Here at Fort Worth Moms Blog, we are passionate not only about moms but also the families behind them. We are thrilled to have husbands and fathers share their own stories.
It was late in the morning on June 6th 2011 that I took on the biggest responsibility of my life; I became a father to my son, Jack. We’ve all heard about these days; becoming a new parent and getting this little bundle of joy…without any instructions. I was excited and scared at the same time. What kind of father was I going to be? What values did I want to instill in Jack? How was I going to raise this little man?
If you have ever met me you probably know that I like to keep busy. I used to be a severe over-committer. If you needed something done and I could do it, sign me up. It’s what netted me a couple of post-grad degrees and how I was able to run enduraLAB and work a full-time job at the same time. Since becoming a husband and a father I started looking for something else, time with my family. This was the biggest factor when I decided to take the plunge and leave the corporate world to run enduraLAB full-time earlier this year. The amount of joy I have running a business with my wife and having Jack beside me most of the day is way more than what I had to give up with the departure of the corporate job.
Being able to raise Jack at the LAB has given me the chance to instill the importance of health. Anywhere you look, you can see the declining health of the population. I don’t want that for my family. Jack has been out at the track since he was 4-weeks old and even though he was just strapped to Isis or me in his Baby Bjorn, he was witnessing athletes give their all to achieve their goals. Making movement and good eating a regular day occurrence has been a blessing for our family. Jack has thrived in this environment and has already created habits that will pay dividends over his lifetime.
No matter how hard we focus on being healthy, we still haven’t found a way to be bulletproof. Earlier this year my father was diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer. It was, and still is, a very scary prognosis. The thought of a disease taking away the man who helped shape my values, instilled the work ethic I still carry today, and taught me a lot about being a man was not one that I wanted to have. Luckily, my father is seeing a great specialist and has a great chance to beat the disease. The experience has reinvigorated my passion for Movember, a worldwide charity that helps raise awareness for cancers affecting men.
During Movember, or the month formally known as November, men all over the world will grow a mustache to raise awareness and funds for cancers affecting men. Going on my fourth year, I can tell you that growing a terrible-looking ‘stache is a great conversation starter about the charity and why I’m so passionate about it. This year we’re adding an event that combines Movember with another love of mine, running. On November 9th we’ll be throwing the 1st Annual ‘Stache Dash 5k and 1-mile Fun Run at The Trailhead. Admission is open to all and, best of all, is free. Donations to Movember can be made at the event or on our team page here. We have a great post-race party that will include a beer garden, food trucks and much more. To register for this event please go to http://enduralabstachedash.eventbrite.com.
What changes have you made to create a better future for your family?
My hubby and I try to be active with our kids….lots of trips to the park, playing outside in the backyard, family walks, etc. I think the phrase is “the family that plays together, stays together”. A great gift we can all give to our children is taking care of ourselves so we are around as long as possible. Thanks for the post, Lee and my kiddos are super excited to join Jack in the 1 mile fun run for ‘Stache Dash!