How to install a firepole of Love . . .

                                                            How to install a firepole!

I've known this great guy, Tom (well he's Chris to me, but that's another story) since he was about ten.  I taught with his Mom and know his incredibly cool family well.  For years, he was the neat son of my good friend; and then, lo and behold, he grew up and he went to college and he became a teacher!  I was teaching in Atlanta at the time and knew that he MUST work at Garden Hills Elementary with me.  I did a lot of marketing about our great school to him and did my best to explain to the principal how wonderful, creative and tremendous he was.  This just wouldn't be a good story if he didn't get the job, which he did.  (He told me later that I had given enough rave reviews that he would have gotten the job even if he had showed up to the interview naked with streamers flying out of his butt -  envision that if you'd like.)

Fast forward a bit and we are both happily teaching together.  It was fun to teach alongside of Tom, after I had done the same with his awesome Mom years before.

Another way to make this a great story we need to introduce "the girl" to the story, right?  Well, that I can do.  A couple of floors down from Tom and right beside my classroom was Shael, the beautiful, funny, bright heroine of the story.  Tom and Shael became good friends, like the rest of us.  Then 'the rest of us' noticed that their friendship was a little different - they had done it - taken the plunge - fallen in love!  For reasons I can't remember (I really wanted to so that I could step in as a hero) I bragged often about 'setting them up.' I guess I put together recommending Tom for the job and being friends with Shael as, well, as . . . Deana, you're responsible for the whole thing - good job, girl!

Now fast forward a bunch of years, maybe twelve or fifteen, to Indianapolis, Indiana.  They have created a groovy life there, with their two kids, Lily and Cole.  They do cool things together.  They have fun.  I often hear about what the two of them are up to and think to myself, "They've got the right idea - they're putting the emphasis where it matters - they get it - they're having fun and showing those two lucky kids what life is about."  It's always fun to hear what's up at their house, always inspiring.

Like many, I have a love/hate relationship with facebook.  There is plenty negative to list, but this is not the place for that.  There is a lot of good, too, and that is what this story is about.  I planted myself in front of the computer the other night to check in, pointed the browser to fb, and I smiled for the next five minutes!  The first update I saw was "How to install a Firepole" and the smile hit my face - I knew I'd love the photos - I knew it!

I was right.  I did love the photos and the witty commentary and the idea and the humor and the craftiness and the creativity and the LOVE!  You will, too.  I promise.  So, here is your homework (and it's fun) click on the link below.  DO IT.  You'll enjoy it.

I don't know much about woodwork or carpentry.  I never measure anything.  I'm not great at projects that involve both beginnings and endings.  Maybe you are.  Maybe you can peruse the photos and captions and then you can install your own firepole.  That would be awesome!

Most likely, I won't get to that.  I won't forget the 'firepole' lesson, though.  I won't.  I looked at those photos, I thought about those sweet people, I smiled and I saw LOVE.  I thought about those two kids.  Thought about how proud they must be of those 'out of the box' parents.  Thought about all of the giddy kids that will visit in the future and how much fun they'll have.  Thought about a Daddy spending all of those hours on that project.  Those photos said, "we love you."

I'm thinking now about 'firepole' projects I can do, we can do.  I'm wondering about the times that my actions show my loved ones how much I care.  We can't all pull off what my buddies did.  But we have different talents, leanings, loves.  Maybe we can come up with our own projects, our own firepoles of love.

                                                HOW TO INSTALL A FIREPOLE!