Man Camp

Jeff’s dad and all three of his brothers showed up Tuesday morning, with their work faces on. The kids couldn’t wait. Since Monday they asked about every hour when they were going to be here. Company is thrilling around this place and has come to feel more natural than when we are the only ones here. The farm is a place where we gather with family and friends. Where we work together. The load is lightened that way and everyone gets their fix of the farm. We love that about it. The  more the merrier.

Aside from the kids being excited though, Jeff was the one who was lit up all week by their help. He was so giddy about them coming and it was fun to watch as they were here, how natural it was for them to work together as a team. Without words or a lot of instruction they all sort of just knew their job and did it. They worked so long and hard and I felt, as usual since moving here, like a pioneer woman. Wearing my apron all day. Making big breakfasts, caring for the children, making big lunches, taxiing my kids around to activities (this part was very un-pioneer of me), and then coming home to make another big meal for dinner. Which we didn’t eat until sundown every night they were here. The difference between Froberg’s and Ashmore’s is that Froberg’s feel hunger and stop to eat once in a while. Ashmore’s don’t notice they are hungry until you physically put hot, fine smelling food, under their noses. So all the week the kids and I would eat dinner around 5:00pm because we were hungry, and then we would sit down again when all the guys came in and eat a second round.

The guys brought welders and tools and machines with them to town. They started from scratch and built the frames of two large mobile chicken coops. I assumed they were working all day, every day they were here but come to find out some of them were occasionally playing on the four wheeler as well. Boys.

Bonuses of Man Camp were the days off that I got from my normal farm chores.  Man camp was a little like “Mom Vacation” in some ways. They collected my eggs on numerous days which left me to wear nice clothes and be showered more than is typical. Braxton, Adelle, and Emmett still had school all week and Gage wanted nothing to do with me while they were here. My little mommy’s boy wanted to work with the men the whole time so I found myself frequently picking up my book to read, or going to the grocery store all by myself. It was wonderfully relaxing and made the chicken coop project less stressful on me.

The sun shone the whole week and I remember looking up and thanking my Heavenly Father when they were pulling out of the driveway to leave for home Sunday morning. I felt a sprinkle from the sky and I knew our sunny days had expired. They were able to get so much more done in the sun than they would have been able to in the rain and I felt that blessing.

I’m thankful for Man Camp. Blessed by the men in our families who sacrifice so much of themselves for their families.  The amount of work that they got done that week was something that has no price. Jeff needed so much help and they came so willingly and accomplished so much. It never would have gotten done doing an hour here or there like we had anticipated. 

The guys are so fun and silly, and we love them all so much. I love the relationship that Jeff has with his family. Makes me want to have more boys so they can have fun experiences like this when they get big. I kept imagining Brax, Em, and Gage as adults. Coming to help each other. Working together. Being competitive and goofy.  I love how fun they made the job and how light the mood was when they were all working together. I felt the Priesthood so strongly in my home while they were here and especially when they gave their dad a blessing after his manly accident on the four-wheeler. I am thankful for men who know who they are and why they are here. Who think outside of themselves and serve. My heart is overflowing.  

And here is the finished product! Out on the pasture April 1, 2016