I’m still thinking a lot lately about death, about what we leave behind, and how all of it weaves into this wild, beautiful thing we call dad life. Two poems keep surfacing in my mind for my own hypothetical funeral: John Donne’s Death Be Not Proud (read my reflection on it here) and Percy Bysshe… Continue reading Ozymandias: A Dad Poem, but (Again) Not Mine
Tag: time
Random Musings #16
A dad realizes he’s stopped truly holding his older kids, vows to start again before it’s too late.
Thirty: The Annual Back to School Rollercoaster
As summer fades like the last glow of a firefly, I’m sitting here writing this post, feeling the weight of back-to-school season settle in. The end of summer always hits me hard, with those glorious days of no alarm clock, filled with spontaneous adventures or late nights watching baseball games. Those moments of pure, unhurried… Continue reading Thirty: The Annual Back to School Rollercoaster
Random Musings #13
Let’s call this one, On Parenthood and Perspective I was scrolling through Instagram soaking in a few moments of me time when something hit me like a ton of bricks: why are so many parents out there using the platform to just dunk on their kids? It’s all rants about the messes, the tantrums, the… Continue reading Random Musings #13
Twenty-Seven: A Day of Faith, Family, and Fun: Our Catholic Retreat Experience
Last Saturday, our family embarked on a soul-nourishing journey at an all-day Catholic outdoor retreat, the first one we’ve ever attended as a family. It was certainly a day to remember! From praying together in the presence of Our Lord to a serene rosary walk with a stunning replica of the Our Lady of Guadalupe… Continue reading Twenty-Seven: A Day of Faith, Family, and Fun: Our Catholic Retreat Experience
Twenty-Four: The Backyard Swimming Pool
Our backyard swimming pool is the heart of our summer chaos, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a modest ten-foot pool, nothing fancy, but it’s ours, and it (somehow) fits our whole big family, kids, parents, and toys. The kids go wild for it, splashing and shrieking with joy the moment they… Continue reading Twenty-Four: The Backyard Swimming Pool
Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Four – Sharpening Your Intellectual Strength
A dad’s mind is a tool that needs constant sharpening. In a big family, where questions fly from “Why is the sky blue?” to “Daddy, in what situations would I need a gas mask?” (you might laugh, but that’s a real question from my eight-year-old/survivalist son), intellectual strength means staying curious and informed. By always… Continue reading Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Four – Sharpening Your Intellectual Strength
Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Two – Cultivating Mental Strength for Your Family
As a dad, your mental strength is the bedrock of your family’s stability. In a big family, chaos is constant, from spilled juice to sibling squabbles to unexpected bills. Mental strength isn’t about never feeling stressed; it’s about adopting a selfless mentality that shows your kids how to face life’s challenges with grit and grace.… Continue reading Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Two – Cultivating Mental Strength for Your Family
Twenty-Two: The Great Hand-Me-Down Hullabaloo: Four Boys, Two Girls, and a Wardrobe Reboot
As I stood over my fourth basket of laundry yesterday (I think it was four, anyway), I had a distinct thought about the majority of the clothes I was sorting: they’re nearly all hand-me downs. Hand-me-downs are the ultimate family heirloom as far as I’m concerned. I grew up in my older brother’s clothes. I… Continue reading Twenty-Two: The Great Hand-Me-Down Hullabaloo: Four Boys, Two Girls, and a Wardrobe Reboot
Twenty-One: The Beautiful Mess of a Big Family in a Little House
Our house is small, much smaller than most people would probably believe. I know people with half the kids I have who live in a house that’s literally 3.5 times the size of our house (not a joke or an exaggeration either) because they “outgrew” their previous house which was only twice the size of… Continue reading Twenty-One: The Beautiful Mess of a Big Family in a Little House