Dad Of The Month!

Larry Blackmar

Where do you live?
My family, a wife and two beautiful daughters, live in a beautiful city in Oregon called West Linn. Most people would know it best as the neighbor to Lake Oswego, Oregon. For some reason, Lake Oswego is better known outside the Portland area, but they are very comparable in lifestyle and liveability.

What is your profession?
I’m a Realtor with the Hasson Company in Portland. The Hasson Company is a regional real estate company with offices throughout the Portland area. I happen to work in the Lake Oswego office.

What do you drive?
I drive a boring Realtor car that’s more reliable than fancy. It’s an Acura MDX. That sounds pretty cool except its six years old and has the dents to prove it.

What are you reading?
I just finished reading a wonderful book called “Beyond good intentions” by Cheri Register. It’s a book targeted to adoptive parents and it has some great advice about not letting your good intentions get in the way of being a good parent and acknowledging the issues that exist for children adopted from another country. We have two wonderful daughters we adopted from China, so this book is especially important to our family. That said, I think this book would be valuable to every parent. We all tend to look at our children and think they should be grateful because they have so much. That thinking, and why it’s destructive, is the very focus of this book. I’ve just started reading a new book by Tom Brokaw called “Boom”. It’s about the 60s generation, of which Tracy and I are a part. It looks like it will be a great read.

What music are you listening to?
You may not believe it, but if I’m honest I have to say I listen to Hanna Montana and the Jonas Brothers more than anything else. They’re really pretty good and my two daughter’s favorites. Yes, even my 5 year old loves their music. It’s a small price to pay to be able to listen to music together as a family.

What's the last movie you saw?
How would you rate it? We watched “Oceans Thirteen” most recently. On a scale from one to ten I’d give it a six. Above average, but not a movie to die for. It was clever, entertaining and flashy; but also pretty predictable.

How long have you been married?
Tracy and I have been married eighteen years last September. We’ve known each other for nearly thirty years, so it took us a little while to get that “commitment” thing down.

Kids names and ages?
Ali Mei Xing Blackmar is 9½ and quite an accomplished swimmer and horsewoman. Her middle name, which the Chinese give their children to signify something special about them, translates as “beautiful star”. We think of her as our beautiful star from the East. Grace Mei Xia Blackmar just turned five on December 27th. She is also an accomplished swimmer and a wiz at math and reading. Her middle name is translated as “beautiful morning light” and she is truly that. She awakes every morning with a smile and lights up every room when she walks in.

Describe your favorite family vacation?
Our favorite vacation spot is Hawaii. That’s true mostly because of the sunshine and the chance for the girls to live in the swimming pool. They’d rather swim than do just about anything else. It’s pretty nice for mom and dad too.

Your thoughts on being a Dad?
Once a child comes into your family, it changes everything. You hear people say that; but until it happens to you, you don’t really know what it means. It changes your perspective on life, your plans for the future and even your daily habits. I don’t listen to Hanna Montana because I love the kid’s music. I can honestly say I’ve never been stronger, nor have I ever been as vulnerable as I am being a dad. My children give me the strength to do things I never thought possible. They also scare the devil out of me when I think they may be in harm’s way. Having children is the most exciting; and at the same time, the most frightening thing I’ve ever done. There’s no substitute for having your child’s arm around your neck and getting the hug of a lifetime. It’s a great responsibility having a child depend on you. It can also be trying and very difficult at times. But, the rewards of being a dad are beyond comprehension. So, buck-up. You’ll get that hug again sometime soon.

How do you juggle family and work?
I’m very blessed in that I have a wife who works and understands the necessity of getting work done. I have the same consideration for her obligations. We also have a strong sense of when our children should come first. There are times we refuse to let work interfere. But, we can usually juggle things to be able to get our work done, take care of the children and spend good quality time with them and with each other.

What's your favorite thing to do with your kids?
There’re so many, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Overall, I’d say my favorite times revolve around bedtime. We’ve always considered that time to be special. A time to quiet down, to read stories, to talk about our day. That’s a time most revealing of any worries or concerns. It’s also a time to celebrate our victories and prepare for tomorrow. To go to bed with a clear mind and a good hug. That’s as good as it gets.


Dad Of The Month Archives            Top