IT'S CARA AND CARL HI OH HI!! AIYAIYAIAYAIYAIIIYYYYY
Okay yea so um we are not slightly sure if we are 'sposed to cover today or yesterday so ummm yea we gonna keep it soups fly and go ahead and hit ya with both days. Kk? Omg gooood.
So yea. Yesterday…
Woke up really early. Whoa. Woke up and consumed a scrumptious breakfast, compliments of the fantastic southern hospitality of Momma T (thanks momma t). We packed our things and transferred our base location to a nearby church in Winfield. When we arrived, we had an hour or so of down time, which we spent frolicking around the gym in the basement throwing basketballs at each other (literally, ouch.).
Soon after we made our way to our second Habitat Home. The circumstances surrounding this build were a bit different; we began clearing a site on the land where one of the family members of our Habitat family had lost her home to a fire. We cleared the site, pulling up fragments like half burnt stuffed animals and glassware from the remains. Although it was hard sorting through the remains of someone's previous life, it was nice to be able to help them build something happy and new from something so sad.
But lezbionest, dat clearing life was rough. Thorns are the devil. We got scratched all up and down our legs. While most of us were whacking dat brush with a pickax, poor Cara trimmed the vines around a mailbox. She became that mailbox's slave, furreal, giving it the closest shave it had eva' seen. After blood, sweat, and so very many tears, her work came to an end, only to find out that the mailbox was going to be redone anyways. Sometimes life gives you lemons, and you make a mailbox, and then life takes away your mailbox, and you cry, and then some random dog dat would be given the street name of my girl Beyoncé. Seriously, that dog was cray. It ate a rock, no lie. I ain't frontin'. So the day went on, with many a Mr. Fitzpatrick unrelated story, we cleared the brush and made way for the foundation. At the end of our work day, with a new skin tan called "Lobster red" on our skin (seriously) we headed back to camp to get ready for another feast that would leave our stomachs bloated (in a good way) and our spirits high as a kite. UNTIL THEY WERE DEFLATED BY PATRICK'S LIE-FILLED STORYTELLING. Imma let you finish, but Patrick had the WORST stories of all time. We were so emotionally invested in them, only to have been scammed the whole time. Don't know how long this PTSD will last.
After dinner, we headed to a traditional southern country affair: a CARNIVAL!!!! Roll tide, but not really because no one actually responds to this down here (see Lilli's vine on our twitter page). The carnival was supe fly, literally. Joe was ridin' solo in glasses and chompin' on some mike and ikes during what was considered the most THRILLING ride of all, the spinny upside down carousel ride. The overall favorite was the "Scrambler" which is ideal for screaming, laughing, puking, or staring contests with your ASBFF. As the night ended, we went to sleep with full tummies, lots of memories, and a gangster Chihuahua, oh and a Money bear. #Swag
And now for today . . .
The day started a wee bit later than expected (due to Patrick . . .) but we made up for it at the work site. We arrived at the site and began clearing more brush in the back part of the property so that the family would have a backyard. The brush clearing continued for some of our team, as they worked their way around the property and eventually to the front. Other members of our team began working on the foundation of the house, by putting boards in place that marked the overall shape of the house. It was quite an exciting time for us as many of our members got to use some pretty fly tools. Joe became best friends with a machete, a scythe, a pickax, and some giant bush cutters. Many of our foxy ladies had a hand at drilling and using the small, but mighty, sledgehammer. Cara finally got to fulfill her dreams by using a skill saw, HOLLA! There's so much more that goes into building a house than one might think and every person was vital to the process.
Mary, Lilli and Carl separated from the group to aid another Habitat volunteer in determining the energy efficiency of the first Habitat home. They worked diligently, and a little confusedly with some super expensive equipment determining how well the house was sealed up. It was a very educational experience, and interesting to measure and analyze the effects of the work they put into the building process. Plz don't ask any of them anything about it though because they probs won't be able to explain any of it correctly.
When the entire group was reunited, we spent the last hour working on leveling sand so that the Habitat team could proceed with laying foundation for the house. It was really quite amazing to see the transformation that occurred over the two days. It went from what could be considered a wasteland, full of debris and sad memories, to the beginnings of hope for a family that has been through so much. It was humbling to be a part of it, even if it were just for a couple of days.
As our time with Habitat came to a close, so did our time with Greg and Mary. It was hard saying goodbye to two people who have selflessly given up many hours over not only that week, but many years working for Habitat. After trying, and failing, to take a jumping picture, we finally had one last Alabamily picture at the worksite and departed.
We spent tonight with each other, sharing laughs (and tears caused by the laughs) and reflecting on the amazing week we had just experienced. We ventured out to Walmart to buy some ingredients to make a pie for our lovely Momma T. On the way back, Black Magic lady tried to do a Chinese fire drill, but someone (*cough*White Chocolate*cough*) wouldn't participate. So basically we looked like fools . . . Thanks guys.
All jokes aside, this has been a week that none of us will forget. It's not easy to spend an entire week doing hard labor with a group of strangers and have zero negatives. Each of us will return to Columbia with memories and new friends that we will never forget. I think it's safe to say that Northern Alabama has the best people, and food, around. Our trip wouldn't be the same without the AMAZING hospitality of Momma T, and the other wonderful people in these towns. They truly made our experience unforgettable.
We left Columbia as twelve strangers, leading different lives, with different backgrounds. But this week, something happened, something changed. We laughed, we cried, we got lost, we neglected stops signs (*cough*Patrick*cough*), we learned a lot about each other (and Claire's mom), but most of all, we served. While we may return to our own lives, we shared an experience that created a bond we will never forget. As we return to Columbia, we return as one big family: Alabamily.
Peace, Love, and Roll Tide,
C Squared
P.S. Imma let you finish, but Alabam
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