Gift Of My Own

The new gift in the living room

I have meaning to write a few entries that date bcak a bit and this is one that I really need to get out there for a couple of reasons, the most important is to say thank you.

three weeks ago I came back from my brother's wedding in Minneapolis, MN and I found a huge surprise waiting for me. I drove into the drive and noticed some things hanging in the window and wondered 'what the..?'. I carried my first load of crap from the car into the house and when I walked through the door I about dropped everything on top of Ellie's head. I had had 'curtain fairies' over the weekend and to my amazement they had gone to town in hanging curtain rods, some curtains and had laid out options of fabric for other rooms for the entire first floor! Holy cow what a transformation!

I had come to find out in later discussion that my mother-in-law (Caryn) had spent her entire weekend playing 'curtain fairy' with the help of every member of the family at some point during the weekend. So, Russ, Caryn, Brittany, Gma Helen and Gpa Case took their weekend and drove countless times back-and-forth to the fabric store, to Pottery Barn, to the mall, to the Home Depot to find just the right fabrics and rods to make the first floor seem a little more like home for us when we returned from MN. It was perfect! They even moved a few pieves of furniture from one room to the next to begin setting things in a closer-to-final resting place. Man the amount of time and work put it was truly humbling. I know family is 'supposed' to help, but this really knocked me over. Thank you guys, the house is becoming more and more like a home (and teh neighbors are getting to see me less in my undies and I'm sure they thank you too).
The sunroom saw great shade/And some on back order

All in all it finished off the rooms


This was also all set into motion by my girlfriend Shana, who as it turns out also did a little 'scheduling fairy' work of her own. Unbeknown to me she sent out an email to a lot of friends and family prior to my leaving saying that I really needed help as the project was starting to wear on me. Honestly that another entry to cover, but in short that too was amazing and floored me as well. I distinctly remember having the conversation with her about how I'm 'done asking family. They have done too much already and they need to get back to focusing on their own lives.' Sometimes not listening is a real blessing. Thank you Shana and thank you to my family for continuing to help. I truly hope the end is near and every time I think it is, reality sets in, but you're always there.

Since that email, Gpa has come up to paint, elisha and Mom continue to help with Ellie, Mary came and helped on a free Saturday - it's an amazing blessing to have family that through thick and thin always back you up. It was a great way to return from a long, exhausting weekend
for all involved, and have a little more 'home' waiting for me.