The former civil servant talks sacrifice and family.

Topic: The cost of serving

Armitage:    Well my wife and I had two biological children.  We adopted six, and I must say that one of the things regarding public service at a high level is that you don’t spend the time with your family.  And I . . .  I think if I were to criticize myself, it is that I spent too much time at work and too little time on them.  And I know that now that I’m out of government service, at least temporarily, I’m spending a good bit more time trying to be closer to them, because I don’t feel that I was the parent that I should have been.  On the other hand I’m blessed by being married to someone who is a wonderful mother, a wonderful wife, and I think she more than pulled her weight.  I think they have leaned to me more, as I was suggesting, more than I leaned to them.  I think I sacrificed a bit of that and I’m very sorry for it.  But I attempt . . .  Now that I have grandchildren, I’m attempting to make it up a bit.  And grandchildren are great.  You know by the way you can give them back.