COEUR d'ALENE - In just a few months, Kathy French and her two Jack Russell terriers will have plenty of room to roam.

They'll stretch their legs in the living room, grab a chair in the kitchen or lie down in the master bedroom. Their small rental unit in Coeur d'Alene - the cramped space where French and the pups currently reside - will be little more than a memory.

"I've never owned a home, so this will be my first time," French said.

The 49-year-old mother of two, a longtime employee at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course, strolled through her future home on Saturday morning. She pointed out the wide closets, the dense insulation, the enlarged second bedroom.

"I love the location," French said. "Not far from where I work. I love the area here."

Planted on the corner of 12th Street and Hazel Avenue, the unfinished building was a hive of activity. About 20 Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho volunteers buzzed from one job to the next, hammering nails, sawing boards and drilling holes.

They had a schedule to keep, and a handsome new house to build.

"It's coming," said Jim Pontier of Spirit Lake, a longtime volunteer. "I think they're almost ready for sheetrock inside."

On the north end of the jobsite, Bob Siegert pushed a power drill through a stubborn piece of wood. Then Ken Sande and Terry Grutta steadied a long, narrow board, while Tom Collier steered a buzzing circular saw right down the middle. 

Tasks completed, the volunteers hustled off to another project.

"The guys in charge give good direction, and it seems like they've been doing it for awhile," said Michaelle Sande of Hayden. "They tolerate novice volunteers well."

According to Eula Hickam, chair of the Habitat board of directors, the builders aim to finish the new house by September.

"(The schedule) is a little bit flexible yet," she said.

And when it's finished, French will move in.

"It's been a wonderful experience for me," French said. "I've learned things I never thought I would be involved in. I was here when (the excavator) was actually digging the dirt."

Like all Habitat recipients, French has joined the construction effort whenever possible. She helped on a Post Fals Project before moving on to her Coeur d'Alene home.

"I was nervous about construction, because I've never been involved with it," she recalled.

As French measured the foundation, grabbed 4x4s and worked alongside the volunteers, her house took shape. She watched the building grow, from the ground up.

Her two grown daughters, Stephanie and Jennifer, and two grandchildren live in California. The Hazel Avenue house will be a roomy place for family get-togethers.

"So, hopefully one day, maybe next summer, the (grandkids) can come spend two weeks with Grandma," French said.

Once the final nail is driven home, French will celebrate a Habitat for Humanity tradition: the ceremonial home dedication. The event could be a tear-jerker.

"The closing, you can always bring a handkerchief," Pontier said. "It's an emotional time. There's always some tears shed."

Habitat volunteers come from near and far. Some are students at a local high school; others are retirees who enjoy serving the community.

On Saturday, 11 workers from Sterling Savings Bank stopped by to lend a hand. French is a regular at the Sherman Avenue location, and the bank donated $1,000 to the Habitat cause.

"I just feel blessed by God to be involved," French said. "I feel very happy."