Coal Daddy

My husband works hard at what he does. He is dedicated and devotes his 40+ hours per week of time to the coal mining industry to provide for his family. Yesterday [3.19.2010] he came home unshowered from his job. I snapped a few shots of what a coal miner looks like after a long day's work down in the underground hole...

He makes dirt look good...but that's not the point. Can you imagine how physically exhausting it has to be to work in the dark all the time? Stooped over in some places having coal dust inhaled into your lungs and filling the pores of your skin and getting in your eyes!? I can't even begin to fathom what it's like to do that on a daily basis. Coal miners are paid good for a reason..and it's becuase mining takes a toll on the body and literally wears it down over time at a fast pace. Many miners have back problems and knee problems due to the constant strain on the body that is required to work on and in the hard surface. That's why it takes a certain breed of men to do this job.

It's scary to be a coal miner's wife. I am proud of him nonetheless for doing this for us and our future, but I worry about it from the time he walks out that door till I hear his voice on the other end of our phone when they let him out. And it is stressful on those days they let them out early and the phone rings earlier than normal and you see the mines name or their name on the Caller ID and you have your heart stop for a millisecond wondering if something is wrong. I say a little prayer for him at night and in the mornings after he leaves. I have faith God will protect him and keep bring him back home. My husband, Dillon's Daddy...Coal Miner;; Our Hero!