Mission to Mars

Thomas has been working on this swingset for over a week. He meticulously organized the hardware and the wood, labeling everything, which impressed me.
In between school, gigs and other jobs, he has managed to work a little bit almost everyday, adding sections at a time. And yeah, it's not finished yet, but it will get there.

I lobbied for this swingset, knowing the kids would love having something to play on. But I never imagined how much fun it would be to see this work in progress. Thomas has Ian getting his tools out, helping count out washers or nails and the result is Ian enjoying the work too. Thomas then climbs in the fort with Ian and they put on their space suits and blast off on a mission to Mars. They go out at night and sit and watch the stars. The swingset has created a father-son bond and for that alone, it is well worth the money, time and effort that goes into this project.

Now, that is not to say that Ian helps every time. Thomas has worked until 10pm a few nights, using his headlamp and even sacrificing a bit of video game time. And there has been some choice words now and then and tricky sections, but it is really fun to see him dig in and keep chipping away a little each day.

I really loved this picture of Connor and Thomas. Connor looks a bit forlorn as he was recovering from double ear infection/cold/pneumonia, but he still wanted to be outside with the rest of us. He is enjoying crawling through the bottom of the fort and holding on to the sides.

Here's the real point. My husband is a really great father. I've said it before and I'll probably say a ton more over the years. He works all the time, three jobs plus whatever gigs come along. He makes time for the boys, whether it's a quick trip to the park, having them help with the swingset or taking them out to look at the stars each night. He helps me in the morning getting them dressed or getting breakfast; he helps at night with baths, pajamas, and reading books. And maybe all those things seem easy, but they aren't. It takes patience, sacrifice and a lot more patience. But he adds a lot of imagination, spirit and occasional trips to Mars.