We're back

We're back in the parish after a fantastic weeklong vacation, and we're back on the blog after a shameful months-long hiatus. I have been embarrassed by the people who said they read the blog and have been awaiting updates. Thanks so much for reading our random babble, and I will make an effort to be more regular and thoughtful on this blog.
Plenty has happened in the many weeks since our last update. As far as the project, the biggest is that Christine and I have each finished our first house. Christine will probably write more about the wonderful Miss Carol and her cute little duplex (in fact, hassle her about our first blog video which she was supposed to post weeks ago). I finished a house for Mary Hookfin and her three kids. It was exciting to see her moving in stuff and working with her friend in the kitchen.
I have since moved around the corner to Leila Lore's house. She is another single mother finalizing a divorce and trying to re-establish her St. Bernard life.
This week, I hope to all but finish her house, which is almost directly behind the house where she grew up. The house had a few problems throughout the process, but they've all pretty much been resolved, and the house is almost done. Exciting stuff.
The project has also grown quickly and changed plenty since our last posts. A new era started in January with the arrival of about 15 Americorps Direct volunteers. They have made the project more of a professional, stable organization just with their presence. They have also made me feel old — both in age, because they are all about 22, and in experience here, because we have been training some of them, and are treated as the old-timers here. It's all kind of bizarre, and makes us feel less needed in some ways but is overall a great thing for the project and for the parish.
OK, that's enough for now. Gotta save some for tomorrow's post.