Hands can say so much

The rain has finally held off long enough for the guys get into the fields.  Our day starts before 6 and Tony isn't home before 9 in the evening now that farming is in full swing.  I met him at the door last night as he came in, tired from a long day working in the fields.  He spent part of his day putting nitrogen on the corn crop and part of his day fixing the tractor that was leaking hydraulic fluid.  As I listened to his story from yesterday about how the tractor was spewing out hydraulic fluid, how he had to stop in the middle of what he was doing to go into town to the tractor store and buy the parts needed to fix the tractor, I just sat there amazed.  I have always known that my husband was handy and resourceful.  Little did I know what he was truly capable of doing.  Of course, he bought the parts and repaired the leak on the tractor. No big deal, right?  He was so proud in a humble kind of way.  I only saw a slight grin as he finished telling me how he fixed it, but there was a grin, a very proud one.

Unlike me, Tony doesn't get excited about much.  He is emotional but you would never know because you see very few emotions with him.  He is a strong, intelligent, hard working, honest and loving man.  His work ethic is like none I have ever seen and it is shining through as he farms.  The slight smile that I saw on his face last night has crept through many times over the past weeks as he describes his day.  He absolutely loves what he is doing.  He loves that his office is outside, he loves that he is farming with family, he loves that he is able to use his God given talents to make a life for us and those around him.  

I gave him a big hug and then found myself reaching for his hands.  They felt different. Calluses had formed on both hands.  Because I stink at spelling, I looked up how to spell the word callus and was drawn to its definition (via Wikipedia).  

A callus (or callosity) is a toughened area of skin which has become relatively thick and hard in response to repeated friction, pressure, or other irritation.

Tony's hands told a story.  Gone were the smaller rough spots that existed from working in the yard (man, that was nothing compared to what he is doing now).  Now, at the base of every finger are calluses, rough, so rough and cracks on his fingers.  Days of fixing equipment, tearing out brush, tearing down beaver dams, moving things and planting are wearing on his hands.  This man, like so many farmers, works a hard 15 hours, comes home to sleep and gets up and does it again, and again and again. There is no complaining because it is what has to be done.  Rest will come when the crops are planted but until then, there is work to be done and long days until it is completed.

Taken off of Pinterst.