So thankful

This past weekend I received some of the best gifts ever.

Usually for birthdays, the Wray siblings/spouses all get each other gifts. This year, though, I asked for some gifts of service, instead of bought gifts. I was starting to feel VERY overwhelmed by the disaster this house was quickly becoming. (I have always had some things that need to be done... A few big projects looming on my horizon. But lately I've realized there are about 75 items on that To-Do list, each of which would require a few hours of my or Pete's time.... too daunting.)

So, I made a list of some things I would love to have done at my house....

....and this past Saturday, when I got home from taking Strider to the local National Geographic Geography Bee, I found my house swarming with Wrays/spouses! These busy bees did so many great things: cleaned windows, organized closets, patched holes in the walls, painted ceilings, banisters, and walls, caulked like crazy, helped design room layouts, and installed a new mailbox. Oh-- and updated our sluggish computer!

It was amazing to get such a jumpstart on all the home projects around here, and to get many items definitively crossed off my To-Do list. It was MONTHS of work done in one day!

So I am all in favor of the group-workday concept. I hope we can start getting each family on a rotation like this. It's so nice to have the momentum that several people provide!

(The only downside is that people saw my "extreme dirt" in all the corners of this place... But I'll put up with a little humiliation if it gets my projects done. :) )