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4/28/2013

Blessing Design Makeover For The Hoxworth Family

This past weekend I was a part of a fun project with the Blessing Design Team.
We did a home makeover for the Hoxworth Family from Millersburg Ohio.
They are a very deserving family of this makeover.
They have lost Jason (husband and father) to cancer.
 I have never met a more positive women then Debbi. She has been a inspiration to many in our local community. She is one to give allot of her time and love back to the community. As Barb Chalmers the designer of the Blessing Design Team planned for this makeover she never even dreamed of the out come of this makeover.
Barb and Debbi soon developed a close daily relationship. Also us others all around them build new friendships.
 
We got together one evening at Barbs house so she could show us the before pictures and sorta give us the scope on whats in the lope. I'm sorry I don't have before pictures. I could of gotten them from Barb but decided to let you go on The Blessing Design Teams face book page to see those:)
We instantly developed new friends and reconnected with some that were a part of the makeover for Julie.
There is so much work that goes into these projects weeks before, behind the scenes. This is the crew that showed up on Friday.
The day before Malinda Raber and Gorilla Painting came in and stripped borders and painted. There are so many people and local business's that stepped up and helped with this project. Probably many I don't even know about. I apologize in advance if I don't include you in this blog but I do believe the Blessing Design Team will mention you on their page.
As our local Comfort Inn Suites put the family up in a comfortable place while we did the makeover.
I was in charge of the cleaning crew on the first day and was at aw how fast the projects got finished when the hands of many are at work.
Soon they called me down to the basement and Tracy asked me to run her to buy the kids all new bedding. Barb mentioned that she would have loved to have done that, but the budget didn't allow her to.
Tracy mentioned we have to stop by her bank to cash her paycheck for she wants to use the whole check to buy thingsfor the makeover. As we were driving she tells me how blessed she is so she likes to bless others. She also shared how kind her mother is. I decided that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
We made it back in time for the famous Rebecca's meal that was served with the tomato basil soup that is loved by many all around the county.
Not only did the house get a makeover but also did their outside.
We filled her herb garden with lettuce and herbs.
Ada stepped up to the plate and went to her sisters Amish greenhouse and she helped donate plants. As did Petal Path in Berlin plus they gave a gift card for her to enjoy at a later date.
Ada and Ruby are busy cleaning windows. Next they were off to clean all the flower beds as Phillip(Barbs son) mowed the yard. The deck,swing set and little barn also got stain. I have never seen a faster transformation take place right before my eyes.
I can not even tell you how this touched me. As I took one of my many trips to wal-mart to pick up supplies. This couple stopped me and mentioned how they seen my story on the front page of  the Bargain Hunter on the story of Lena's Amish Granola. As I apologized that I usually don't look like this and that I was cleaning and painting for a makeover and they gave me money for the makeover. These were strangers that had no idea how God used them to minister to me and many others.
We even painted the cats dish:)
John and Bev were the cutest sweetest couple ever. After helping all day they left at 9pm for a date. I asked them the next day how their date was and she said it was wonderful they went home with their sandwiches and played cards. They talked to each other with great respect and ministered to all of us in their presence.
The living room and her bedroom got new carpet.
When I went back in evening on Friday the carpet guy had it installed in no time. Big transformation! As some of us lingered around Debbi's families new kitchen table till after midnight we laughed and encouraged each other. There were new and old friends and we all were from all walks of life. With one thing in common we all loved to make a difference.
This is the Saturday crew. Just before the reveal. Once again some might be missing but we really appreciated all of you that had a part of this makeover.

Rebecca provided the evening meal that was served once we all left.
Barb has a gift of bringing things together and making it personal. Absolutely loved what she did with these chairs.
One of the requests was that we keep the deer head hanging in the living room. This coffee table was way cool it has a scripture on it. Sorry wish I would have gotten a close up of it.
Barb and Amy are putting this wording on the wall like 10 minutes before the reveal.
My favorite part was her bedroom.
It is happy and
like a safe place for her to rejuvenate herself.
She has a cute space for her desk too.
Was so fun to see their faces as they noticed things all around.
Isn't this AMAZING!
The boys were so happy their yellow walls were now gray. They said how did they know we wanted gray walls?
Barb and Amy are amazing leaders of this team.
Here Rebecca is making the finishing touches on the dinner.
Of course we have to leave them some Rebecca's tomato basil soup and some of my granola on the counter for them to enjoy later.
There is a story to this turtle shell. I had Debbi share the story at the end of this blog.
One of the many things I learned from being a part of this makeover is that there are still allot of good people left in this world.
 
In this picture above I was handing Barb the money that my friends had given me for the project. I'd posted on face book on my Birthday that if they can just give to the team for the makeover instead of giving me a gift that be great. I got hundreds of dollars for the projects. It blessed me to see that I have such generous people in my life. This is just my story on how I was touched by this makeover. I'm sure you will many others view of how they were touched. 
Sometimes God uses us as a connector and sometimes a laborer but what ever your called to do just DO IT! It will bless you more then others.
This picture was taken in Florida when we did the Design Team Takes It On The Road for Sherry Gores kitchen back in March.
 
We are excited for what the future makeovers. We do not know where God leads us next but we do know he will lead us. Then we will bless others as we recieve the blessings.
Thank you Debbi for sharing your home  with us it blessed us.
 
Turtle Story:
The turtle shell...it entered our lives the day that Jason passed into heaven. It appeared at the little ones preschool and they showed it to me when I picked them up that day. I was wondering how I would explain and help them to understand that while Daddy's body was at our house, he was no longer there. Once again, God provided the perfect solution. As we examined this shell at the preschool we talked about how it was only a shell...only the turtle's body. Yet the turtle wasn't in the old body anymore because he had died and gone to heaven where he didn't need his old worn out body...he was given a new one. We then put the shell back down on the counter, it had served its purpose, and headed home. Upon arrival the kids were able to make a clear connection with the fact that it was only Daddy's body lying there in the bed but that he wasn't in it any longer because he had gone to heaven where he was given a new healthy body that could run and jump and was completely free from pain. One of our older boys said to me "mom...God put that turtle shell there on purpose so that they would be able to understand, didn't he?". Smiling....I agreed. God always provides what we need, exactly when we need it the most. :)

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