hurricane harvey

Done! (almost, sorta, kinda)

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Really sorry for all the crying and blubbering but y’all, this one has got me all in tears.  Tonight, 8 months after the flood, she sleeps back home.

None of this would have been possible without all the amazing and generous donations of time, money, sweat, and free labor from friends AND strangers.  University Baptist Church and it’s members not only served for days mucking her out and sorting through her things, doing her laundry, ripping out flooring and drywall, but they also donated over $8,000 to pay for her appliances! My parents, without hesitation, let this kind stranger and her dog live in their condo while she waited for her FEMA housing.  My landscaper, Lorenzo Carbajal donated his time and labor to give her a new flower garden in the front and the back even in the midst of doing his own flood repairs.  heavydutypocketdoorframes.com donated a pocket door frame, including shipping and a flight down from Phoenix for the installation. Forgital USA donated funds for her garden.  Mindy Thompson spent hours listening, elbow deep in moldy muck, carrying, packing, folding, hauling, and listening some more.  I could NEVER have managed those first few weeks without her.  My girlfriends and my mom gave up afternoons to help clean out her garage.  Y’all revived and refreshed me and your support was so encouraging.  My husband let me borrow the work truck half a dozen times and did a TON of dirty, heavy lifting.  Thanks, babe.  Last but not least, there’s Pastor Steve.  It was your kind heart that saw a need and jumped in head first to meet it.  Thank you for dragging me along with you into this life changing adventure and for being there with wisdom and encouragement every step of the way.  You are an inspiration and I’m following where you’re leading.  Stuck with me, I guess.

Nita…that’s a long list of love.  I hope you feel it and are surrounded by it every day.  Welcome home, sweet friend.

Below is how I found her condo on the day I met her, September 2, 2017.

This is some footage of her complex from the week we met.  Her things are piled out there with the rest of the hurricane victims’.

Video Updates

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Y’all, it’s been crazy busy in Friendswood this month!  We’ve been hustling to get our dear friend, Nita back home!  We’re getting closer everyday.  Watch below if you’d like to see the progress unfold.

Week 1

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It’s been a wild, emotional, wet, moldy week in Friendswood.  The beginning is always hard.  It’s dirty and messy and man, in this case, it smells really bad too.  Demo is almost complete and next week we tackle electrical.  I took a couple pics and videos to give y’all a feel for what’s been going down.  Be glad that smell doesn’t come through the camera.

Welcome Home

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I stopped by this morning to take “after” photos of a job I’m finishing up.  The place was FULL of boxes and picture frames and laundry baskets.  Never has a mess been more of a welcome sight.  You see, this family has been living in a cramped apartment away from their home since it flooded in Hurricane Harvey back in September.  Seeing their things littered around and filling up their beautifully renovated home made me giggle with joy.  Because of the unpacking, I was only able to take photos of the master bathroom.  Totally worth not having pictures, if you ask me.  Welcome home, sweet family.

Time to Rebuild

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This is a tough post to type. It’s not the typical tile and paint update. Yes, this one is about a remodel but it’s more than just putting a home back together…it’s about rebuilding a life.

I met Nita on September 2nd, about 8 days after Hurricane Harvey landed. Her condo took in water up to her knees and with no family close by and a flooded car, she had no choice but to stay.

It took days to muck out her condo and sort through her things. Even longer to wade through the mountains of paperwork for insurance.

During the last few months, I’ve had the honor of getting to know Nita. Over wine and paperwork, I’ve had a chance to learn her story. Over moldy boxes and piles of laundry, I’ve had a chance to tell her mine. We’ve shopped and sorted and trashed and laughed and cried together and finally…it’s time to rebuild together. I hope you’ll join us.  Check in from time to time and see the progress.  Maybe you can learn with me that the loss of things can be devastating but it’s in people and relationships where true joy and hope is found.