I just want to say, "THANK YOU!"

My family and I have recently been the recipients of some tremendous blessings... blessing that have come largely part because of my sisters, Lisa and Jeannie.

About a month ago, My sister Jeannie, her husband Jeff, and their kids, Noah and Hannah, plus all of Jeff's brothers and sisters and their spouses, AND his Dad, all showed up at my house and put themselves to work! Tim and Kelly Shore and kids, Brad and Keri Kramer and kids, and Don Doll all came to be part of this blessing to our family. My father-in-law George D. and my brother-in-law Mike D. (Chris's dad and brother) also showed up and helped! What a great day!

The showed up and began to work on all kinds of things aroundour house. They landscaped, painted, repaired and painted the front deck, and helped to install the hot tub that has been sitting at the side of our house for almost two years! (And guess what? IT WORKS!!!) When Jeannie had been to our house earlier in the month, she'd asked Chris for a copy of her "master-wish-list" of things she'd likd to see done around the house, or things that were needed doing, and took it back to her family and organized a work party! I couldn't believe it.

I have to admit that I am not a very good receiver of love and help. It makes me feel accutely inadequate and embarassed. I know that's wrong, and I'm trying to work my way through feeling that way, but it was so humbling to watch all of these people come to our house - most of which I only knew in passing, or not at all - and have them do so much to bless us. I am so grateful. Words are a poor substitute for the deep feelings of my heart to explaing how I feel. I found the following a couple days after these wonderful people came and blessed us... and of course, the Word of God always does a better a job of expressing things...

"The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life,
a wise person wins friends."
Proverbs 11:30

If I can be so bold, I'd like to say that not only have they won our friendship, but they have also planted seeds that have given us life, and joy. Thank you Jeannie, Jeff, Don, Tim, Kelly, Brad, Keri, and all the kids! You will never fully know how much you blessed us! Thank you!

I wanted to get some pictures, and I asked Chris to do it, but she was so busy helping that we only got a couple... Sorry I missed almost everyone! Here are the ones that I got:

Jeff setting a great example for his son Noah!

Noah showing his Dad how to work the weed weasle!

Noah worked the entire time... what a great helper!

My brother - not only on this earth, but in the Lord!
Thank you Jeff!

I asked Jeff for his "best side" and well...
"Take it in what sense thou wilt..."

Jeannie playing in the dirt... after all these years,
things really haven't changed much!

Dad D. doin' what comes natural-like... He was tuckered out
after helping with the hot tub... Normally, we drop things in his
open mouth... but not today!

My nephew Cody was also part of the crowd!

Zack and Cody helping out on the roof.

"Whaddya mean "SMILE?" I AM SMILING!"

"Just KIDDIN! You know I love the camera!"
And the camera loves my Hannah Banana!

THEN... as if that wasn't enough, two weeks later, my little sister, Lisa and her whole family came all the way up from St. George to bless us with a work day too! Mark, Lisa, Morgan, Brady, Gerrick, and Logan all came up and spend a COLD wet Saturday painting the inside of the house! Again, I was in the position to be blessed... and I am so very thankful!

Their boys have always amazed me with their work ethic and drive. They worked very hard, side by side with their mom and dad and painted our hallway, stairwell, and the ENTIRE living room! I felt bad for Mark... he always gets so cold up here, and was shivering when he got there! He started working and soon (after turning up the heat) he seemed like he was ok!

My sisters and their families have blessed me so much. I can't express how much it means to me to have them in my life - let alone to be loved so much that they would go out of their way to bless me and my family this way. And to involve extended family... I don't know how to say thank you enough!

Here are some shots from Mark and Lisa's family visit:

Logan doing his part! Thanks Yog!

Everyone coordinating the work

Lisa and Gerrick layin' it on thick!

Morgan just got back from his mission back east...
and here he is, holding onto that pesky painting pole...
Damn thing kept trying to get away!

The hallway... it's a carmel color... like the rest of the place!

The bedroom and it's chocolate colored wall!

Right in the middle of all of the fun with Mark, Lisa and boys, Jeannie showed up, and Lisa and her finished painting our bedroom! She said she came down to finish her part. Like an idiot though, I didn't take any pictures of her and Lisa together! Duh!

The wreck in the living room... had to move everything away from the walls!

The walls around the fireplace... The color really warmed the room up!

Over the stairs...

The living room in progress!

Brady, I'm sorry! I didn't end up with any shots of you (that you could tell you were Brady anyway!) Thank you all for your help and hard work. We've been so blessed! Not only the labor, but the financial help too! ALL OF YOU! We couldn't have made it through this month without both of my sister's families!

You know, there are days when you get so sick of people telling you they are Christians... then there comes a day like these weekends, where nothing at all needs to be said. You just have to see the love being shown through hard work and help... and you know... you just simply know these people know the Lord.

I thank God for my sisters. Like Chris says, they are PRECIOUS! Thank you to all the families involved. You'll never know how much you blessed us.

This is me... humbled, and happy... take it or leave it!