Living The Campbell Life: Finally!! We painted the house!!

Its probably been close to 3 years since we decided we needed to paint the house. Other things have always taken priority, like adding a 2nd bathroom which has been a total life saver with 5 kids!! I don't like to go into debt for stuff like this so we had to save to pay cash. It seemed every time we would save the money, a car repair would be needed or a family would be in need, or a half of dozen other things. Or we would save the money, and not have the time to accomplish the project on our own. I was starting to feel like it would never happen! One day my brother approached me and said he hoped it wouldn't offend us, but he had turned in our names for a habitat project. Habitat for Humanity started a new program last year where to focus on certain neighborhoods and would help paint or do minor exterior repairs to help fix up the neighborhood. Was it the avenue we preferred? not really, but the reality was this was an answer to my prayers! Nothing really happened for months and I didn't have any expectations. When Parker was diagnosed with Diabetes, everything else took the back burner for a while so I honestly wasn't really thinking about it. When I finally met with Karen from Habitat, she had us fill out paperwork for the project. I found out that we did not meet the income qualifications for this type of project. Then as if she was prompted to ask, she asked if we had anyone in our family with health issues that could cause a financial burden. I almost burst into tears! Yes!! yes I did!! That was that and we were scheduled for a house paint the next week!! It was all happening so fast and I was so excited. A group of bikers were coming through town and needed a project. We scrambled to pick house colors and prepare food and things for 26 volunteers. The night before our house was to be painted, I got a sad phone call from Karen at habitat. Two of the bikers had been hit by a car and one had been killed. The paint job was canceled.... I wad devastated. Not that I didn't feel do badly for these 2 girls and their families because I was heartbroken for them, but I felt like Christmas didn't come. The day we were supposed to have our house painted, I prepared a dutch oven lunch for all the bikers, my mom came to help and we took it to the Presbyterian where they were staying and served them all lunch. It was a hard emotional day for me. I will be honest. Grant and I had decided that no matter what it took, we were going to get our house painted!! A few days later, Karen called us and said that a group of men from the Presbyterian church who call themselves the "Romeos" had approached her and volunteered to pain our house that weekend!! I was blown away by the fact that total strangers from a faith that I don't even belong to wanted to serve me and my family. I gathered a few family members and local friends and the romeos provided 6-7 men and we got the job done!! Grant and I spent several days removing rain gutters and sanding the house to prepare for the paint. I was blown away by the Christ like love that these men had for me! It was hot and it was not easy work, but they all spent 2 full days serving us. The interesting twist was that I asked members of my ward and church to help too and not one single person showed. I am still working on processing that....I will add that my direct neighbors offered to make assignments, but I didnt think people should be assigned to help me. Another brought sodas, and one brought browinies for all the workers. But I have learned what true Christians are! They don't have to be assigned to serve, they just see a person in need and are quick to lift a burden just like Christ did. I have set a goal to be more like these Christians. I don't was to sit and wait to be told to serve, I will seek opportunities to help lift the spirits of those around me, and not just those who go to my church, or those who don't. Anyone, stranger, family or friend. Spend my life making others feel as blessed as I felt on this day!! I could not be happier with how good it turned out too! I just got a new house and didn't even have to move haha