What is a 'finkles donuts', and what does it have to do with Ash Wednesday?

For quite some time now Jacob's favorite treat has been a 'finkles donut' from Dunkin Donuts. That is any kind of donut with sprinkles on it. I remember the first time they didn't have any donuts with sprinkles on it. We got one with frosting and then took a detour to my mom's house because I knew she had sprinkles and I just didn't want to hear the whining anymore. We doctored that donut to perfection and all was right in the world again.

So last week Jacob and I accompanied my mom, Jamie and Marisa to church on Ash Wednesday. Zach and I are more of sporadic church-goers these days, but it's something I'm trying to get back into for the sake of Jacob. Not because I feel he has to identify with being a Christian, but because I want him to be able to identify with something. Something which will, in the future, serve as a platform upon which he can judge the other things (religions, lifestyles, value systems) associated with one's spiritual development/existence.

I explained Lent in a three year-old way as best I could, and everyone in our household chose something to give up, if only it was because of the pure challenge of it. Instead of soda and Red Bull, Zach is drinking seltzer and V8, and he's already talking running again. Woohoo! Holy crap I can't wait. He needs to run like most people need to breathe. I have plans, big plans. No more bad moods, more energy, stuff around the house will get done. Sorry, bit of a tangent... I'm that excited to get rid of the grump and have Zach back. Yeah, so Jacob started talking about what he could give up, and he decided on snow. I told him that wasn't really the idea, it would normally be something you eat. "But I eat snow," he countered. Good point, little man. Well we settled on donuts, Jacob would give up donuts. That was brave.

It's been almost a week and he hasn't even asked for one. And we pass D&D (secret parent code-word) several times a day. There are four of them within five minutes of the house, three more under 10 minutes away. How sick is that? Americans. I'd say we frequent D&D twice a week, on average, but it's only ever like one donut that we share between me and Jacob. That and a bean burritto from Taco Bell for Jacob when there's no time to pack something are the only 'fast food' we ever get. Jacob doesn't even know what McDonalds is, I'm proud of that. And I'm proud of Jacob for not putting up a stink about the donuts.