Sometimes people handle stress in unusual ways. What would you do if you were pursuing your doctorate while your wife was overdue with your third son? Here is one answer.

After reading a book to his 4-year-old son, Andrew, about a furry critter who builds a snow fort, Botz decided to build one of his own. He and Andrew went out to work on it together, but the son soon got cold and went inside.

Wednesday, the couple's [third] son, Thomas, was born. He came in at 10 pounds, 13 ounces. Botz took a two-day break from the igloo, then went back for the finishing touches.

…after more than 30 hours of hand-freezing labor, he finished it: a two-room sleeper igloo, complete with a welcome mat and a skylight made of ice.

Botz credits his wife for never telling him he couldn't do it.

"I told Erin, sometimes we choose projects, and sometimes they're thrust upon us," he said.

While I was in a similar situation when my third child was born, I must confess Botz's solution never once crossed my mind.

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