Christmas house is family's best gift

While two rooms full of adults seriously marked the dedication of a new home, thuds and giggles escaped from some back rooms.

"I think they would prefer if you didn't move in furniture because the wrestling matches were pretty good," joked Zac Larson, of Thrivent Financial.

Ramiro and Dora Ortega recognized the enormity of accepting the keys to their new Habitat for Humanity home in Aurora.

Their kids?

Well, they were having a blast in the future bedrooms while the adults handled the technicalities.

For four months, the Ortegas, their friends, co-workers and even some new neighbors have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a home the family finally could own. Instead of rentals that were often uninhabitable, the family now has sparkling walls, new windows, beautiful carpet and a top-notch kitchen.

"God gave us this Christmas house," Ortega said during an open house party Sunday. "He gave us the biggest present. This is very special to us."

Families accepted into the program are required to put in at least 500 hours of sweat equity constructing their own home. Ortega took that seriously -- and then some.

"He had a family member in from Mexico City. He had him working all morning at the house, then drove him to the airport in the afternoon," said Gary Olsen, president of Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity.

More than that, though, volunteers said they found the Ortegas a joy to be around during the construction because they cared so much about the people around them. They brought water, refreshments, whatever was needed to help the workers.

"Every single time we saw them they had smiles on their faces," said Kristina Faleskin, Habitat's family support chairman.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville helped the effort by donating $10,000 toward construction, and the $142,500 house was built in partnership with Thrivent Financial and area Lutheran churches.

There's still some paperwork to process, but the Ortegas are expected to be in their new home in time to celebrate Christmas there.