I'm so happy for you guy and I hope to hear more good stories from everyone.

hope ya'll are at home soon ....it's great at least some family beongings were found....But Steve...whats pictured is a "trac-hoe"...backhoes have rubber tires.....KEEP ON WRITING....cause i always enjoy your blogs!

Congratulations Steve, glad to see some things progressing (slowly). Hope all goes well.

Wonderful news about getting started on rebuilding. Same here for us in the Pass. We were already rebuilding so guess now you can say we are re-rebuilding. Our house burned, we had just gotten three months into construction when Katrina put the neighborhood under 15 feet of water plus our structure has so much wind damage. Just started couple wks ago doing tear down of worst damaged parts and this week it was FINALLY the beginning of putting back together. Think it's going to be six months building process but we're on our way again. Looking so forward to getting the bridge back, love the Bay/Waveland area. Best of luck to you and your wife.

Cool news on the house, Steve! I'm not sure why we humans enjoy seeing things get torn apart so much - especially when it means progress. Must go back to those days as toddlers when we loved to smash sand castles. My brother-in-law would so love to be operating that trac-hoe! Thanks for the photo! Ah, the signs and sounds of progress....

My bad, Andy... TRAC hoe. Thanks, and by the way, that's Jeff and Heather's house that you can see rising in the background.

I saw that house in the background!....they are well on their way to being HOME....good luck to all,hope to be on the coast soon

For all of you reading this out there, please spread the word that plumbers and electricians are in desperate need. My mother-in-law has been fortunate enough to have a group handling the labor of rebuilding her house, but things will soon be coming to a stand still without an electrician. If those with these skills will PLEASE help, they can get you set up to work. Just be certain to have your proof of credentials with you. Thank you to all who have done so much!

Re: Brian Welch and Welch Enterprises.....Steve, I'm glad you had a good experience with Brian Welch. I DID NOT....I hired Brian and his father Crawford Welch of Welch Enterprises to do work for my 86 year old mother and they created a living hell at her home! After begging to have work completed that they began in DEC. I had to fire them in FEB. As if I did not have enough to do with losing my business, home and dealing with my mother's losses, I now have to spend time with lawyers to resolve the issues I have with them. Since they are from out of state, Montgomery AL, it is even more difficult. Good luck to you and Heather on rebuilding. I look forward to seeing you two soon.

Re: Brian Welch and Welch Enterprises...Deborah, perhaps you should include the entire story about your dealings with Welch Enterprises. Word travels quickly in this community and it seems that an unwillingness to alter legal contracts for pay constitues a "bad experience" for you. Bryan and Crawford have aided many people at their personal expense (including you). As someone who has benefited from their generosity, I take offense in your desire to smear their good name. You should be ashamed!

Jane Anderson- I know a local in Waveland, MS who may be able to help your mother-in-law out. My husband Steven is a licensed and bonded contrator for the State of Ms. He is currently working on our home but working on other folks homes as well. We have a home still standing in Waveland, South of the railroad tracks. See if she will stop by Grosvenor Place and leave him a note. You cannot miss the house it is the only one there right now. Grosvenor and Central. Steve Harper way to go get that hosue done, I hope to see more neighbors around by fall or spring of next year. I cannot wait to get home too!

Steve, I am so pleased with your progress in getting your life back to normal. I've witnessed the incredible resilence of the human spirit. I am Bryan Welch's Dad, Crawford. I'd like to comment on Ms. Deborah's entry. I was very much involved in her work. I received a Christmas card from her with a picture of her with me and Welch Enterprise employee working on her house and yard. Here is her comments to me:
"Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for the kindness you have shown in this difficult time following Katrina. Without your hard work and gentle guidance, we could not have come so far in such a short time in our rebuilding efforts. You have provided strenth and hope when we had none. Thank you for leaving your family and home so that we could take care of ours."
Bryan and I have always wanted the best for Deborah. We wish her success in working out her issues so she can move forward.

Jane, no offense but if someone can't speak with me and know that I know my trade i probaly don't need their business, yes i have papers....but they mean nothing{to me at least}!

Mr. Harper, Thank you for the kind words. I am glad you were happy with my work. I would not have known you even mentioned me if several of my clients hadn't called to tell me. The people of Waveland have been so positive in such a difficult time. It is a pleasure to deal with such nice folks. Your article, which was uplifting and humoruos, was one a lot of people here can identify with. I know you are glad to be moving forward. I am sorry that Deborah used this forum to post such a negative and misleading statement. I sympathize with her circumstances and have tried to work with her. Enough said. Ending on a positive note,I would like to thank all the people I have met here and done business with. I have made many good friends.

Andy, you write frequently on this site, because I have noted your name before. I appreciate your interest. Please don't get your panties in a wad though. The papers are not for our purposes. They are for the local authorities that may. Since having lost everything (material) to Katrina and moved, I have continued to work relentlessly to send help back to Hancock county. In speaking with organizations who have been very kind to leave their families and assist, I have been told that these people with these much needed trades must have their paperwork with them so they can be temporarily licensed to do that work on the coast. It is no different than say a lawyer who is not certified to practice law in another state, but may be incredible at what he/she does. Please don't take offense. It was not personal to those with those needed skills. It is simply passing what I have been told to fill in the needed check with authorities there. Since you have one of these trades, you of all must be aware of how this works. Thanks again for your continued interest in the coast. I really appreciate all of you who have not forgotten the wonderful people there.

Steve, I'm glad you and your family will be in your new house, and won't it be wonderful this summer? Enjoy your summer, even though I know you all will be working very hard getting everything finished, and may not finish for months. But just knowing that you are working on the house, isn't that grand? I admire all the people on the Coast who are working so hard and not giving up. And all the people who are helping us, both volunteers and paid workers? I'll include you in my admiration. You are inspirations to all of us. God bless you all.

yeap, Jane Anderson....i thought more about it and there are some {from my area} i wound't trust down there..."be vewy calful" as Elmer Fudd would say....you run up on folks from N.E. Mississippi workin'.....more than likely i know em....E-Mail me if you need!...I'll tell ya da straight story

House plans? http://www.eplans.com/relief.hwx

Free House Plans or 20 Percent Off for Those Rebuilding Katrina, Rita & Wilma....

Hanley Wood, the nation's largest home plans retailer, recently launched Plans for the Future, a hurricane relief program developed to provide a free set of house plans to those rebuilding after the devastating storms of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Additionally, those affected by these storms can receive a 20-percent discount on ANY plan from eplans.com.

There are 6 sets that are free! I hope this helps, also please pass it on to your area... I'm still waiting for FEMA to help so I can rebuild the house I bought 2 weeks before Katrina.