Tonight is Christmas Eve 2011. My daughter is 19 and my Son will soon turn 18. What an adventure it has been! 15 years ago, we spent our 1st Christmas as the Family we would become. Their Mother had "gone underground" and was nowhere to be found for a number of months. I'd decided I needed to make a choice = either give 100 percent to helping her get clean, or give a hundred percent to the kids. As she'd already chosen drugs and that lifestyle, my choice was clear.
So, off to Louisiana we went! I was moving my Family across the Country to a city where I knew no one. I had a positive outlook and 2 kids still in diapers! I was still young and brash enough to "know" I could get ratings on the radio anyplace - and it was a Night opening at KHOM - Houma, La. - Mix 104.1 in New Orleans- and I was so excited.
From there, my little Family moved to San Luis Obispo, Ca., for my first Program Director job - the station debuted at #3 in S.L.O., and #1 in Santa Maria, Ca. - small markets, I realize - but something I took huge pride in, especially considering when I didn't have headphones on at work I was "Mr. Mom" at home. The company tried to convince me that I should move to their bigger station in Albuquerque- spending so much time here in Phoenix, I tried to tell them the desert really didn't impress me, but the flight was easier from Phx to Alb., than to the central coast of Ca., so off we went again. After a year there, we ended up back here in AZ. A couple of years later found me in a situation where the station changed formats, and I was looking for a new gig. Rather than continue the "move to a new radio market" again, I got out of radio full time and joined the USPS.
In all the relocating for work, changing jobs, etc., I went through the things I think every single Parent goes through..."Am I giving them what they need?", "Is this a better life than they would have had?" Wrong decisions as a single Parent mean worse consequences for the kids. But you do your best. Band, strings, sports, school plays, scouts. Trying to teach them how to be a good judge of character. Being OF good character. These are things that keep me up at night. Did I do enough? Have I done too much?
Are they perfect? Of course not - I mean they got half their DNA from me. But I think they are just where they are supposed to be. It's been 15 years since we had our 1st Christmas.
And I am so proud.
