Wow, it has been a long while since I’ve written to you all and updated you on what is happening. This post is serving as a recap on 2024 and what’s currently happening and about to happen in 2025.

-The first point of emphasis…sorry about the lack of blog posts here! I was so busy that the ability to sit down and write passionate and inspired posts was very limited in 2024. That is a good and bad thing as it meant work was booming and going well! However, I love this space and writing to you all so I’m sorry for the lack of posts here. I hope to have more in 2025!

-A big, big reason I was so busy is that This is Fatherhood is continuing to grow and get stronger! This past year I went back to work on a part-time contract basis for my former organization, SMART Reading. That short-term commitment quickly became a longer term commitment that has been fun and quite stressful to manage on top of my Fatherhood and parenting work. It has also been so great to reconnect with a lot of my wonderful long-time volunteers and receive some extra financial comfort that our family has appreciated.

-I also got the opportunity to start an amazing new opportunity with my friends at NW Parenting. I wrote about it here, but the short of it is a group of Dads and I started a new monthly in-person Dads Group in Columbia County! I continue to be blown away by the response and excitement for community that these Dads have. This is an amazing group of guys that I can’t wait to hang out with and connect with each month. This has easily been one of my favorite and most rewarding new endeavors of the past year and we are only getting stronger!

-We began Year 3 (!!!) of our Dedicated Dads Groups in Washington County. This is an awesome group of guys that keep showing up and keep showing me why I love parenting groups and connecting with other Dads. In fact, in back to back events in November and December we had more than 30 people between kids and adults!

-In fact, in-person events for Dads and Dads Groups are going very well right now and the demand for more support and activities for Dads is rising! I’m starting a Virtual Dads Group with Take Root Parenting this month and am talking with two other regional Early Learning Hubs about consulting on new Dads Groups in multiple counties! Dads are stepping up and taking on more care and responsibility and are wanting to connect with other Dads who feel the same way. Reach out to me directly if you’re interested in talking more about this or wishing to startup a Dads Group in your county: thisisfatherhoodllc@gmail.com.

-I once again got the great privilege of Coaching my son’s baseball team. This time in both the spring/summer and the fall! He continues to enjoy it and grow even though we weren’t quite as successful in terms of wins and losses this year. The undisputed highlight…watching him hit his first homerun!!! Then only a few games later…hitting his second…a grand slam! It is still an absolutely joy to share what was once my dream and passion with him, and to see him listen well, grow and develop while having fun and chasing his own dream as well.

-I also got to share this passion with my daughter this year as well! She decided she wanted to play softball while we were at the store getting baseball equipment for my son. You have never seen a more determined and focused softball player than my daughter and she has an incredibly powerful swing! It was so cool to be able to watch both my kids enjoying something I love so much!

-My wife and I got away for an amazing Anniversary Vacation for a few days at the end of the year. Our 16th year of marriage and 20th (20!!!!) of being a couple. She so tirelessly works for and serves other and continues to support me in all my endeavors while managing the needs and schedules of everyone else in the home. She is my rock and an incredible, wonderful woman. I love you my rose!

That’s it for now everyone, but I promise there will be more updates and posts in 2025. I really appreciate you continuing to show up to this space and look forward to sharing more of this journey with you all! To even more great things ahead in 2025!

This is Fatherhood…