Greater love hath no mother...

But to be outside in the frozen weather chipping away at the ice that has formed on the driveway trying to make a path for her children who are about to receive items for Christmas that require a bit of driveway to test out!

Reminders...

Some days you get reminders of your job as a father. This was one of those days.

You see, now that it is cold out, I gear up prior to heading to the garage to light the fire and get rolling. That is, I put on my duster and pull on my gloves. My gloves are fingerless wool because even though I get cold, I cannot stand my fingertips covered so I can't operate the controls. The Jeep is not like new vehicles where you just press a button and things work. I have to twist dials, pull cables, turn knobs and flip switches all during the morning commute. And having my fingers covered annoys me when I try to perform those tasks. Yes, this information is germane.

The other day, my oldest son had the opportunity to pick up some stuff to keep himself warm in the cold. Guess what he chose for his hands? Yep, fingerless gloves.

It's just another reminder to me that I'm being watched. I need to be the kind of man that is an example for my children. I need to be the kind of man I would like to grow into. And faking it or pretending to be something just doesn't work. These people live with me. They know me. They've seen me for who I really am not who I wish I was. It's a sobering reminder that I have a job to do as a father to these kids.

Fingerless gloves remind me to be the man I hope my boys grow in to and my daughter marries.