An Investment of Time & Love

Early last year Grandpa C and Tyler started a project together. Fueled by Tyler’s interest in his tools, Grandpa thought it would be fun if he and Tyler built a small boat together. Grandpa sketched it all out, got all the supplies, and the boys spent some time working together. They haven’t had a chance to work on it much lately, but while we were visiting today, they decided to finish it up. We girls left to do some visiting so the boys could work.

Grandpa said this is what went on at his end once it was finished:
When they discussed taking it upstairs, Tyler wanted to cover it up so they could unveil it. Tyler made Grandpa cover it up before bringing it upstairs from the basement, just in case we walked in. Once it was upstairs, Tyler called and begged us to come home. Then he insisted they sit at the table with their hands on the cover, just waiting for the “big” moment. After several more minutes, Grandpa moved to the couch but Tyler still waited patiently at the table, his hand on the towel. Grandpa said every time he heard a noise Tyler would make Grandpa look out the window for us. (He couldn’t leave the table.) Grandpa wanted to turn the tv on, but Tyler was concerned they wouldn’t be able to hear our car. Grandpa convinced Tyler to take the towel off so he could take a picture. Then they practiced unveiling it and saying “ta da”! Grandpa said Tyler sat patiently at the table like this for well over ½ an hour. He was so excited.

When we finally got back, Tyler and Grandpa were waiting at the table. In the middle of the table sat the boat, draped in a towel so it could be unveiled before our eyes. With a “ta da”, Tyler and Grandpa whipped the towel off to reveal the most special sailboat. Tyler was bursting with pride (Grandpa looked pretty proud, too). Tyler carried the boat around the house and even took it with him when he, Grandpa, and Danielle went for a walk around the block. All evening he kept returning to the boat, admiring it and touching it. Talking about what they did here and how they did that. At dinner Tyler insisted on rearranging our seats so he could sit next to Grandpa.

On the way home Tyler asked if he could take a bath with his boat tonight. I denied the bath request (too late) but tried to prepare him for the realization that his boat may not float. He responded with, “It will still be a great boat even if it doesn’t float. But Grandpa said wood floats, so it will float.” Grandpa said it, it must be so. End of discussion. Right now the sailboat is sitting on Daddy’s desk so he will see it as soon as he returns from his trip. I’m sure it will be carried all over the house again tomorrow, taken to school some day to show off, and probably even tested in the bathtub at some point. Eventually it will probably come to rest on a shelf on Tyler’s bed, up near his head where he can always see it. While Tyler is lying still in his bed, trying to fall asleep at night or waking in the morning, he will see their boat and always be reminded of the special time he had with his grandpa.

I think Grandpa will remember their special time, too. When Grandpa forwarded me the pictures tonight, he added, “When we went for a walk we passed some people on the sidewalk and he proudly showed them the boat. He treated it like it was special. It did this grandpa’s heart good.”