I am a judge for 4-H participants, and recently was serving as a judge about horses.  Kids come in and interview with me, and I ask questions and evaluate them on their knowledge, their ability to communicate well and extemporaneous speaking.  One girl mentioned her ex-stepfather kept their horses.  Then her older sister told me that when their mother divorced their stepfather, the kids took HIS side.  He takes them to all their horse shows, he helps them learn, he cares for the horses, and helps their younger brother get to events to ride. 

We talked about how her mother wasn't really a mother, and this man was just doing what he had been doing before the divorce.  I asked the girl to do me a favor and when she talked to him, tell him the 4-H judge said he was a real man.  Real men take on a job because it's the right thing to do, and don't quit when the mother walks out.  I told her I was sorry her mother chose not to love and mother them, but that this man was truly a hero in my book.  I was impressed that he took on this mission to help these kids regardless of his own situation with their mother.  There ARE some really good men out there doing the job of a dad because it needs to be done.

Marlena