John Deere Green

When I went to pick Kate up after work yesterday, I saw my Dad on the lawn mower going away from me.  As I got closer, I could tell that he was leaning to the left, like he was trying to hold on to something.  He turned the mower around and what he was holding was Kate!

Last week I rode Kate on our OLD mower for about two minutes, just across the yard as I put it up.  She enjoyed it, but she enjoys lots of stuff.  (The picture and video in this post is of her on our old lawnmower.)

But she REALLY enjoyed riding on the John Deere mower with my Dad.  They'd already cut about 1/3 of the yard, so she'd been riding for a while.  Daddy said that at first, she was content to ride, but eventually, she had to STEER.

Normally when I arrive to pick her up, no matter what she's doing, she lights up and reaches for me.  Not this time.  She knew I was there to get her and she didn't want to go.  Instead of reaching for me, she clutched herself to Daddy and started whining.  When I took her from Daddy, she started crying.  I tossed her in the air a few times to distract her and started to leave, but as I was opening the truck door to put her in her car seat, Daddy started the mower up again.  And the crying started all over again!

Let's just say, I know what we'll probably get Kate for Christmas in the next year or two.  Also, I'm going to ENCOURAGE the grass cutting.  I don't plan to raise a daughter that won't cut grass just because she's a girl.  Kate's going to know how to do things that some people think aren't "girly," but in a real world, they're basic necessities.  Not every girl gets married the moment they leave their parents' house, therefore, not every girl will always have a MAN around to do "manly" stuff - which also includes stuff like, for the car, checking fluid levels, tire pressure, and knowing how to change a flat tire.  Cooking meat on a grill is also a NECESSITY.

Getting dirty doesn't make a girl un-girly.  Getting dirty and never taking a bath?  That's a different story.  I've been in youth ministry at least part-time since 1997.  Trust me: it's not just middle school boys that think getting in the pool is the only bath they need on a week-long retreat or mission trip.

I WILL say that my wife couldn't change a flat tire on her SUV b/c she can't lift the spare!  But, she knows HOW.  She watches me do it every time I change the oil and rotate the tires on our cars.  And she just reminded me that when she was a little girl and shared a go-cart with her sister, she learned how to do all the maintenance on it.  I didn't know I had a lawnmower mechanic under our roof.  I'll have to make a note of that.

BTW, don't make fun of the outfit.  I'm CUTTING GRASS!  And the tall socks?  If you had a Husqvarna commercial string trimmer (weedeater), you'd wear some leather CHAPS when you used it.