I haven’t blogged much over the last three months for good reason: I’m now a very happy father of two (yes, two!) boys. Our little one’s arrived early in September and I took a break from my consulting practice to be home with my wife and babies. I love being a dad! With support from both of our parents, friends and our larger community, we’re making the transition to parenthood and family. After multiple sleepless nights and a few weeks of nonstop, loud crying, we’re getting into a beautiful rhythm

full of play, sleep, feedings, burping and diaper changing (of which I’m now a master diaper changer!). There’s still plenty of crying…

We love walking around our neighborhood of Echo Park and Elysian Park with our boys. They are alert, curious, smiling and a real joy to be with. They have distinct personalities already! While I continue to spend a good chunk of time at home raising our boys, I have kept busy since October consulting for multiple clients, including the following:

• San Gabriel Mountains Forever Campaign Coalition Retreat
• UCLA Landscape Program Instructor Retreat
• Los Angeles Community Garden Council Board Retreat
• Alcott Mental Health Services Staff/Board retreat
• Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Pride Executive Board Retreat
• Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma Staff Retreat
• East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice Staff Campaign Planning Retreat
• Partnership with S&G Endeavors to support strategic planning at Bike Texas
• Newport Bay Conservancy symposium on watershed sustainability
• Little Tokyo Services Center Planning Process (ongoing)

When I find some more time, I plan to blog more about some of these incredible experiences with clients (but in the meantime, I’m savoring the magical experience of being a new dad, which means less blogging). Check out my twitter account for photos from various retreats I led.

I’m grateful to have flexibility in my work to both serve organizations and also be very engaged as a father (you can find me every morning at around 3am and 6am helping out with feedings!). My body has adjusted, my heart is full of love greater than I could have imagined and my mind is full of new learnings. I’m very thankful this season.