Hey all!

I called school the other day to see if my class list was available yet, and while chatting with the secretary, found out that the show "Extreme Home Makeover" is in Armada, the town where I teach!! There is a young family in the area that the father was killed in a bad car accident on Christmas Eve this past year. There have been various fundrasiers and donation drives to help them out. The mom is 32, and there are six children, ranging from 12 years to 8 months. The family is very poor, and they lived in a run-down two bedroom, one bathroom, 900 square foot home. They were planning on doing some remodeling, but further inspections declared the house pretty much condemned. The septic wasn't working, the water was bad, and the house was just in terrible shape. They sent the family to Florida. I guess they have half the community roped off, and are busing people in to see the house and to help work on it.

I couldn't go work on the house right away, since we had reservations and were leaving town to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then two nights at Cedar Point Amusement Park. So, while I was away, a teacher friend called and we made plans to go work on the house last night. They work 24 hours a day, so we figured we'd go at night when fewer people could volunteer. I got all ready, stopped to pick up my dad (he was going to volunteer also) and my phone rang. Kathy had just arrived and they didn't need any more help.... So, I didn't end up getting to work on the house! I'm so sad!!

They are going to have the "unveiling" on Monday, and I'm planning on going over there then. I may drive over tomorrow to see if they need any help for the last minute rush. I was really bummed, but am glad to know that there are so many volunteers to step up and help them out.

There have been several "Ty sightings" around town, and I have been looking at the hotel parking lot where they are supposedly staying...no such luck! I even checked out the appliance section at Sear's today!!

That's really neat that they are building a house for this family!!! I love watching the Extreme Home Makeover show...I've never made it thru a show without needing the tissues, tho!!! Apparently, ALOT of people show up to help on these houses...I know alot of people did when they built a house in the B'ham area a year or so ago...be sure to let us know if you get to go to the unveiling and if you see Ty!!!

I LOVE watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition! I watch it every Sunday. Of course if my family and I are at my grandparents and we have to leave around the time it starts or an hour before it starts I have my grandma watch and tell me how it was.

Well, I went over to volunteer today. There was a big tent set up, and there were probably at least 50 very bored looking people sitting around, reading the newspaper, and looking like they'd been there awhile. I asked if they needed any more help, and the guy at the table said they were way ahead of schedule, everything is pretty much done, and I could sign up if I "wanted to, but all these people are signed up, too." They had been there a few hours, and were basically "on call" with the chances of being called pretty slim.

So, we decided to do the 'sightseeing tour' instead! The school buses were taking people over to the property adjacent to the new home, in the side yard, and you could get off there and hang out as long as you wanted. That's what we did! The house is all done on the outside, and it's gorgeous. It's huge, and the lawn is all nice and sod, with sprinklers and full trees and plants and everything. There were quite a few sunflowers planted around, and a big one in the front window. I'm thinking they must have some significance to the family. There were a lot of people milling about in their blue shirts, but no one was really "working". Ty is not there--he's in Nashville filming a Sears commercial!!--but will be back tomorrow.

The reveal was supposed to be at 1:00, but has been moved to 2:30 because the family is stopping somewhere else on the way home. The shuttles start running at 7 am to get people over there, and it's expected that there will be close to 20,000 people there!!

The episode will air on October 1, so I'm looking forward to seeing the show!!

Oh, they also bought the family 4 acres next to where they lived, since the house would barely fit on the land they owned.

Mary, that is soooo cool! I LOVE that show! I will be sure to watch it on Oct. 1 with tissue in hand! So glad when families who need it are helped!

Lois/Oma

My daughter and grand daughter got to meet him last year at the home show here in Phoenix. My grand daughter got a picture with him. They said he is very nice

That's awesome I'd love to meet any one from EMHE.

Mary, sorry you didn't get to volunteer, but glad they had plenty of help and you were able to go on the tour!!! Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!!! It's really neat to hear the particulars first-hand from someone that went over there!!! I know when they built the house here in the B'ham area, there was loads of people over there...I didn't go, but my SIL took her kids over there to watch the unveiling...she said there was a HUGE amount of people there!!! We'll be watching on October 1st...God Bless that family...

Nice story....

My sister lives in Georgia and she had seen and taken pictures of Ty and I can not remember the other guys name, when they were in town I think somewhere near Jonesboro...Its when Ty had his appendix removed, I beleive thats what it was.... Then he arrived in an ambulance....lol...She said it was funny and a bit over the top....She had sent me photos of him coming out of the ambuance and waving to her, ohhhhhhhh because I am certain she was screaming his name....lol...

I'll have to tell my grand daughter about that, Charlene. She will crack up .

Great story,Mary. I don't watch those shows but it is so cool that so many people help needy people. When Amy was on her show I watched that one more than any but I just cry at the drop of a hat. My family watches marathons shows like that .