1) Tell me about yourself (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge).
After surviving a sheltered suburban childhood on baseball cards, Mad magazine and 8-track tapes of The Knack, I became a newspaper reporter. Luckily, an MBA-wielding Midwestern girl on her own rescued me from poverty. I then tried making homebuilding executives sound vaguely interested in their employees’ well-being. This, not surprisingly, put me on the leading edge of the real estate layoffs in 2007. My corporate demise was hastened by my becoming a full-time telecommuting dad three years earlier.
These days, I masquerade as a freelance writer, hunt-and-peck a local newspaper column, and chronicle my world at the Always Home and Uncool blog. I also contribute to the McSweeney’s of dad blogs, DadCentric and serve as a court jester for the talented writing crew at Polite Fictions. I coach youth soccer (grrr) and baseball (ahh), volunteer at my kids’ school and annually mix up an eggnog of legendary proportion. I also have occasional panic attacks and body issues.
2) Tell me about your family
My Love and I have been hitched for almost 13 years. We have three kids: Thing 1, our 10-year-old diva-in-training who is battling the autoimmune disease juvenile dermatomyositis; Thing 2, our overgrown 8-year-old boy who is always battling Pokémon; and Murphy, a nearly 4-year-old yellow Lab who is currently battling an ear infection.
As you’ve surmised by now, I married up. That we met a keg party only completes the fairy tale. When she took a promotion that required regular continent hopping in 2004, I gladly traded in the soul-robbing florescent lights of the corporate office. It’s a good fit for us because she loves wheelin’ and dealin’ while I excel at eliminating ring-around-the-collar. Also, I’m a master at the intricacies of maximizing dishwasher capacity and efficiency. (The woman puts cereal bowls on the bottom rack. Without even rinsing. Is she high?)
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
Without a doubt, it has been having a child with a rare, incurable disease. Nothing prepares you for your child suddenly becoming ill and being in a life-threatening situation. That little information was available on the disease when she was diagnosed about eight years ago and that her baby brother had been born only a few months earlier simply added to the difficulty. She’s still on a bunch of medicines, but otherwise normal and mooning over Justin Bieber.
Next would be being a modern father in an old-boy corporate environment. Right before my daughter became sick in 2002, I took six weeks paternity leave to be with my newborn son. Word is I may have been the first man to ever do this at the corporate office in the 50-plus-year history of the company I worked for. Jokes were made about it in the executive suites, I’ve been told, but I know it paved the way for at least one other guy I worked with to stand up for himself and take time off when his son was born.
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
Don’t panic. When you panic, you lose perspective, control and eventually your mind. Kids are going to get fevers and puke on you from time to time. They are going knock over dinner plates and scratch up your favorite CDs. There will be times your children say they hate you and you are sure you have screwed them up for life. Ninety-nine times out of 100, you’ll both recover just fine if you take a breath and keep your wits.
Also, always carry a plastic bag and baby wipes in your pocket.
5) Seeing that you (or your position) is in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
Since My Love has dedicated her life to conquering the business world, she periodically reminds me that she has to live vicariously through me. Did she pick the wrong guy for the job! Still, she encourages me to interact more often with people who don’t need to be reminded to wipe and wash. So I play some tennis and golf, sneak off to minor league baseball games while my kids are in school, and host a drinking night with some local bloggers ever so often. But mostly I just sit around and wonder where that smell is coming from.
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
I’ve found that many of them around my age are far more competent and involved as parents and husbands than they let on. Many have it all — good careers and strong family lives — but they don’t feel compelled to turn it into a crusade. Maybe we’re too humble or too scared or too lazy. More likely, we’d just rather expend our energy debating which Stinson brother was more essential to The Replacements or the value of using the wheel play with a runner on second because these are topics that will never be among Oprah’s favorite things.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
I’ve always maintained that it’s not what you bring to the table as a mother or father, it’s how you contribute as a parent.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
Cutting the cord after my daughter’s birth and being splattered with the blood was the first. The most recent was watching my son make his guitar debut by plucking out “Hot Cross Buns” for his grandparents. Today, I’m hoping they’ll spontaneously clean their rooms.
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
2) Tell me about your family
….9 KIDS…2 WITH SPECIAL NEEDS….29 YEAR MARRIAGE TO SAINT JONI!
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father? ….MANAGING MY TIME AND ENERGY AND RESOURCES…TRANSLATING MY INTENTION INTO ACTION AND ACHIEVING STATED GOALS AND THEN LEAVING A MEANINGFUL LEGACY…..
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
…JOYFULLY PARTICIPATE AND ENGAGE YOUR FAMILY…MANAGE YOUR TIME, INTENTION, AND DISTRACTION We dads need to know how to overcome the challenges of life, joyfully engage with our families, and build a positive, lasting legacy. We need the knowledge and tools to connect with our families, to live life with passion and purpose, and become better fathers..
5) Seeing that you (or your position) is in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
…REGULAR GOAL SETTING AND TIME MANAGEMENT. OLD SCHOOL DISIPLINE AND MOVING FORWARD….USE THE 80/20 RULE TO MANAGE YOUR RESOURCES…
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
…WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT WITH OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES BUT WE SUCCEED BY GOOD COMMUNICATION, LOVE, AND PUTTING OUR FAMILY #1
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
…I REALLY NEED GOD ON A DAILY BASIS TO STRENGTHEN ME AND GIVE ME THE GRACE TO LOVE OTHERS, HIM, AND MYSELF
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
…MY DAD BOB HAMMOND…
The deaths of my father, Bob Hammond and my friend, Dan Gunderson, caused me to think
about how I live my life and what kind of legacy I am leaving behind for my children, wife, and
friends.
The deaths of two people very close to me made me realize the fragility and temporal nature of
our existence. Life really does go by quickly and must be cherished and relished.
My love for God, people, and especially parents and families has resulted in this work. It presents the possibility of incremental, practical, and a workable personal healing and change. It also presents methods for getting back on track as both a parent and as a person of value.
My goal is to help people avoid a midlife crisis, and instead, have a Midlife Renewal and Life
Renaissance– a restoration of hope. I’ve made great effort to avoid being glib, trite, or theoretical. Rather, I offer realistic, practical solutions and strategies to live life on purpose and with passion. This book is about the ability to do the desires of your life; to live life on purpose with intentionality. This is about practicality and giving you the tools to take compelling action as you move forward.
If you have any questions for Scott, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
5) Seeing that you (or your position) is in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
It’s been tough. Again, I have had to balance time better and also pass on some jobs because of my family. Here is an interesting story and one that is a perfect example of passing on jobs. As a radio guy, I found out about an opportunity to announce for the Harlem Globetrotters a few years back. I was flown to Phoenix, auditioned for the job and was offered the position. This was before my son was born. And I TURNED THEM DOWN. As a newlywed, I knew the importance of spending time with my family. That job could have opened many doors, and it may remain the big job that “got away”. The job required alot of travel in the U.S. and oveseas, so I decided not to do it. And boy am I glad. Soon after my wife and I concieved Zachary, and I was there throughout the pregnancy and have been there evr since. I talked to Zachary through her belly and he and I and Jessica are VERY close. He is my buddy. I can’t imagine being on the road all the time and only seeing them half the year. So I think that being there is probably the most important thing. Because these children grow up quick!
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
To be patient, to let the small stuff roll off your back. To be the best father I can be and to remember my prioroites. It’s easy to let your ego take a hold of you. I am heard by probably 100,000 people evry morning, but my most dedicated listeners? My family.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
That I am still learning. I see my friends who have teenagers and many of them are bald. But they USE to have hair. I guess they pulled it out! But seriously, every day is a learning experience. It’s been wonderful. And my family has supported me every step of the way.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
Everyday is the most memorable. Seeing my son grow is amazing. His birth was the greatest. But I would have to say that the first time my son smiled at at a very young age, recognizing me as the goofy guy who hollering at him through his momma’s belly, THAT is probably the most memorable. Then again, zachary will probably do something tonight that will trump that. I LOVE FATHERHOOD.
If you have any questions for Scott, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 41st Dad in the Limelight is Darren Farrington of Claresdad.com. I want to thank Darren for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
I’m the dad of one eight-year-old girl. My wife, daughter and I live in the northwest corner of Connecticut—in the same town I grew up in, although I’ve also lived in Massachusetts and in Manhattan for about ten years.
Professionally, I’m a theater manager and producer. I’ve worked with non-profit and commercial theaters on Broadway, Off Broadway, and in regional, community and children’s theaters in New York and Connecticut. I’m also a licensed attorney who has worked in business litigation, entertainment law, and appellate practice, but I don’t practice any longer.
For the past few years, I’ve offered freelance consulting and management services to theaters. I’ve also just become an approved arts consultant for the State of Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism. And I’m the founding Executive Producing Director of New Britain Youth Theater in Connecticut, which just began operation this spring. I’ve got an M.F.A. from Columbia University School of the Arts, a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Like most families, we’re pulled in different directions during the week. My daughter takes ballet lessons, she’s in Brownies, she’s in her school’s drama club, and she’s on the student council. (Before this year, I didn’t know any third grade even had a student council.) My wife commutes over sixty miles (each way) to work. And I’ve got kind of an unusual (but flexible) schedule working for theaters. When we’re together, we have lots of fun. We like movies, music, playing outside, and traveling. My daughter has been to Disney World a few times already—and on a couple of Disney cruises.
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
Some parts of fatherhood come easily to me. I’m great at playing and having fun—probably because that’s part of my job. I can easily get caught up in my work though—in both good and bad ways—so for me a challenge is being able to pull myself away from work and spend more family time. It’s important to remember priorities.
No matter what your strengths or weaknesses are, never doubt that you have something important to offer your kids. Just spending time with them is the most important thing you can do.
You read my biggest challenge, didn’t you? It’s especially hard to balance work and home life when you spend some days working from home—and when we’re constantly connected to work by email, telephone, and other ways. It’s a give and take—if work lets us be flexible, homelife needs to be a little flexible too. Sometimes you just have to catch yourself and say “work can wait—family needs to come first right now.” I’m not sure I do that enough though—especially for what I’m paid in theater!
In the past few years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of fathers online. I’ve had a blog of my own, but my posting has become pretty rare lately. What I’ve learned from many of them—which I don’t think I knew before—is that there are lots of different ways of being a good dad. There’s no one formula, and there’s no perfect father. We’re all just trying our best.
Enjoy it before it’s over. It’s cliché, but kids really do grow up too fast. I feel like my daughter was just two or three years old—and soon she’ll be going into fourth grade. Don’t end up wishing you’d paid more attention to your kids.
It wasn’t my family’s original plan, but I had the great chance to be the parent who spends most mornings and afternoons with my daughter. I’m the one to get her on the school bus, and the one she’s with after school. What I’ve learned is that every day is an experience—the playing, the conversations, the arguing about homework or whether we’ll listen to classic rock or Radio Disney in the car. It’s all part of a memorable relationship that I hope will stay strong into her teen years and adulthood.
If you have any questions for Darren, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 40th Dad in the Limelight is Frederick of MochaDad and also can be found on Twitter @mochadad. I want to thank Frederick for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
If you have any questions for Frederick, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 39th Dad in the Limelight is Dana Glazier, creator of the movie The Evolution of Dad. I want to thank Dana for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 38th Dad in the Limelight is Greg Lichtenstein (Creator of The Activators). I want to thank Greg for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers’ knowledge)
I am married with two young children, both of whom inspired me to create The Activators. In fact, so much of the show is based on their ideas, I may have to share writing credit with them.
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
Other than watching my daughter hit a backhand winner on the tennis court or my son throwing a perfect spiral on the football field, some of my most memorable parenting moments have been developing The Activators with them. Over the past year, my children have helped me come up with new exercises for the videos, they’ve appeared in the videos alongside the cast, and they’ve gotten such a thrill from seeing their ideas come to life on the screen. They feel empowered, more confident in themselves, and they are now more physically active than ever. They also told me that The Activators is their favorite show. That makes me one proud dad.
If you have any questions for Greg, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 37th Dad in the Limelight is Author Andrew Park. Andrew is the author of the book Between a Church and a Hard Place: One Faith-Free Dad’s Struggle to Understand What it Means to be Religious (or Not). I want to thank Andrew for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
2) Tell me about your family
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
As you might have guessed from the title of my book, I have struggled with how to give my children a grounding spiritually when I myself did not grow up with religious faith — and still stay true to myself. I want them to have the chance to make up their own minds about religion, but it is hard to accept that they might choose beliefs very different from my own. It’s also difficult in our very religious society to not feel insecure about not involving your children in a community of faith.
Be open with your children about what you believe and don’t believe and what you haven’t made up your mind about. Even the most ardent non-believers confront religious questions and spiritual quandaries. I think it’s critical that our kids understand that these questions don’t have easy answers and that it’s okay to wrestle with them, even when you’re an adult and supposed to know all of the answers. If you avoid the topic, they will seek answers somewhere else.
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
I wish I had brought a a tape recorder with me everywhere we went so I would remember more of them. Or better yet, I wish I had wired them up with one for those times when I wasn’t around.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
If you have any questions for Andrew, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Our 36th Dad in the Limelight is Bruce Sallan from “A Dad’s Point-of-View” (http://www.facebook.com/aDadsPointOfView), my web-site (www.brucesallan.com) and my Twitter name: @Bruce Sallan. I want to thank Bruce for being a part of this series. It has been great getting to know him and now sharing him with all of you!
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
Controlling my temper and being patient. Also, realizing that my boys may have my same DNA but they’re not me (see this column: http://brucesallan.com/index.php/my-articles/100-my-kids-arent-me-in-spite-of-sharing-the-same-dna). Also, being a 24/7 single dad had it owns challenges. It’s a very lonely job as “we” get lip-service for being the good guy, but the moms don’t know what to do with us and the dads don’t understand why were not going to work in a regular job. It was quite eye-opening!
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
There’s no substitute for time spent with your children and there’s NO such thing as quality time; only quantity time. As our kids are really only on loan to us, don’t blow it by working too much and no spending time with them. Trust me, you’ll regret it later.
5) Seeing that you (or your position) is in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
Simple. I just make my family my priority though lately they’ve complained that I’m spending too much time on the computer…hmmm, better finish this up then!
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
That men need men in their lives. Women have always had good support from other women but we men often don’t once we’re married and on a career path. I joined a men’s group when I got separated and they have helped me ever since through the ups and downs of my divorce through getting married again and dealing with a blended family, plus much more.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
I’ve already answered this above.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent? Being present for both boys’ births, watching them grow, develop, and find their own passions with one being a fantastic artist and the other a great musician.
If you have any questions for Bruce, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
I am Wayne, Boy Genius, husband to Mom~E~Centric, father to Ditto Boy and Mini Me and….I am just a one-man show for the most part. My idea of being in the limelight means that I have the best seat in the house behind the scenes. I am almost 40, less than a month shy of the big 4-0. I graduated from a Magnet School in Louisiana and went directly into the Army. I had less than 30 free days between graduation and basic training. I served in Desert Storm as a satellite technician. I was stationed in Sinop along with several stateside locations. My job was technically an Electronic Warfare Storage Subsystem Specialist 33-Y. (*ahem* I was an electronic technician and satellite specialist.) After a total of 4.5 years in the Army, my job was civilianized and I left the military.
My mom had moved from Louisiana, where I grew up, to Pensacola, Florida so I just took up residence there.
Trying to exercise the rebel in me, I didn’t cut my hair for several years and had a ponytail that reached well down the middle of my back. Now, much to my wife’s pleasure, I wear that Army “high and tight” style again.
My time in the limelight I think is really more like a twinkling star on all of my wife’s work that no one ever realizes. She has lofty goals and keeps me on my toes with requests to build, re-build, design and re-design. I have my own blog; Gadget Magnet and I want to work on that, as I am fairly astute at repairing broken electronics and building my own version of popular gadgets. I just forget to take photos of the projects in action and certainly don’t have time to sit down and write much about it.
2) Tell me about your family
I met my wife shortly after taking a job as an electrical engineer with a construction company. I was new to the area (Birmingham, Alabama), I found her photo on the Yahoo personals and really, if there is such a thing as love at first sight, I guess that’s all you can call it. I never planned to have children at all. Shortly after Jerri Ann and I made a commitment, she basically gave me an ultimatum: “Let’s have a baby or I’m leaving.” I entertained the idea for a day or so and when she approached me the second time, I agreed that yes, one child would be great. I won’t even get into how their came to be two extra males in my house instead of just one. Honestly, she is pretty persuasive even if I say so myself. But, in our most chaotic moments, trying to get to two ball parks at the same time on opposite ends of town, or when the noise level becomes unbearable, I remind her that she was the one who though we needed to have two, not just one.
I wouldn’t take anything for my kids, don’t get me wrong. I just never planned to be a father. I didn’t have a huge male presence in my life growing up. My granddad taught me everything I know about being an electrician but not so much about parenthood I guess. I just didn’t see myself as a father. Now, I don’t know how we would entertain ourselves without at least one of them.
Ok, two.
As I said, my wife keeps up with the limelight so I just go with the flow. Our seven-year-old looks like me (or so they say) and seems to have my desire to want to learn what makes things tick. My wife along with many others quickly named him Ditto Boy after he was born. He has my mother-in-law’s maiden name, Walker, and then my middle and last name (so he has my initials too, there’s a reason I (ok, my wife) added this). The second born came into this world blonde and I’m still searching for a blonde mailman somewhere. Both of us have dark hair and a long line of dark haired family members. But, when the sun goes down, he does resemble his mother and definitely has her athletic skills. After careful deliberation over the first child’s name, my wife took an Internet poll to pick a name for Mini Me. Surprisingly, he has her initials. She is a sly one, that woman.
Since she is the one who does the majority of the blogging, he was pronounced a Mini-Me (my wife being the Me) by almost everyone. We make a pretty good-looking bunch. 
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
I mentioned this above, I didn’t have a huge parental presences other than my grandparents. My step-dad is only ten years older than me so he was more like a brother than a step-dad. I depend on my wife a lot for what is acceptable but basically, I think it’s just instinct. The biggest challenge though definitely stems from the difference in opinion that my wife and I have over discipline. She is much more lenient than I am but often asks me to intervene. Behavior and discipline are generally the only areas Jerri Ann and I disagree about
I have ADD but I wasn’t diagnosed until after we had children of our own. And I can see some of the same struggles I went through as a child in my oldest son. I mentioned that my grandfather taught me a lot. I was inquisitive and wanted to learn and he had the patience to teach me. Walker is the same way but I have yet to harness the patience to explain everything to him step-by-step. I know I should, my wife reminds me of that often, it’s just not natural to me and it really makes the whole process a challenge for sure.
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
Patience truly is a virtue.
5) Seeing that you (or your position) is in the limelight, how have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
What outside life? My wife would like to say that we had opportunities to sow our oats. But now, we spend what most people would call an unhealthy amount of time either working or participating in activities with our children. That’s it. That’s what we do. We’ve taken one very short trip without our children since the first one was born. They do spend the night with my wife’s mom frequently but only one at a time. So, we are focused on one of them almost always. Other than the time I spend at work, we rarely spend time sans children all together.
Because our children have grown up watching my wife and I both spend a lot of time online, they are pretty good with a computer, remote controls, electronics in general. I have no doubts that my kids are going to be highly skilled with technical skills. I hope my kids get their education through college instead of the military simply because right now jobs are easier to find with credentials from a university than with our very own military.
Although, other than what I learned from my grandfather, most of my computer, satellite, mechanical and electrical skills came from Uncle Sam.
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
We are in the middle of baseball right now. Other than that, we generally don’t interact with many families. I’ve never played sports at all. But, last year when the boys were playing on the same team, I was asked to help coach. (Don’t think for one minute that wasn’t a terrible blow to my wife’s ego though). I watched as the other coaches (mostly fathers) interacted with their own children and I learned to enjoy the qualities in kids that really bothered me at one time. For instance, I expected our children, even at a young age to be very efficient. My wife is quite organized and even though I am a bit scattered, I still pushed our kids to do more than they probably should have been expected to do. By working with the kids in practice and games, I learn to appreciate that it was ok for the 4 year old to hit the ball and run to third, even in the last game of the season. I’m coaching again this year and naturally my kids are older but my expectations never seem to lower, but I have learned to cope a little better.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
This question has held me up all weekend. I can only say that I don’t know what father’s are suppose to do, how they are suppose to act and I’ve been forced to learn that one day at a time, one baby at a time and with a lot of patience from my wife. I can’t say that instincts are the best way to go about parenting but so far, I think I’ve done fairly well. It’s hard, so very hard. My wife insisted I had this part or she was going to add it for me. Anything that has an on/off switch, has at one time included a set of directions or that needs to be built, I can do it. I rarely turn down a challenge for repairing anything that’s broken. And if you need a new gadget invented, I’m always willing to give it a try. But parenting? I have yet to find a set of directions that are the cure all for this parenting gig, I just function on instinct. So far, so good.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
Memorable, huh?
Ironically enough, as difficult as this question is for me to answer, I am going to give it a try. I don’t have many memories of childhood at all. And, I have no memories of interacting with my own father. So, I truly enjoy a lot of the memories we make now simply because I never had that opportunity. Again, this is tough I could give you so many examples. 
These aren’t in any particular order. I mentioned that I never played sports. But my wife did and both boys enjoy it. Last year in the season ending game, for the season championship, Walker pulled off a triple play. We were playing the only team that beat us in the pre-season tournament. We were up by 2, they had last bat in the final inning. Walker was playing third base and it wasn’t really a line drive but he didn’t have time to think about it. Everyone around him was yelling at him to tag the runner. Naturally, at this young of an age, the runners on second and third had taken off. He stepped on his bag for out two and then caught the runner headed back to second to finish off the triple play.
I know, it’s a bit shallow but having never played sports myself, I hope he can remember that feeling forever!
Christmas of 2008 we had managed to get everything wrapped and under the tree at a decent hour (unlike many other years). Both boys were tucked snuggly in their bed and we had crashed too around midnight. About 3:30, one of the boys opens our bedroom door and the boy’s storm us with glee over all the presents. They had opened every single present under the tree, regardless of whose name was on it. Jerri Ann was so disgusted; we left the mess and headed back to bed. This past year, we just went ahead and put them in our room so we would know if they woke up.
On a similar note, they were in their own beds the night before Easter this year so the Easter Bunny hid the baskets in our bathtub. Again, they would have to wake us up to get to them.
If you have any questions for Wayne, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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