When Mommy's Family Night Rolls Around...

...it usually involves either dinner out (so I don't have to cook and do dishes) or some kind of home improvement project (so my haven becomes a little more beautiful). I don't think Jeff looks forward to my family nights with quite as much enthusiasm as I do! But he's a good sport about it and doesn't complain a bit. :)

Last Friday night happened to be my family night; and for this particular one, I asked Jeff if we could go into our local Sauder furniture store and get a desk that was on sale there. We had talked for some time about getting a small desk for our living room so that eventually, we can have a laptop there for the boys to do their computer stuff on. One of the most basic--and probably easiest--steps to keeping your children safeguarded on the Internet is to have your computer in a room of the house that is not secluded. For us, even though we hope and pray that various Internet temptations are years away from our sons, we still felt like it was wise to go ahead and get this desk now and begin to get an area ready for a computer for them.

So we went to the store and got a desk, but it just so happened that we were having a fierce downpour at just the time that Jeff needed to load the desk into the van. Our area has been so dry that we were actually thrilled to see the rain, but the timing was decidedly inconvenient. Jeff ran out to the van, got soaked along the way, then drove it up to the door of the store so that the small overhang over the door would give some protection from the rain as he loaded the desk--and as we loaded the boys after he was done. Then we headed back to the barbershop to get the Jeep, since the boys and I had met him at his shop as soon as he finished working. We did have to make one stop along the way though: Dairy Queen for an M&M Blizzard for me, a Snickers Blizzard for Jeff, and hot fudge sundaes for the boys (for three of them anyway). :)

The worst part of the rain episode happened next. Jeff did not have the top on the Jeep, so not only was the seat thoroughly soaked, he also got rained on all the way home. Doesn't sound like much fun to me, but not a word of complaint came from his lips. What a guy. :)

And then, at home, he patiently and "without complaining or arguing" (thank you, Paul), built the desk. He had three little helpers, which of course, made the job much harder. :) Oh, but one of these days, they'll be able to use these skills he is carefully teaching them now; and what a wonderful thing that will be!

While Jeff was being busy and productive, I don't think I was accomplishing much of anything; at least, I can't remember anything significant that I did. I did take pictures...

...of the empty box.
Seeing a box with "Sauder" on it in my living room makes me excited. :)

And I took pictures of the builder hard at work...
...and his helpers waiting their turn...
...to use the real tools he gave them for Christmas...
...to help him turn a screw.

Tobin thought the box was a great place to lay down...
...and stand up.
Such sweet feet!

And then, the result of Jeff's labors...

...a simple, neat, attractive desk in our living room, ready for little boys to spread their math books on and do their lessons, ready for me to have some morning time with God with a cup of tea and My Utmost for His Highest, ready for a laptop--someday--for my sons to use for learning and fun.

Thank you, Jeff. Because of you, I LOVE my family nights!!! :)