Day of service

My church congregation performs many, many service projects in a year, but once or twice, we select 2-3 people in our own congregation and go to their houses to help with projects. Yesterday, which also happened to be national day of service day, I was the lucky recipient. I've had to put so many projects on hold since Lars has been working again, plus me starting a new job and also taking two graduate level classes, that it's become overwhelming. I had a very long list, but inside the house and out, and didn't expect but a few to get done.

The "crew" showed up at 8:00 am. I didn't count the number, but I suspect at least 30-40 arrived at various times. I was most impressed with the children, who worked really hard. They also managed to squeeze in a little fun jumping on the trampoline.

While one crew was outside trimming bushes, palm trees, fruit trees and the grass, another crew was inside completing my "honey-do" projects. Outside I needed a few bushes torn out because they were the kind that grow so fast that I couldn't keep up with trimming them on a regular basis so it was easier to take them out and replace them with something that still looks good when overgrown. :) There were a few bushes by the pool that also needed to come out because the leaves keep clogging up the pool filter. There was also a dead palm by the pool that needed removing. I was thrilled by getting all that labor done of dragging the trimmings from the back of the yard to the front because our City will pick it up for free, but it has to be out near the sidewalk. The kids did a great job doing the hauling!

In the end, we were able to help my neighbor also, who had been expressing a desire for a long time to have one of his trees cut down, and so we did. Then he reminded me that one of my trees along our block wall fence was damaging our shared wall with its root system. I didn't really want to see that tree go, but I knew he was right that it would just continue to damage the wall, so the crew cut it down too. I couldn't believe that we were able to get all that work done outside!

On the inside, the list was long:

remove the damaged door from Erik getting locked out of the house
install the new door
install the hardware on the new door
install a cat door
replace a ceiling fan
clean the wood blinds
replace a vent fan in one of the bathrooms
repair the kitchen sink faucet
re-set the low tire indicator in my car
install license plate on my new used car
replace Sarah's bedroom light switch
hang a shelf in the bathroom
clean my permanent furnace filter
replace the water spigot outside
take the corroded water sprayer off the hose
re-program my sprinkler system

I would have been thrilled to get 2-3 items off that list, but they all got done! And in under 3 hours! What a wonderful gift. I feel like I won the lottery! I can't thank my church family enough. I truly love each and everyone dearly! The picture doesn't show everyone, so I will try to remember them all in name:

Hoppa family
Ludwig family
Tredway family
Boirum family
Welly family
Bashford family
Hatch family
Sims family
Brown family
Atkin family
Johnson family
Oplinger family
Smith family
Starks family
Jones family
Alfaro family
Heywood family
McMaster family
Willis family