The Blessing House

As I have started posting some pictures of our new house on social media people kept wanting to know more and I thought it may be easier to just write a blog about how this all started. As some of you know we are moving this fall, and if you didn't know, well now you do. Some of you also know how this dream all started and some do not. You may be thinking - how does this house have anything to do with your chronic illness. Well it actually has a lot to do with this dream and how everything all started. Let's rewind back to last year before school started. Our associate pastor talked to my mom about this dream she had. She said this verse "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27. She just felt like God was telling her to do something to help us.  We lost Dad and then our current house was becoming difficult for me to continue living in with my health issues.  The dream was about the church and community helping us build a house - not just any house but a accessible house in this amazing neighborhood they were a part of called Blue Diamond Communities. Blue Diamond is in intergenerational community. They have 3 greenhouses( with a fourth being built) which is assisted living and they have 12 people in each greenhouse. Then the people living in the subdivision, like what we will be doing,  range in various ages and stages of life. All of the houses and duplexes here are built to age in. So essentially to live in the house as long as possible. When she told Mom of this dream this seemed almost too perfect of a place for me to call home. I wouldn't be the only one in a wheelchair if I wanted to go outside and I could be much more social on days I felt good. I remember we were really excited but also in the back of my mind I was like this has got to work God. It was a good lesson in faith. No dream is too crazy and if you just keep praying good things may come. I kept thinking of the mustard seed. Nothing is too small and nothing is too big for God, all we can do is pray and see what comes out of this dream.    He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard see, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." -Matthew 17:20. 

Then in October of 2017 after some discussion with church leaders the plan was to move forward with this dream. This dream was becoming a reality. It feels so weird to be on the receiving end of something this generous. They then presented to the church and community members. People started offering their time and started committing to donating supplies, or labor for the new house. It was a very humbling experience to see all these people coming forward and offering things. People have given monetary donations. Words can't even adequately express how incredibly grateful and thankful and blessed we feel. 

You are probably wondering how this has anything to do with chronic illness. Well, as my health got worse so did walking in the house. Our house was built a long time ago and accessible homes were not something that everyone was building. We never thought anything about this house not being suitable until it became unsuitable. When Mom broke her legs the steps were a little challenging to get in the house but she did it and it was temporary. Then I got sick and walking in the house only a total of 3 steps became a huge mountain for me. I couldn't do it anymore. I needed help making my legs go up and bend so my mom and sister would have to physically lift my leg to go up the stairs. By the time I got into the house I would usually pass out and then would throw up a lot. It was disgusting and incredibly embarrassing and then I felt awful physically and mentally. It was wearing on me that I could no longer walk into my home - my safe place. Members of our church came in and built a ramp to get into the house which makes it easier to get in but my Mom has to push me up the ramp in my wheelchair which gets tiring because it is fairly steep.  .The home I have known my whole life was becoming unlivable for me. Getting in the shower was getting nearly impossible without help. It's a tub/shower combo. I can't take my walker into the bathroom because our doors are not ADA accessible. On days that I have a POTS flare up it gets a little scary sometimes being away from that. It is hard to navigate the walker in this house and on days that are really bad I can't really use the wheelchair or scooter in here. I can't do a whole lot in the kitchen because we mostly have cabinets and those are hard for me to open. 

The walker doesn't fit through the bathroom doors it gets stuck

The ramp our church built 

It is a weird feeling to know the house that you grew up in and ran around in you can't really live in anymore. I get asked a lot about how I feel about leaving the house if it's sad or mixed emotions. I mean of course it's weird to say goodbye to your childhood home and the house that Dad was in because there are memories everywhere. Memories don't stay in the house though memories come with you. In some ways living here is hard. Every time I look out that one window I go right back to November 8, 2013 because that is where I saw Dad. I naturally avoid that window but sometimes you can't. It also is hard to look at because I look out where I used to run around, play basketball, or do crazy tricks on the swing. I can't do any of that anymore. It is a hard feeling to describe. I am ready to get to the new house. I can be independent and I won't have things that are hard to look at. 

Our current house (and it sold YAY)

The new house will have a walk in shower and everything is level and ADA accessible which means zero level entry- NO MORE RAMP! The other day I took my walker in the new house for the 1st time and I went to my room, bathroom, and closet and I stood in my bedroom and as hard as this is to share - yes I started crying. I just sat there and cried. I was overcome with emotions that I could actually take my walker everywhere I needed to be. I could walk in from the car to the garage all by myself. I can have some independence back. As I sat there I couldn't help but miss Dad. Many people that are donating their time, labor, or supplies had a connection with Dad. It has been almost 5 years and people in the community still think of Dad often . Everyday I realize just how truly blessed I was to be able to call him Dad. He gives me inspiration to live life like he did. I love that it's like he still has his hand on us and it's almost like he is always watching and protecting us. Many of our close friends and family have also commented on that in the sense that it is like Dad is a part of this. So just to recap our associate pastor had a dream for this house to get built with church and community help. It is happening! We are building a full ADA accessible duplex. Thank you for all the prayers and support. We have nickname our house The Blessing House because it is a blessing in so many ways! Scroll  down the bottom to see a "timeline" of the house progress.                                                                                                                        God is good ALL the time

You never really think of a house becoming difficult to live in until your in a situation that makes it difficult wether that maybe something physically or emotionally. If you have any questions or anything feel free to comment or message me! 

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4

Before they started digging April 22, 2018

Digging began! May 17, 2018

another picture of dig day May 17, 2018

poured the basement walls June 2, 2018

Framing began! This was so exciting to see this!
June 21, 2018

The rooms were getting framed! June 22, 2018

We got to watch them build the roof which was really cool!
June 26, 2018

June 26, 2018

More work on the inside
June 26, 2018 

Thanks to our future neighbor who took this while we were on vacation :)
The shingles got put on!
July 5, 2018

When we got back from vacation they made a lot of progress! This is inside our garage looking into the house
July 9, 2018

We wrote special things on the walls before the dry wall goes up here are just a few examples we had to put the blessing house somewhere! This is the entrance in the garage to the house
July 22, 2018 

One of the verses I put in my room I wanted to share on here since this verse means a lot to me and is the reason why my web address for the blog is 4110
July 22, 2018 

Underneath where we put the Blessing House
thanks everyone for all your support!
July 22, 2018