Arts and Crafts

We've been trying to keep ourselves busy while waiting on our moving orders. Jeremy has utilized the majority of his time at the arts and crafts center on base.

First he learned to make his own stereo equipment. Then it was welding. Then he learned carpentry/woodworking/frame making skills. Then he moved on to covering and beautifying tea boxes with traditional washi paper. Here is an example of that:

I am incredibly proud of his desire to master new skills, and I am so thankful he uses his own allowance to purchase the expensive parts needed to complete his projects. That being said, I am getting a little flustered at the huge piles of his stuff that is taking over my house.

It's under the tables and on the coffee tables...

It's covering up the book club selections on my dressers...

It's in my closets...

It's behind my bookshelves (all my bookshelves!)...

It's under Abby's bed...

It's piling up in my closets...

And in boxes all over our storage areas...

So when Jeremy let me know that he bought an Irish flute, I was a little bit concerned. He already has a saxophone and a guitar that he doesn't play. Those are not small instruments and we lug them all around the world with us. Even if he mastered the flute, where in the world would he play it. Is he going to bring it on his work conference and play it at science conventions? Is he going to write me love songs and play them passionately over Sunday dinners?

He managed to convince the whistle-maker to donate the $75 he paid for it to the charity Stepwise that we fundraise for, which is pretty significant because Africa is the only place I am going to let him play it.

The things we do (or put up with) for love!