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Sunday, August 1, 2010

Papa's Project

One of my favorite things about my dad is that he's always moving. He always has projects on the horizon and when he talks about getting something done, he not only does it, he does it perfectly and without cutting any corners. He can't let a car leave his driveway without washing all the windows (for example, as we were waving goodbye and backing out of their driveway last weekend, my dad emerged from the garage with his windex and a rag, and by the time we reached the bottom of the driveway our windows were sparkling). He comes up with an idea of something to do with the house and a weekend or two later it's done. He built my mom a full Biology book storage unit out of our old living room bar area (my mom owns over 30 college Biology textbooks that she reads in full and incorporates into her high school lessons- college towns and their accompanying bookstores are as dangerous as a DSW for her), he turned their stand-up shower into a closet because my mom had takeover the one they were supposed to share, and despite a complete lack of engineering or mechanical training, he has fixed every appliance and car problem we've ever had. I think he's very good in his financial career, but it's his hobbies (and my mom) that keep him happy.



Outside of his projects, his lake house, his dogs, and my mom, he also loves being a dad and grandpa. He was always the dad in the pool tossing all the kids around or creating games for us to play in the yard (a favorite being when he'd mow the lawn in a crazy pattern and let us play in the "maze" for a while before having to mow it all over again in 110 degree heat to make it smooth). When we were visiting last weekend he took Landon on big adventures through the green belt, helped him fly a remote-controlled helicopter he pulled out of the garage (no idea when we acquired that), and then, while Landon was sleeping and all the girls were downtown seeing Wicked on Saturday night, he made this special sign:



It has all of Landon's favorite things: a helicopter, a boat, an airplane, and his pets- a slightly chubby Tex, a Lilly, and a Rosie with her longer hound-like nose. It's a work of art.



He signed the back and now it's hanging proudly above Landon's bed.



He said as soon as he knows Claire's favorite things, she'll get one too.

5 comments:

  1. How precious! I know he/you/he will treasure it always. There's just not a better gift he could give, is there?

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  2. This is one of the sweetest things ever! Something to keep for a lifetime. What a great guy! How did he make the sign?? My husband is an amateur woodworker but I don't have a clue how he would make that .

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  3. You are so blessed to have such a great dad and your kids to have such an amazing grandpa. What a thoughtful and beautiful present!

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  4. That's really sweet, it's nice for Landon to have something from his grandfather to treasure forever. My grandmother made me a patchwork quilt out off all of the leftover fabric from dresses she had made me over the years. It's something that I'll always have to remind me of her and my childhood.

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  5. What a fabulous present!

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