“It won’t kill you.”

Our host, James, wanted to build a swing set for his darling kids. We started the construction of this 20 feet high, 460 pound wooden swing set in a shed a quarter of a mile from where he wanted it to go. It took a solid four days, working five hours a day. We had to hold 75 pound beams 10 feet in the air for 45 minutes at a time, so he could drill in the supportive braces after eyeing it from every angle over and over. I’m not exaggerating on this. 45 minutes. 10 feet in the air.

I pulled a muscle in my back yesterday trying to move it both up and down hill a quarter of a mile, and had to move it again today. It weighed more than I have ever even tried to pick up in my life…not even to impress Eliza at the Rush (and people very close to me know what a big deal that is). When trying to think of creative ways to lift it, Kasey said, “We could strap it to Nana and make her take it up there.” Brittany and I casually smiled and nodded. A few seconds later, I saw James looking baffled and a little disturbed. I then realized the confusion and said, “Nana’s our car. Kasey doesn’t hate her grandmother.”

We brought up many other concerns when the project felt a bit unsafe and James said, “it won’t kill you.”

He’s right. We are all still alive, bruised and battered, but alive and proud. Will I ever be able to pick up the kids I might have one day? Neh, my back is probably shot. Was it worth it? Oh, absolutely not. Cool view though.