Girl Meets World: Housing the Pics: Habitat for Humanity 2005

March 12, 2005

Housing the Pics: Habitat for Humanity 2005

As many of you already know, we are back from our Seton Hill University Connecticut Habitat for Humanity trip.

I have many, many pics on the other end of this entry, so beware...you're in for the odd, heartwarming, and lovely.

Drywalling Divas: Karissa and I loved our drills for drywalling, which we did the entirety of the work days. Window frames are our specialty.

I dropped about a thousand screws, but it is picking them up that counts. My drill prowess on display :-)

Darren, SHU's food master chef man and also drywalling superman, takes a well-earned break in the bathroom with a good drywall book.

Move over Charlie's Angels...

We inhaled so much drywall. Sheetrock: The breakfast of champions.

You always need one of these pics--doublechins and all

We visited Mystic, Connecticut one day. We had a bit too much fun in the toy store. Yeah, that's me--the viking.

Getting together in front of South Church in Glastonbury where we slept. We showered at the Jewish Community Center in Hartford across town.

We were pretty bushed by this time--note the slant.

This is the house we drywalled. We mainly focused on the upstairs rooms, while other volunteer groups worked downstairs.

Karissa has hot coffee. Don't tell, but it tasted like dirt. I even tried Splenda, and it didn't help. :-)

Karissa and I finally got some time to spend together.

Karissa and I together again--albeit covered in drywall dust.

The toughest part of drywalling at the house was raising the ceilings. I am a bit shorter than some, but I was effectual on a ladder. Karissa amazed us all.

Our pretty living quarters: South Church of Glastonbury--thank you so much for hosting us!

No matter what we did--we laughed. I can't tell you how great it was to wake every morning with my sides aching.

Though some of us were achy, dryskinned, and sick, I think we all benefitted from this time working for someone other than ourselves.

We learned that the house we worked on is going to be a Cambodian couple's. They have children, which is great because we kept saying that it would be great if this were a baby's room or a bunk bed dungeon for some romping little boys (or girls).

I can't really say what the best of the trip was. Some highlights would have to be the reflections in the evenings when we would get together and do an activity. From sharing stories about the day's work to drawing with markers on tablecloths the "ideal volunteer", I enjoyed this time of peace and sharing. We should have sung "Kumbayah". THAT would have made my week.

We also went bowling (Karissa has those pics) and watched movies galore. Because we got snowed in a couple of times, we had some free time. Huh? Free time?

On that subject, I did read a bit for Media Aesthetics and my proof of the Setonian, but other than that, I had a very relaxing few days. I slept and slept and slept.

Although I missed home and the sweet ones here, this is what break should be--this is what we should be doing all the time.

You look at your house differently. You imagine the people--the effort--behind what you have, and finally appreciate it for every piece of drywall, board and screw in it.

This trip was wicket sweet.

Posted by Amanda Cochran at March 12, 2005 7:15 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Awesome, MB. I'm glad you had such a good time; looks like it was a ton o' fun.

Splenda didn't help, huh? Darn. ;P

(I think the floorshot.jpg pic isn't working right... It isn't showing up on my browser.)

Reading what you've said about the trip has really made me consider signing up for HFH in the future.

You don't mind if I convert a few of these shots into wallets, eh? ;P

Posted by: ChrisU at March 12, 2005 10:40 PM

Splenda does many wonderful things, and I still have faith in it. Changing that dirt into drinkable coffee is a test for a higher power. :-D

As for the pic, I checked it, but I could be directing it to my C drive instead. I'll have to check tomorrow at SHU.

Habitat for Humanity really is a great organization; I hightly recommend this trip, Chris. Though it is time consuming and you are tested with time management, as I am right now, the benefits far outweigh the detractors. There is a different type of fulfillment in strenuous physical work.

Wallets? Hmmm. I've taken better pics, but no make-up seems to be your thing. Knock yourself out--not literally Mr. Mallet. :-D

Posted by: Amanda at March 12, 2005 10:56 PM

Why do I find myself humming the Charlie's Angel's theme music when I look at the top two pictures? Looks like you had fun and worked hard, while doing good for others. I can't think of a better way to spend a break.

Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at March 12, 2005 11:51 PM

Amanda, I'm glad you had as much fun as I did. Even though I was under-the-weather for the majority of the time and we may have inhaled more drywall than we put up (LOL!), this trip was totally rewarding.

Now, let's talk to Cindy about getting that "International" Habitat idea rolling for next year's break :-) Woot!

I'll post my pics when I get back to school this evening (I hope...).

Posted by: Karissa at March 13, 2005 3:08 PM

I love all the Action shots Amanda, looks like you guys got tons of stuff done... I'm confused to what you were doing though, all these poses, were you making calenders to sell for profit for homeless people? Headlined with "Babes at Work 2005"

Good work guys *insert loving smile*

Posted by: Stephan Puff at March 13, 2005 4:06 PM

That's actually not a bad idea, maybe next year we can come up with a calendar of all of us working and use them for fundraising for Habitat, lol, that probably wouldn't work anyway. I like the pictures Amanda, by the way how did you take that one picture where all of you are standing in a circle and looking down at the camera?

Posted by: Sue at March 13, 2005 5:48 PM

I did not shoot that pic, but it was taken when someone (sorry I can't remember who) laid on the floor and shot upward at us--hence the funny doublechins. :-D))

Posted by: Amanda at March 13, 2005 6:17 PM

Got my pics posted! Check 'em out :-)

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KarissaKilgore/008341.html#8341

Posted by: Karissa at March 13, 2005 7:30 PM