BEFORE
Our eyes were bigger than our muscles. We rented a sod cutter on Friday so that we could cut out our dead lawn before we brought home the free sod from North Park. Danny(1) had to work all day so we only got half of it cut and then the grass was so dead that it just crumbled when we tried to move it and so that was becoming a nuisance, but never the less we worked until it was dark that evening. We woke up very early the next morning to go and cut the sod from the park expecting to haul it away by taking the seats out of our cars and laying down tarps but when Danny called me(2) from the park and measured out what we would need and saw people with much less than we needed using multiple huge trailers we knew that we could not do this alone. Danny's dad(3) and brother(4) were already there that morning but it was obvious that we needed more man power. So I called our neighbors the Black's to see if we could use their trailer and if their son would be able to help us for the day. They agreed and I hooked up the trailer and headed for the park. Just as we started loading the strips of sod into the trailer the Black's arrived but not just the one boy we planned on but his dad and brother as well plus their daughter offered to tend the kids that day. They have a large family and they all got involved(5-14). We were relieved to say the least but it was still an all day adventure to haul that sod back to our place. It took5 loads with their big trailer and luckily we saw a friend of ours(Ken 15) down at the park who was helping his neighbor and he saw we needed help and took one load for us in his truck. Once we had all the sod at our house it was time to figure out how we were going to get all the dead grass off the lawn. We borrowed to wheel barrows from neighbors(16,17) but we couldn't fill them very much because of the weight. It was going to take forever to get all that grass out. Our neighbors the Norris'(18,19) down the street were also putting sod in their yard and used a bobcat to scrape their lawn out. So they let us use it for ours too. We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to drive that thing and scrape off the grass without digging huge holes in the process or breaking any sprinkler heads(we broke about 8 by the way). Well that took the rest of the day and we had to quit to clean up and make it up to Danny's sister's house for the Hacienda Heights Ward Reunion.
Sunday we rested and all day I was really feeling stressed out about Danny leaving in the morning and trying to get the yard done alone so I prayed that I would get some help with this project. Monday morning we woke up early to get kids off to school and when we walked outside there was Danny's Dad trying to level out the dirt so we could start laying sod. Danny was leaving to go to St. George for 3 days and it was going to be up to me get this sod laid out before it was dead. So after the kids were gone Dick and I started leveling out the dirt. We heard that some of the young men from the ward would be showing up at 3:00 that afternoon to help finish. This was arranged by Jerry Black the young man that helped us on Saturday. Well we kept on working hoping to have it level so the boys could help lay the sod but of course we only got about halfway done. While we were working I saw a friend from our ward drive by several times and finally she stopped to talk and informed me that her family would be over as soon as her husband got home from work along with 3 other families. This was an answer to my prayers. We had 10 boys(20-30) there ready to work at 3:00. We got the first half leveled and the sod laid. Dick was exhausted so Dorothy(31) came out to get him and drive him home and decided to take Aida home with her. That was a big help as well. Anyway, just as we were starting on the other side our extra help started to arrive. The Allen's(32-36), Popes(37-41) Parkinson's(42-48), Irwin's(49-52). We had some experts on sprinklers among us who noticed that everything was broken and that we were not hooked up the irrigation line which was costing us a pretty penny using the culinary water. So they jumped right in and started fixing that as well. We had other neighbors walk by and stop to help as well(Lee's53-58), (Coon's 59-65) and (Soward's 66). Sister Black brought over dinner as I obviously had forgotten to feed my family. As you can see we had a lot of kids there as well and instead of destroying the house they cleaned it and by 9:00 that night we had the sod in and pulled weeds from the flower beds, pruned some trees, fixed the sprinkler hook ups (the broken heads we'll do when Danny gets home), cleaned my house and all of the outside. Every one not only served but went the extra mile and lived their religion that day. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I found myself crying several times.
So in the end we found out that it takes about 66 Mormons to Sod a lawn.
I am truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for hearing and answering my prayer and to these 66 Mormons(that includes you too Sarah, I know you wanted to be there) who truly live as they believe and for listening to the spirit that day. It really is amazing what we accomplished together.
Our eyes were bigger than our muscles. We rented a sod cutter on Friday so that we could cut out our dead lawn before we brought home the free sod from North Park. Danny(1) had to work all day so we only got half of it cut and then the grass was so dead that it just crumbled when we tried to move it and so that was becoming a nuisance, but never the less we worked until it was dark that evening. We woke up very early the next morning to go and cut the sod from the park expecting to haul it away by taking the seats out of our cars and laying down tarps but when Danny called me(2) from the park and measured out what we would need and saw people with much less than we needed using multiple huge trailers we knew that we could not do this alone. Danny's dad(3) and brother(4) were already there that morning but it was obvious that we needed more man power. So I called our neighbors the Black's to see if we could use their trailer and if their son would be able to help us for the day. They agreed and I hooked up the trailer and headed for the park. Just as we started loading the strips of sod into the trailer the Black's arrived but not just the one boy we planned on but his dad and brother as well plus their daughter offered to tend the kids that day. They have a large family and they all got involved(5-14). We were relieved to say the least but it was still an all day adventure to haul that sod back to our place. It took5 loads with their big trailer and luckily we saw a friend of ours(Ken 15) down at the park who was helping his neighbor and he saw we needed help and took one load for us in his truck. Once we had all the sod at our house it was time to figure out how we were going to get all the dead grass off the lawn. We borrowed to wheel barrows from neighbors(16,17) but we couldn't fill them very much because of the weight. It was going to take forever to get all that grass out. Our neighbors the Norris'(18,19) down the street were also putting sod in their yard and used a bobcat to scrape their lawn out. So they let us use it for ours too. We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to drive that thing and scrape off the grass without digging huge holes in the process or breaking any sprinkler heads(we broke about 8 by the way). Well that took the rest of the day and we had to quit to clean up and make it up to Danny's sister's house for the Hacienda Heights Ward Reunion.
Sunday we rested and all day I was really feeling stressed out about Danny leaving in the morning and trying to get the yard done alone so I prayed that I would get some help with this project. Monday morning we woke up early to get kids off to school and when we walked outside there was Danny's Dad trying to level out the dirt so we could start laying sod. Danny was leaving to go to St. George for 3 days and it was going to be up to me get this sod laid out before it was dead. So after the kids were gone Dick and I started leveling out the dirt. We heard that some of the young men from the ward would be showing up at 3:00 that afternoon to help finish. This was arranged by Jerry Black the young man that helped us on Saturday. Well we kept on working hoping to have it level so the boys could help lay the sod but of course we only got about halfway done. While we were working I saw a friend from our ward drive by several times and finally she stopped to talk and informed me that her family would be over as soon as her husband got home from work along with 3 other families. This was an answer to my prayers. We had 10 boys(20-30) there ready to work at 3:00. We got the first half leveled and the sod laid. Dick was exhausted so Dorothy(31) came out to get him and drive him home and decided to take Aida home with her. That was a big help as well. Anyway, just as we were starting on the other side our extra help started to arrive. The Allen's(32-36), Popes(37-41) Parkinson's(42-48), Irwin's(49-52). We had some experts on sprinklers among us who noticed that everything was broken and that we were not hooked up the irrigation line which was costing us a pretty penny using the culinary water. So they jumped right in and started fixing that as well. We had other neighbors walk by and stop to help as well(Lee's53-58), (Coon's 59-65) and (Soward's 66). Sister Black brought over dinner as I obviously had forgotten to feed my family. As you can see we had a lot of kids there as well and instead of destroying the house they cleaned it and by 9:00 that night we had the sod in and pulled weeds from the flower beds, pruned some trees, fixed the sprinkler hook ups (the broken heads we'll do when Danny gets home), cleaned my house and all of the outside. Every one not only served but went the extra mile and lived their religion that day. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I found myself crying several times.
So in the end we found out that it takes about 66 Mormons to Sod a lawn.
I am truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for hearing and answering my prayer and to these 66 Mormons(that includes you too Sarah, I know you wanted to be there) who truly live as they believe and for listening to the spirit that day. It really is amazing what we accomplished together.
AFTER
5 comments:
Oh my gosh, you just made me bawl! That is the coolest thing ever and it just gives me chills to the core to think of all of those people who were willing to help out a neighbor in need. Your "after" picture is beautiful! The kids are going to love playing on that soft, green grass! I can't believe they just gave it away for FREE from that park!
Ok, I couldn't help but choke back the tears, especially because those ward members did what your family couldn't which is why the gospel is so fantastic. You obviously have a wonderful ward. Man I should not be crying cause I don't ovulate for two more weeks. I am a BOOB! It looks awesome and I wish we could have helped. Tell Danny no more LEAVING!!! You think he planned that? I would have been crying at the thought of doing it alone. Awesome in laws too!
Wow, that's an amazing story, thanks for sharing that........I wish we were there, but if it's not us, then the Lord's angels will do.
Tami
Hey you. That sounds like it worked out great. You are so blessed with great people from the gospel. It looks really great. Love you lots.
That is truly amazing. You have some amazing neighbors. I want to be like that. I hope that I react the way your neighbors did when I see a friend in need. I am happy for you and the home you have made in Utah. It makes me excited to move and start up a new life and make a home of our own. We love you guys, I wish we could have been there to help.
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