They Call Him "Hero"

When the door coming from the garage is heard, there is a stampede of "X" chromosomes, accompanied by cheers of "Hero's home!" There is jostling and elbowing to get to him first. I used to have a height advantage, but not anymore, with the tall 10-year-old around. Then we start arguing over who's hero he is -- "He's my hero!" "No, he's my hero!" It always ends with the compromise that we can share him.


Who is he? He's the king of the house, second only to God. He's a total superhero in the eyes of myself and our three daughters. Why such an elevated view of him? Well, he's earned it. Here are just SOME of the reasons, listed in no particular order.

• The girls are convinced that he can fix anything...and I mean anything! I joked recently that he is so handy that he could fix daybreak.
• He's an amazing bug hunter and killer; he will even use his bare hands. I have yet to see a creepy crawlie of any sort that he won't touch or hunt down.
• He can survive with only two pairs of black shoes -- one for dress and the other for business casual. How does he do this?
• He can build the hugest rip-roaring campfires.
• He can put anything back into it's original packaging and still close it.
• And he is fun! He is the best to go to the zoo and an amusement park with you. You will get your money's worth because you will be there when it opens and stay until it closes. You will see everything! And he is as excited as the kids are! He's not too cool to run with the kids to the next ride or to play in the sand at the beach.
• He makes everything an adventure -- have you ever had a luggage cart ride in the hotel? He takes the kids on elevator rides and helps hunt down windows so they can see how high they are.
• He'll eat anything, even if it is presented with the phrase "Now, this is an experiment." I believe he can endure any culinary adventure, at least one time.
• He is willing to finish the rest of your ice cream, regardless of it's condition when passed along.
• He can untangle cords.
• He is patient enough to do anything right so he does not have to do it twice.
• Whatever he is doing -- working, playing, kicking back -- he is 100% engaged.
• He can endure pain and illness like someone immortal. And when you're sick, watch out -- he's quite the dictator in regards to hydration and medicine.
• If the kids have to eat what they don't like, he will eat what he does not like (one of the nice things about being the family cook, is that I only cook what I like :)).
• He always arrives way before "on-time" starts.
• He has this incredible mental processing that is able to assess a situation within seconds of seeing it and develop solutions.
• He will get involved with what interests the kids. For example, "High School Musical 3" -- I'm sure he would have picked another movie if it was to be his choice, but when you have three girls you have to play along.
• When he has free time, it is spent with his family and we know we are his top priority.
• When tough times come, he is a rock.
• He only uses his superpowers for good.

I'll never forget the first time I heard Marrin, our youngest, refer to him as "Hero" as if that was his name. "Can Hero fix this for me?" One sunny afternoon, he was racing the kids up the driveway. When he finished first, Marrin ran up to me cheering "My hero did it!" I love it because she totally gets it!!

Who is your hero? Let him or her know.