When I decided to write this entry I pondered what category to put it under. We are told to teach our children diligently this does not just mean adding and subtracting, reading and writing, science and history. It does not even mean just Bible. It means all those things, BUT/AND it means how to live.... how to be a MAN or a WOMAN.

Part of being a man is working hard and supporting your family. To that end part of the reason for our move here was to enable our boys to spend more time with dad... learning to be a man.

My dh wears many *hats as we joke here. In the spring he works for H&R Block, delivers water, and helps at a water store,  in the summer he cleans pools, delivers water, and helps at a water store, in the fall he continues summers while slowly switching to winter, and in the winter he maintains a few pools, delivers water, and helps at a water store. Throughout all this he wears his "farmer Jones" hat as often as possible.

The blessing to our family is because my dh is self-employed (everywhere but taxes) he can have the boys work with him. So as we move into summer each boy has a *pool* day and route. Aaron goes on Wed and Isaac on Fri. Dh teaches and trains them and has them do as much as they *can* , including writing out the invoices. Also this summer the boys will be alternating going on Mon as well and working water.

What they are learning is much more than how to take a water sample, scrub or vaccum a pool..... they are learning to work.... hard, quickly, diligently. They are learning to interact with people as a man. They are learning about politeness, respect, and keeping your word. They are learning to serve. They are learning to work. They are learning to be a man in the ways no woman can teach.