Well as you can see our house is almost done!!!! No wait...that is just a canopy for shade around the job site (donated gift from my inlaws!!). It has been over a hundred degrees for the last few days and all the workers were feeling the heat. (insert your own joke here).

We have had a wonderful time working with a group of eighteen Jewish Kids from the east coast. They came as part of a mission trip to help us build our homes. Benny is a hard worker from Wisconsin, Billy hits his finger a lot, Ethan builds benches out of scraps and Noah can move his hair like a hat...they are all a kick in the pants and a joy to be around. (Benny and Noah are picture above). We are seeing a great deal of improvement on the houses and having a great time.

"The models that try men's souls"

When most people see this picture they think to themselves, "My, that is a hard worker." but they would be sadly mistaken...this is what we, in the business, like to call a pose. The model, me, pretends to be working to give the allusion that he, me, is contributing to the job at hand when in actuallity I have no idea how to spell contrybutte.

Well, things are coming along "swimmingly" we have three foundations laid and the floor joist set in two of them. Tomorrow, 7/24/06, I will be leading a team of Jewish kids from the East coast in building walls for the third house.

Our house has yet to see any movement, but I am content knowing that Duke still has a chance to compete for the national title every year (basketball not lacrosse).

Thank you all for your support and prayers; it is going to be a great season.

Family Day at the Lot!!

7.13.06...Oh what joy family days bring!! Thys and Kate (my brother and sis-in-law for those of you who are wondering who in tarnation these beautiful people are in the photo with us) were down for the weekend for a serious "golf weekend". He and my dad received some serious winnings, both of their teams winning at the top of their flights (some crazy golf lingo). My mama loved her chicks in the nest and was a little sad today when they all flew the coop again today. We took them all out for a tour of the progress on the property while they were down. Kate was hoping to work with us on Saturday but volunteers are still, sadly, not allowed to work yet until we get things a little more underhand. We just love our family and family times!

My "Stud"

Boy did we ever get a lesson this last Saturday...what are studs, headers, footers, skillsaws, and the like? Just ask us now and we'll give you the Building-for-Dummies 101. I (Krystal) was the question-asking queen on Day 1 of our building project on July 8, 2006! We loved (and I struggled) through every moment of it. Once we (Krystal mostly) get the hang of it--it'll all be good. I was so proud of my studly man running all over the place, so quick to serve and be the first to pick up and carry anything that needed lifting. I wonder if he was trying to impress the group or his wifey? Whatever it was--I grew a new appreciation, respect and love for him on that day. Back to work though, we completed the East and West wall frames of House 1 and if we keep going at this rate and speedier, after we all get instructed, it shouldn't be long that we're well on our way to moving into 139 Bunting Court. Please keep praying for us and again if you're feeling so inclined to swing a hammer during the month of August and on, LET US KNOW!:) We aren't allowed to use volunteers for working towards our 35 hours until we all get trained which we're hoping can begin in August.

Ground Breaking Ceremony...

So here's the whole new family...somewhat of an interesting and motley extended crew we are. But the make-up of a quaint little new neighborhood.
I thought a few of you might be wondering the story behind this building project of ours...Will actually applied to get into this Mutual Self-Help housing program a couple of years ago and it just wasn't quite the right time yet. He needed his building partner to enter into his life. That would be me. :)
So in March of 2006 we decided to reapply to see if we fit the status of what they were looking for considering we had no clue how to buy a house these days. Being newly married, with Will in ministry and that all that goes on in the pocketbook (or lack thereof) with those qualifications, we squeezed into the income bracket, miraculously that is, and were approved to start building with 9 other families to create a new little neighborhood in Green. We all build together on each other's homes under the direction of a head contractor who teaches (babysits) us along the way. At the end of the projected 10-12 month project, with each family working 35 hours/week, we all get to move into our humble little abodes while receiving a lovely $30K down-payment for our sweat (literally) equity. We then receive a loan from USDA's Rural Development office at an awesome 5.75% interest rate. Who ever said the government never did anything for them is crazy, I say!
We are so excited and praying for unity amongst the group as it could potentially turn into quite the dramatic reality show. We've been surprised a few moments already that we haven' t seen any cameras around yet.
P.S. 10 of the 35 hours/week that we have to put into the home can be done by volunteers...So, if you feel so inclined to swing a hammer in support of the Irwin's, please email: krystalk@lycos.com We would be so honored by ANY efforts!

Building a Home!!

Here we are Will and Krystal Irwin on May 19, 2006 at our Ground Breaking Ceremony--and yes we know we're a wee bit crazy to be building already. We just figured that building a marriage wasn't quite enough, we needed a home to be swinging hammers at too!:)
And yes, we have counted the costs of this extensive building project, our own new 3 bedroom/2 bath home that is, and we are incredibly blessed as we realize what a gift of God this will be for us. Foundation pouring has already been backed up a couple of months, so we hope to start building on this lot #9 on Bunting Court in the Green district of Roseburg, OR around July 1, 2006. We are fully aware how building projects go and just entrust that timeline into our God who holds time in His hands.
Be praying for us as we both know that...unless the Lord builds the house, it's laborers labor in vain.