Ode to My Father-In-Law (And Family in General)

In case I haven't mentioned it enough (which I'm sure I haven't), an essential piece of our home-improvement progress is all the generous help we've received from Archer's family over the last 6 months. The process of our settling into The Big House has been a family affair from the beginning, and we are overwhelmed by the generous gifts of time and energy we have received.

My father-in-law Butch has definitely put in the most hours and blood, sweat, and tears into our projects, helping us make our dreams (and needs) for The Big House a reality. In honor of all his effort, and his birthday today, I decided to write a little poem.

To the tune of Old Tannenbaum

Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

Your son is strong, but so are you,
I cannot count, the things you do
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

You move our stuff from here to there
To fix a house for a crazy pair!
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

You slice your hands, get soot tattoos,
You stacked more wood than we'll ever use!
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

Removing lead, and poison plants,
Protect our babes from itchy pants.
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

You trap the mice, and fill their holes,
No more infest, God rest their souls.
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

The Reading Machine, is never old,
Our girls know Pop is fun four-fold,
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!

Thanks for your time, your sweat and scars,
We are so glad that you are ours!
Oh Father-in-Law, Oh Father-in-Law,
How thankful I am for you!