with Jason Jenkins. It seriously scared me as I saw the semi truck pulling a trailer along with another piggy-back truck drive into the jobsite with all 3 loaded with drywall on Monday of week 8. I later found out that we were just the first stop! I appreciate the special care the delivery team took with the windows and doors to ensure these were not damaged in the stocking process. As soon as the delivery was complete, the installation started, followed by the finishers. On Tuesday of week 9, Melissa called and said the sheetrock was finished and ready for trim. Magnum Drywall and their crew did a fantastic job with the sheetrock, AND the job site was left cleaner than any other drywall company that I have ever worked with! Melissa, you and Lionel have certainly “paid forward”, and I thank you.
On the outside, the Halloran men keep right on marching up the walls with the brick. The front is complete as well as much of the right side. Scaffolds were being set up on the back this last Friday. These guys continue to amaze me giving up their weekends. I want to thank Sunbelt Scaffold Rental, Matt Long, for the rental and delivery of the scaffolds. I would also like to thank Sutton Construction Specialties, Mike Lathrup for supplying the flashing and weeps for the masonry. We have had angle irons and lintels provided free of charge by anonymous donors. All of these items are necessary for the proper installation of the brick, and we thank you all.
About 12 years ago, a former customer introduced me to the wonderful tradition of placing a family Bible inside the wall behind the sheetrock at the front door. It serves as a blessing to all that enter and reminds each one daily of the protection provided by His Word. Before leaving for Thanksgiving travels, we placed the Bible that I had presented to Melissa at the groundbreaking ceremony in her front wall. She had filled it will their family lineage, pictures and postings, and it was a special moment of Thanksgiving for both of us. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to have met this strong and special lady and her wonderful family and friends.
It has been my past experience that if you have a good sheetrock crew, this is a good time to take a much needed break before the trim and set out starts. With Magnum in the lead, this house was no exception. Doug and I did take a much-needed break and enjoyed the Thanksgiving holidays with our family in TN. The holiday held the miracle of the birth of our second grand daughter, Eliana, and all the world stood still for just a moment . We are entering the busiest time of the year. May we all find time to just stand still for a moment and be thankful.
Blessings to all,
Karen
House after week 9!