Friends Like These

This hour would be a good time not to be wasting time blogging, but I need a break. I should be having one right now, as this week is spring break. But while it's been a bit of a break from school (not to be undervalued!), it's been one of the most stressful weeks I can remember--mostly because of a massive home renovation project going on at "the new house." Sam and I have been over there every day agonizing over delays with materials and contractors, intractable wallpaper fused to the plaster, a laundry chute built to withstand a nuclear holocaust (that needs to be taken out for the kitchen renovation), etc. We've mostly been stressed because there are so many moving pieces, and every now and then, there are just too many projects for us (mostly Sam) to keep going fast enough that everything is done when the next team comes in. By team, I mean: handyman, drywallers, electricians, plumber, HVAC guys, chimney sweep, tree guy, roofer, kitchen designer, cabinet installer, tile guys, carpet salesman, carpet installer, re-use people. No exaggeration--those are the people who have been through the house. And we're doing most of it ourselves!

We've mostly gotten in touch with these people through word-of-mouth, and they've just about all ranged from impressive to truly excellent. One day I will write an ode to Chad the electrician, who has spent a good amount of time just helping out with tough jobs that Sam couldn't manage to do with only one set of hands, manly as they might be (see last post). I'll also write one to my friend Jennifer and her husband Jon, because last night Sam and I were almost in tears (okay, that was mostly me) as we realized we simply didn't have enough time to get everything done before the next team showed up, and as complications arose, our to-do items only multiplied. Sam said, "We've got to figure out how to get our friends to help." But neither of us really wanted to bother them--except for Andrew, whom we called on almost without compunction, and who showed up cheerfully and lightened our load and brightened our day. And then Jen called and said, "We're back in town--can we help with anything?"

What can you do to express your thanks to friends like these? When people come through for you the moment you ask (Andrew) or even before you manage to (Jen and Jon), a day of exhausted desperation turns into one filled with the kind of amazed gratitude that you can't really ever repay.