All Systems GO!!!

Yep -- the decision has been made!

We are going to rebuild Don's house!!!!

The morning had me sitting behind the contractor's desk at Lowes with 2 men who were trying their bes to get estimates done for me.  One was all the materials for the house, the other for the garage.  Of course, one can never get every single piece of material but we got as close as possible.  The house estimate was pretty complete but the one for the garage didn't have anything for the reworking of the foundation, running the water and sewer lines and reworking the back added on room.  Even without all that -- the estimate for the house was substantially lower.  That was the first good news.

The second?  When the Monroe County Building Commissioner paid a visit to Don's.  He hadn't seen it and agreed that he not only wanted to, he needed to.  The smile on his face as he got out of his truck spoke volumes to me.  We once again walked all around the house, checking the foundation, checking the roof and everything else.  When we went inside he was as surprised as I was -- nearly all the damage is confined to the roof.  Yes, it looks horrendous and if you've never worked on disaster damaged homes it might be overwhelming.  But the commissioner looked at nearly every detail and agreed with the plans we had in our mind.  He isn't able to "recommend" we rebuild the house or turn the garage into a house but he can tell us his thoughts.

I liked his thoughts.  He liked what he saw.  He also agreed to work with us in obtaining the building permit and anything else we might need along the way.

We were all smiles as he pulled out of the driveway.

Next was to make the phone call to Jane of Catholic Charities.  She's been covered up since Tuesday morning with the tornado that struck Paoli and was once again on the road there.  She was happy with the input from the commissioner and we agreed that we will rebuild the house.

Next phone call?  To Monroe, the Amish team leader.  I was happy to give him the green light to organize his team and let me know when they would be here and if they would need housing.  If he gets the team from Rockville, Illinois they will most likely drive back and forth since it's only an hour away.  If they come from any farther they will need housing.  I assured him we have a church lined up that will be happy to house them.  I also let him know that he and his wife are more than welcome to stay here with us.  Time will tell.

So tomorrow we welcome a very large group of volunteers, mostly students, from here at Indiana University.  They will have their work cut out for them.  We will be removing all damaged materials and furniture from Don's house, cleaning up the yard area, finishing the gut out of the damaged rooms and doing our best to have everything ready for the rebuilding to start.  It's a big job but there may be upwards of 35 volunteers so alot will be happening all over the place and it will all be good and working forward!  Go team!

Upon arriving home I got a phone call from Michael -- who was in his trailer working all by himself -- putting up ceiling insulation!!!!  I had to ask him how in the world he was doing that?  Remember that he's in a wheelchair!!!  He laughed when he told me he was using a broom to hold it up and get it to stay behind the trusses.  He later sent me a picture of the progress he'd made and I was amazed!  The old saying "necessity is the mother of invention" definitely applies here!  The sad part -- that he was doing this alone!  Where are the volunteers to help him?  Why does he have to wait till Saturdays to get any help -- and even then they just aren't showing up!  It is a little more than frustrating for me -- but ten times as much for Michael.  By working only one day a week we feel as though we are moving at a snail's pace -- a crippled snail at that!  We have put out request after request but so far they just aren't showing up.  Any ideas???? 

So at the end of the day -- a good day -- a day of moving forward in a big way with Don -- a day of Michael moving forward on his own -- I thank God for His direction -- for His provision and for His constant love for all of us!

Be sure and stay tuned for pics of tomorrow's work! 

To God be the glory!!!!!  

Until next time . . .                    Susan and Monty