Today is Father’s Day. So today I’d like to do a “where are they now?” piece, highlighting three of my past clients who have recently become fathers or are expecting their first child in a few, short weeks. All three of these men were grooms from my most special weddings and all these people hold a very dear place in my heart. I reached out to them and asked them to answer three short questions about how their life has changed since going from groom to father. It was wonderful reconnecting with them and their responses to the questions were so heartwarming. They were all able to easily express how fatherhood makes them feel or how nervous they are about becoming a dad, but to actually write it down in words was very emotional and elicited some tearful responses on their part (ok, maybe that was me!). The three questions that I asked them were:
1. How has life changed for you?
2. How has the experience changed you personally?
3. What’s your favorite thing and your least favorite thing about being a dad?
All of them expressed being very honored to be asked these questions and they were happy to be included in this post. And to these dads and soon-to-be dad, I want to say thank you to YOU. Thank you for holding a special place in my life and for being such outstanding role models for your children and little ones on the way.
Let me reintroduce former grooms, Gray, Ryan and Kit. Here, in their own words, their thoughts about their newest title, “dad.”
Photos of their cute kids courtesy of the client and their Facebook page ;)
Gray
Married in Maine in 2012. Husband to Sally. Dad to daughter, Elsa.
Ryan
Married in Maine in 2013. Husband to Leah. Dad to daughter, Rose.
How has life changed… Time. Time means something totally different when you don’t have children. Time used to mean whatever I wanted to do, where I ever I wanted to go, whenever I wanted to do it. Now time is “Rose Time” and that means nap time, lunch time, bed time, happy time, sleepy time, cute time, hugs time, and most importantly of all Daddy/Daughter time. I cherish all these times and rearrange my schedule and my life to get more Rose Time.
It’s changed me in that my career goals and personal goals have shifted. I still am focused on those goals but the goals that I have for raising a child have taken the forefront. I thankfully set a solid foundation for myself and my career which has allowed me to coast on that a bit and maintain while putting more energy into Rose. The more you invest the more you get on your return, right now I’m investing less in me and all I have in Rose and I’m ready to do that.
Favorite thing about being a Dad is nurturing our child and providing an environment free from distractions, free from media and full of nature and real honest personal interaction with friends and family. Being able to witness the week to week and day to day growth, physically, mentally and emtionally that Rose goes through is fascinating.
Kit
Married in Massachusetts in 2014. Soon-to-be dad with wife, Anna.