Hi Guys!!! I am soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere so I do not have a (Five on) Friday Fragments for you today but I will likely have 2 of them for you next week.
Please welcome my lovely guest, Ashley from Wheels of Grace, to the blog today.
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I don’t know if it was because I was an only child or not but I did everything I could with my dad.
One of the first things I remember him teaching me was how to fish. I learned how to bait a hook and how to cast out into the water. He bought me my own tackle box around 5 years old. He even let me bring along my stuffed purple dinosaur Barney on our fishing trips because he knew Barney went where I went.
Ashley and Barney!! Isn’t she adorable!?
After learning how to fish my dad bought me a desk at a yard sale. It was ugly but we both didn’t worry because we knew we could fix it up. That was the day he taught me how to sand and how to paint. I was unaware after that day I would spend countless hours sanding and painting with my dad. That day was the start of all of our DIY projects.
Throughout my childhood and into my teenage and adult years I helped my dad on every house project. He taught me how to paint the walls, and the trim. Together we laid tile and I learned what the word grout was and how to use it. I watched him as he installed an underground sprinkler and if he needed a part I got it for him. I helped him tear down walls and patch up holes. I knew how rewarding hard work could be and I never complained about the house projects because I was spending time with my dad and I was learning new things.
When we had spare time we still spent it fishing but I no longer brought along stuffed toys, instead I carried the poles and the tackle box. Together we talked about our next house project and how we planned on completing it.
I watched my dad plant grass seed and sit outside and stare at it while it grew. He was so proud of the grass and I was proud of us both. When it grew long enough to be cut my dad was so happy to have grass to mow. He smiled as he mowed the lawn. I hated to mow the lawn but watching him mow sometimes made me feel guilty and I would ask if he wanted me to do it. However he was too happy to let me.
I usually knew better than to feel guilty, I learned that when I ask my dad if he needs help and he says no it is because he truly does not need help. At times I feel a sigh of relief when he says he doesn’t need help. I love helping him but at times offering to help means getting myself into a full day of work.
My dad has always taught me that any project I want to complete can be done without hiring a professional. In my eyes he is a professional at DIY. Now with the help of Pinterest I show him exactly what I want made, and he makes it. Currently I am waiting on him to make me a desk, I wasn’t planning on helping him make it until I wrote this and reminded myself of the first desk we worked on together. Now that the sentiment has touched my heart I will have to help him make my desk, which will take an entire day because he goes overboard when he makes things.
When we do make my desk I will gather all the materials and bring them to him when he needs them. I will fetch which ever tools he needs. I will try to do things my way but he always wants them his way.
I will bring him all of the tools that he needs just like I always have, all of my life, because he is in a wheelchair and sometimes when he is working it is just easier for me to bring what he needs to him. Of course he is capable of getting the tools himself, but if I want my desk I have to at least pretend to help.
http://thewheelsofgrace.com
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