Stay at Home Dad


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North America » United States » North Carolina » Arden
August 31st 2011
Published: September 1st 2011
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For 3 and a half weeks it has been my job to be a stay at home dad. Janine continues to work very hard as the registrar for Lutheridge+Lutherock Ministries and often works long hours. Being home for 3 straight weeks with two teenagers has given me a true appreciation for homemakers and dedicated parents everywhere. On top of the every day chores and responsibilities, I have also used this time to clean, organize, and make repairs around the house. It has felt so good to put some TLC into our home and family.

Here are some of the home activities I have taken pleasure in...
+ Cooking in the kitchen and on the grill - We continue to enjoy the fish I caught in Washington, freshly made salsa, and blueberry scones for breakfast were a big hit. We all look forward to dinner on the back porch and savor the good food and conversation we share as a family.
+ Gardening - My vegetable garden continues to produce tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, eggplant, jalapeneo peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, and blue ribbon cantelope!
+ Getting the kids ready for school - Doctors appointments, shopping for new shoes, buying new school supplies, school orientation, finding just the right calculator, filling out the plethora of forms that come home on the first day of school, and dropping off/picking up the kids are all very important things right now.
+ Aquarium design - Janine loves having an aquarium full of guppies and tropical fish. So, this summer I cleaned out and redesigned her tank with some new colorful fish for the family to enjoy.
+ Soccer Dad - Tryouts, practices, games, and even trips to the physical therapist have kept me busy with both kids and their soccer schedule.
+ De-Junking the House - I have lead a campaign to clean out and organize every room, closet, and cupboard in our home. As you would expect, this has been a big family project. In the process of separating what to keep, throw away, and possibly sell or donate we have had some good laughs from what we have found. We have also journeyed down memory lane together when certain toys, pictures, and artifacts are rediscovered.
+ Landscaping - Because I enjoy the outdoors so much I found the motivation to re-landscape the yard. Lots of flowers, plants, patio stone, and 3 cubic yards of mulch. The family helped and we are all quite proud of how pretty the house looks.

This time at home with the kids has been very valuable. I enjoy being a more active dad in their lives.

Some of you may wonder why I fill my time with so many activities. All I can say is, "It's just who I am." Working at home is not stressful. In fact, it feels good to clean up my home environment and do some "nesting". Whenever I get to work outside and dig in the dirt I feel alive and full of energy. I believe there is a spiritual connection between the life-giving God and my participation in nurturing the plants and flowers that grow in my yard. Rest assured that I am having fun and trying my best to balance my time between being productive and just relaxing with the people I love.

Thank you God for my loving home and the extra time I have to spend here. Amen.

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