Daddy's Little Helper

We have many pine trees in our yard. Being springtime, it is time to start mowing. However, before the first mow each year we face the undaunting task of cleaning up the yard from all of the pine needles that have fallen. D rakes them up and then bags them. The task, as you can imagine is huge. This year he had some extra helpers, but one in particular has proven to be a very hard worker and totally enthralled with his daddy.

El loves to be by his daddy's side doing whatever he is doing. I was working on my flower garden and D was working on pine needles when I caught this scene. Every move Daddy made, El had to follow suit. When Daddy was raking, El was raking. If Daddy took a rest, El took a rest. They worked in tandum- D with his big rake, El with his plastic one.

El didn't know I was watching him when I took these pics. During my observation, D had stopped for a moment and leaned over on his rake. El, of course, stopped and propped his rake just right so he could lean on his also. He looked carefully at D several times to make sure he had it just right. Then when D resumed raking, so did El.

It is such a blessing to see these little guys with their daddy. We have no information on their Russian father, not even a name, other than their patronymic, Ivanovich. In the mother's termination papers from court, she argues and speculates about who the father might be. It's no big deal to me... I know exactly who their Daddy is, the greatest Daddy in the world to them!