When we bought our house in Midland, we knew right away we'd want to redo the floors. Our last house had wood-look tile and I really liked it. Getting started was difficult though, between being pregnant, Justin working long hours, and our lack of know-how-- I'd mentioned that Pa had just finished re-tiling the sunroom at his and Ma's house and maybe he could come do ours or at least show us how. 

We talked it over with Pa, pulled up all the carpets and broke up the old tile, and prepared for his arrival. The kids and I were super excited for a visitor and I was also happy that we'd finally be making some progress on our "fixer upper". I never imagined just how much work was in store for us over the next few days! 

Watching my sweet, quiet dad bond with my babies over tile spacers and concrete mix is a memory I will forever cherish. He built bridges over his work so that they could cross over without messing up his freshly laid tile. He put each and every one of them to work, whether it be mixing up a fresh bucket of grout or pulling spacers out before the concrete dried completely. Each of them had an important job and "don't step on the tile" made a lasting impression days after he headed back home to Arkansas. 

We also got to enjoy his company in the celebration of two birthdays- Lillie's and Nathaniel's. And during his second trip to help us tile, he escorted me and the kids back to Arkansas for our summer stay with a detour to Medicine Park and Oklahoma's tallest(?) mountain, Mount Scott. We took a quick picture with the buffalo before hitting the road again. 

As soon as he laid that first strip of tile down through my living room, I knew the added sentimental value of this house would make it hard to say goodbye if the time came. (And then add to that the fact that Justin and I delivered our 6th baby alone in the bathroom--we'll probably never sell this house!)

We are so lucky to call him Pa. I am so grateful for him and the love and dedication he has for his family. These are just some of pictures I took of the three trips he made all the way to Midland (a ten hour drive one way, if your stops are quick) to teach us how and to help redo our floors. His expertise is in heating and air, but in all his years of living, he's definitely dabbled in nearly every trade known to man. And if he can't do it the "right" way, he'll certainly do it his own way 😀 He's always there to help when a roof needs replaced, or when a car breaks down, or when a floor needs retiled. 

Today he turns 70, and I couldn't be more proud of him. I love you, Papa. Happy birthday!