Today marks a new parenting milestone achieved.

Nine weeks ago, my kids’ world was turned upside down and everything they were used to went dark. Our school district, Cherry Creek School District, announced an extended spring break… which didn’t mean much since our plans for the break were all cancelled. No Spring Training in Arizona for my son, mom, or myself. No business trip to Houston. No sleepovers for my daughter.

And then a week later, the school district extended the closure and said that our kids’ were going to now do virtual learning. We waited with trepidation as we had no idea what that would really mean for our first and fourth graders.

With May being Mental Health Awareness month, I have been contemplating sharing my personal reflections on the COVID-19 virus and my personal mental health journey. However, there was something off about sharing this story. The reality is that ever since Colorado began shutting down in March, my mental health has actually improved and I don’t really know how to feel about it.

From the first time I met my wife, I knew there was something special about her.

It didn’t matter that for the first year that I knew her that she wanted nothing to do with me. Maybe it was because at the time, I was a scrawny, short (okay that hasn’t changed), annoying 14 year old who was friends with her twin sister. Maybe it was because our only interaction that first year was when we were at a passing period and I said “hi”… a few too many times.

A little over three and a half years ago, our lives changed. We had been struggling with our son’s behavior both in school and at home and we had no idea how to make things better. The school knew that his behavior was “off” but wouldn’t do anything without an official diagnosis. We then went to our pediatrician hoping that she would have some answers. Nope, she had to send us to a specialist. That specialist was a “talk therapist.”

When I first started dating my wife when we were in high school, I thought that her family was large. She had three siblings, six aunts, seven uncles, eleven cousins, three grandparents, and a great grandparent. My family felt small in relation. For some reason, at the time, I only thought of my family as my two siblings and parents.

But I remember vaguely a conversation that I had with her and I explained the actually large family that I had. I had an adopted brother, an adopted sister, two half sisters, a step sister, a step mom, a mom, two dads, three grandparents, five uncles, four aunts, and five cousins. You just needed a playbook to keep track of all of them. For my now sister-in-law, she would joke with me that I kept finding siblings when I would talk about a “new one.”

The main reason that I thought mine was small is because it wasn’t a “traditional” family. I very rarely saw some of my family members and I could count on two hands the number of times that I had seen my cousins and grandparents. I also wasn’t close to very many of them. You have to remember this was before social media allowed us to be “close.”

In the early and mid 2010s, I found a deep passion for writing. First, I wrote about the nonprofit sector on a site called Nonprofit Gold. It was here that I shared my thoughts on the nonprofit sector and how it should be improved. Then I began sharing my journey as a parent and our family’s financial goals and dreams on a site called Pure Family Gold. Both of these blogs were passion projects of mine and allowed me to share my experiences and also the expertise that I was gaining.

Parenthood is like nothing else that I have ever experienced. The joy of bringing home my children for the first time and experiencing their firsts is something that I will never forget. From the first time that they smiled, rolled over, crawled, walked, got a hit in baseball, lost a tooth, and so much more. These little human beings have become my everything. I strive to provide for them, help them learn to be good people, and most of all protect them. 

Two quarters, a dime, and a nickel. For the last year, I have carried this amount of change in my pocket. Every day.

Today marks a milestone for me and my wife. Today is our 16th anniversary of dating and after today, we will have been together longer than we have not. A pretty crazy thought when you think about it. For many people it will take many years of being with their partner to reach this point but I was lucky enough to trick meet her while we were still in high school to start dating.

Hey B,
Happy 6th Birthday! It is amazing to think that 6 years ago you entered our lives as it feels like just yesterday. Every day since that moment has been an adventure and I am so glad to be on this journey with you. You have made my life fuller and more complete in ways that I never thought possible.

As I celebrated my 31st birthday yesterday, I wanted to share my 31 wishes for my upcoming year. This is the fourth year I have laid out my wishes and for the first time, I have decided not to look back at my wishes for last year but look forward to this next year.

Earlier this morning, Mrs. PFG left with her sister to join her mom, aunts, grandmother, and other sister for a girl’s weekend in Austin. For the second time in two months, I will be a single parent.

Dear PFG Girl,
Today is your first birthday! It is amazing to think that a year ago, Mommy and Daddy weren’t expecting to see you. Unlike your brother, you were excited to enter this world and you came two weeks early. Surrounded by your many aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, you entered this world and had everyone’s love from day one… especially your big brother’s!

Four months ago, my wife, son and I welcomed a baby girl to our growing family.  Our lives have not been the same since and we couldn’t be happier!