My family gives me wings.

Let’s start with assuring you I’m no hero. But it’s easy to feel that with with the support I get from my kids. We were at the park today having a good time. I was called to the fire department. I leave my kids with my wife and scurry off to the station.
Our fireman pile into the fire truck and race towards the call. As we pass the city park the co driver calls out “kids running but they are inside the fence”. It was mostly my kids running to the parks edge of the fence to wave at the fire truck. It’s a great feeling seeing my kids lined up cheering our department on. I don’t think there’s many people left that understand the importance of having men willing to come help in their time of need. Well I can assure you my kids understand. They also sacrifice their time with dad on a warm sunny Sunday to help a complete stranger. Their support just amazes me. Not once have they ever said,”Dad don’t go”. They just cheer me on. Their positive attitudes lift my spirits. It’s hard leaving my family alone in the park. It’s got to be hard for my family to watch me go but they just continue supporting me.
I’m one very lucky man. My kids make my day over and over. They all make me very proud.

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De we care enough to do the right thing?

It’s expensive to own 4 redneckafied children. I’ve worked several days in a row and look forward to an ATV ride. I filled the ATV after my last ride. As I turn on the key it becomes obvious I need gas again today despite not touching the ATV for over a week. I reach for my largest gas can. The big can is empty. I start searching for one of my smaller cans. A smaller gas can is on the seat of the kids ATV. It seems both their ATV and this small can are empty. I see another can next to their minibike. You guessed correctly, there is a gas shortage at RNR. Like most issues around here, this can be solved with dad’s wallet.
Years ago this simple issue would have me angry. It seems so simple to leave a note, make a call or send dad a text asking for more gas. Was my kids solution to stop riding the machines until dad discovers the gas shortage? Years of managing people has offered a different perspective. It’s better to coach the correct behavior and set expectations. I still let the consequences of poor choices be felt. I have a plan for this now.

My experiences tell me people would rather walk away from a simple thing then ask for it to be corrected. I’m not sure if it’s caused by fear of liability or just an inability to problem solve. Let me explain further with toilet paper(TP) as an example. If I walk into a stall I check the TP situation prior to any need for it. If I see there is not enough for the coming task I will use the next stall. Then I inform an attendant of the shortage. It’s the informing of the attendant I think most people skip. Most take what they need then leave the problem unresolved because it no longer effects them directly. An empty TP roll also indicates the cleanliness of some users. Did they really run out at the exact same time the need for TP was completed? (Gross).
Let’s take this a step further in a less disgusting area. Let’s say you go to your bank. The pens are all chained to a desk. You are using a pen. The pen stops writing. What do you do?
A) Put the pen back where you found it and seek a working pen.
B) Advise the teller and seek a new pen.
I argue that most of our population solves their own problem by seeking the next pen. They are not going to be tasked with the difficulty of informing a teller about the pen needing replaced. They may even utter words of discontent that the bank has provided a faulty pen. There is also a good chance the teller has been watching people try to get that pen to write all day. The teller may even say to herself, some one should change that pen. What ever happened to problem solving skills and the initiative to use them.
For the record, I will buy some more gas. However, I will let my kids bikes continue to be out of gas until they ask for more. I will coach them to ask for gas prior to creating a shortage. I want my kids to be foreword thinkers. They should be solving problems before there are problems. Plan ahead then act your plan. Think of the next person coming to use the TP, ATV or pen. We can be better citizens.

Thanksgiving snow 2013

What a great time with family. We have an auntie and a grandma staying with us for the holiday. They are eagerly cooking everything for thanksgiving dinner. My sister and brother in law have blessed us with their presence. My four girls are playing in the snow. My sore throat hasn’t kept me from playing in the snow with my kids this morning. My oldest just discovered she can handle the ATV sledding just fine with out dad. They are becoming more independent all the time. My warm cup of tea is soothing my dry sore throat. I stare out the window at all the fun taking place autonomously. I was always the provider of this fun. Now it seems my presence is optional. It’s good to see them learning. I truly enjoy these moments. My wife must be feeling the moment as well. She has hugged me several times this morning. Happy thanksgiving everyone. I’m thankful for today and any day with my family. I hope all of you are getting hugs today too.

My cheering section

One of the worst times for me is when my pager from the fire department sounds. I must expedite myself to the fire station as fast as safely possible. I instantly start running a small check list of things I need to Grab. My EMS radio, get a jacket, and put on my shoes. While I sort these things out an amazing ritual has started to develop. My wife grabs the car keys and gets the car out of the garage. One of my older two girls hold the front door open. My two younger daughters start chanting, “go dad go”. The only thing better than helping people in their time of need is having my entire family supporting me as I do it. My family has turned into a NASCAR pit crew. What a fantastic team we make. When I return home there is a meal waiting for me. My kids are eager to hear my often edited tails. They don’t understand the sound of that pager means some one could be having one of the worst days of their lives. All they know is dad will get there and help out. That’s good enough for them to be excited. It’s easy to be your best with so much support. They truly make me try harder.
The best part of a fireman with 4 kids is hearing all four of them cheer me on as I scurry off to the fire station.
I love my family.
I also love the brotherhood in my department. We have an incredible group of men. We work like a well oiled machine. We are men of few words. We work fantastic together. We all jump in where needed. There is no job we can’t handle.

The Firefighter’s Prayer

When I am called to duty, God, whenever flames may rage;
Give me strength to save some life, whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child before it is too late
Or save an older person from the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me,
To guard my every neighbor and protect his property.
And if, according to my fate, I am to lose my life;
Please bless with your protecting hand
My children and my wife.

Played like a fiddle

I dropped my daughter off at preschool. The teacher tells me what a joy my kid is in class. She always knows what to say to keep the other kids cooperating. She smoothes out disputes and is a peace keeper. She try’s to keep all her classmates happy. When taking her home I asked the usual questions. How was school? What did you Learn? When I asked what she wanted to do today she answered shoot. Alright, I couldn’t get the BB gun and target out fast enough. she is a decent shot. She’s been shooting a couple years now. Then it dawned on me, she wanted to shoot because she knows I enjoy it. My 5 year old is manipulating me. The teacher even gave me a heads up about it earlier this day. I didn’t connect the dots until later. This kid is going to get away with murder. I’m such a sucker!

#lovemykids
#wrappedaroundherfinger
#playedlikeafiddle

Milk,

Take yourself to the local grocery store. Buy 8 gallons of milk. Put 7 gallons in spare fridge and put a new gallon in the kitchen fridge daily at 6am. You must do this at 6am because no matter how much milk was there at 9pm it won’t be enough for your coffee by morning. Pour 8 glasses of milk drink 2 and pour 5 down the drain. Put the last cup in a spot you would never expect a glass of milk to be. Maybe a toy box, medicine cabinet or sock drawer would be suitable. Now you get the idea.
If pouring 8 cups of milk seems extreme try replacing the word cups with bowls. Next weeks story may be on cereal…..