EMHE: My Experience

Just in case you haven't figured out what EMHE stands for...

Yesterday, I had the privilege of working on the new home of the very well-deserving Creasey Family in Lexington, NC for the ABC tv show, Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

I got to the site volunteer check-in right around 8am.  I made sure to take a "before pic" because I knew that I wasn't going to look too pretty afterward.  I was scheduled from 8am-2pm, but ended up staying a little over an hour past that.  On Day 1 of the week, the remnants of TS Ida came through and made everything a muddy mess!  Thankfully, my friend, Ellen, who had worked the site the day before had warned me about all of the mud and to wear boots.  This is when I am thankful for my "man-feet", LOL, because I can wear Scott's shoes.  I was able to wear his hiker boots and not lose my shoes in the thick mud!  And, I can guarantee that if I wore my own shoes, they would have been a gone'er, just like Mr. Rooney's.

The setup was surreal;  the tents, the masses of volunteers, the construction workers inside and out of the house, the spectators, the calmness, the generosity, the charity, the common goal and purpose to build a new home for this family that, probably, none of us even know...AMAZING, truly amazing.

Yesterday, I put on a hardhat with pride.  I moved excess lumber, decking, excess sheetrock, and an insanely heavy piece of something.  Scott said that it was probably some backer board for flooring- that was the worst part of my day because it was so heavy and it threw these RA-stricken hands into shock!  I also helped with crowd control, which was the most boring part of the day.  I ended up taking spectator's cameras and taking pictures for them from a different angle that they couldn't get to.  What else?  I swept and created a makeshift dustpan.  Oh, and I assisted in the moving of one of the big trucks in the driveway so it didn't get stuck in the mucky mud.  That's right, I am not just beauty, but brawn too.  HA!

My big highlight of the day?  Ed winked at me.  For those who don't know who Ed is, this is he! ------------------------------>>>>

So, I was standing on the staircase in the house as part of an assembly line to remove the excess sheetrock from upstairs and I look in front of me at the front door and he's standing there.  (OMG!)  I keep working as to not appear all starstruck, but I had to keep looking and then it happened:  EYE CONTACT followed by a wink.  Yep, now me and Ed are "like this". 

Overall, this was a blessing of an experience!  I am not in a position financially to help that way, but I do have time to give.  I gave time.  Hundreds of people have given or plan to give time.  I am sure some people signed up to volunteer just for the chance to be on TV, but from what I saw yesterday, they have to be very few because everyone was there to WORK (ok, except for some woman who kept pulling out her digital camera to take pictures, which is a big NO NO!  No pics of inside the house were permitted and yet, she kept doing it!  Grrrr...).  It was great to be part of a team to build a dream!

My pictures are not great quality because I, unlike some others, followed the rules and kept my real camera in the car and only used my camera phone outside (again, inside pics of the house were not allowed).

MOVE THAT BUS day is Tuesday, but unless I can make arrangements for Ethan and Loren, I won't be able to make it.  Here's to hoping!  ☺

Lookin' foxy in my hardhat, don't ya think?  The braids?  Well, that was a total improv since I left my hair tie in the car!  UGH!  It was HOT, so I had to do something with that mane of mine!!!


The last pic is just because I had to have a pic of the back of my shirt.  You can see how awful my hair was.  It was matted and gross.  I took a very long and HOT shower last night before crashing before 9pm!  I am very, very sore today, but it was ALL worth it!