Houses are going up!

Houses are going up everywhere! It's such a lovely sight to see that I couldn't help blogging about it.



The Crawford's house ( below ) is coming along nicely and while the dining hall wasn't included in the new blue prints an extension and porch have been added. And just for the sake of interest, I believe most of the walls of the basement (the room we were in during the storm) were left up, but I'm not entirely sure. The Crawfords are living in a house in Ragland right now, not far from the Valley, and hope to move into their new home by Christmas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
  The retreat center ( right ) was the only building left standing  and in one piece on the Lee's property after the storm. It was ironically also the place they retreated to while waiting for the ambulances to arrive that night. It is now in the process of being refurnished for the Lee family to live in. And we're told they hope to move in by the end of September. Which is good because right now they live about an hour away from the valley and we all miss them. :(  Their staying in a house with plenty of room for everyone and are located right behind a field of cotton. They hope to be in their new home by the end of September.                                                                                               

These are a few pictures of the inside of the retreat center. And on another note, we've learned that two older Lee girls who were at first in wheel chairs are now doing much better. One ( Emily ) is walking on her own now and the other ( Tiffany ) just recently graduated from a walker to a cane.















   Other buildings are going up all over the Valley and while I don't know the people who will live in all of them, here are a few....

Mr Liveritt's shop was actually finished a while ago. It was amazing, they rebuilt it starting it from just a concrete slab ( all that was left from the old one ) in about three weeks. And though I don't have a picture, the Liveritt's house has now got four walls up and is being worked on at this very moment. Both of these building are on the same property as the Crawford's, Alpha Ranch.

 

Another house that was nearly destroyed and is now almost done being rebuilt. (I'm not sure who lived here?)

   There are still many sights here in the valley that you wouldn't normally see.     Staircases leading to nowhere, abandoned bridges, chimneys with no houses, concrete slabs with no house left on top of them and long stretches of land covered in nothing but trees that were broken in half by the force of the wind.

  

But still things are beginning to look much better around here. Loggers are working there way down, taking what they need and hauling it off, leaving mostly clear stretches of land.

Our local community center has been a big help, providing everything from Gatorades and snack foods to shampoo and makeup.

They've also got a cute dog that my sister loves. c :

They've got lots of water!

On another note, over in Gallant at a place called Ahava Springs a benefit concert was heald over the weekend for a family here in the Valley. And they successfully raised over $3,000. c :

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There were many skilled performers there, and the audience enjoyed gospel, and bluegrass music along with congregational singing. And by the way, if you like bluegrass music there will be a bluegrass festival at Ahava Springs on September 9th and 10th. This isn't a benefit concert though, the Carrell's who own the land and host the festivals do them twice a year. ( they'll love that I'm advertising for them  C ; ) If you'd like more information, just message me or leave a comment.

Bird houses and T-shirts were sold auction style to raise money for the family in need.

      Well, that's all for now. But can I just say that I love the "cold fronts" we've been having. Call me cliche' but I absolutely love winter and fall or more the "holiday seasons". I can't wait until cool weather is here to stay. When we can wake up on a cool crisp morning and snuggle in our blankets to drink a cup of hot chocolate (or coffee) and study God's word before the day starts. Or those bonfires late in the evening that you share with your family. Where the only things keeping you from going inside to the warmth is the blazing fire in front of you, the sticky but delicious marshmallow in your hands, and not wanting to miss spending time with your family. So as we draw closer to the last half of this year, the cool weather, the holidays and the day when everyone gets to move back home, all I can say is.
"Can't it come any faster?"