That’s what family does
July 23, 2009 | Family: Nurturing Family
My son Ryan (pictured) is a patriarch in the making.
Family means a great deal to him. If we are floating down the river, he wants us to cluster our rafts so we can do it together. If someone is getting married, baptized, buried, honored, older, having a picnic, or just hanging out for the weekend, he wants everybody there.
On Father’s Day he decided that his grandparents needed more than a card or a nice shirt. He decided we needed a family work day, so he went into action.
He called his cousins. He spent a day with his papa driving around the farm seeing what needed to be done. He called brothers-in-law, sisters, dad, and uncles and aunts. “You’ll be there, right?”
Sad to say, I was the only no-show. I had already made plans to be in Denver for the week.
But almost everyone showed up. It was a pounding 102 degrees in the shade. Papa had decided that the farm needed work, but the house needed more work. So paint was bought. Siding purchased. Scaffolds and ladders erected. And the work began.
I drove by the house a couple of days after I landed in Tulsa. I was shocked! The fading, peeling paint was gone. The house had lost 15 years in one day due to the efforts of the Eller clan.
I have to give props to everyone else who worked tirelessly in the scorching heat. When I asked Ryan if it was hard, he simply said, “Mom, that’s what family does.”
Can I be honest? I’m proud of my twentysomething patriarch in the making.
In this Pic: DIL Kristin (center), future niece, Sarah (marrying Austin in two weeks) and SIL, Emily
Below are a few more pics of the fam in action:
My nephew Austin.
The hubs…
Nephew Chad
Daughter, Melissa, and Papa Eller
Son-in-law, Josh and nephew Kyle (who is a contractor! so he was the boss)
My 3-year-old nephew, Jackson, wanted to help, too.
Niece, Karysn, getting rid of her brother’s artwork.
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FAMILY ROCKS!!!
Way to go, Ryan and peeps!
I bet they were so thankful!
I love it! I’m inspired!
July 23rd, 2009 at 5:06 pmwhat a beautiful familt with a beautiful mission…
July 27th, 2009 at 9:48 am