The former civil servant talks sacrifice and family.
Topic: The cost of servingArmitage:   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.Â
Topic: The cost of servingArmitage:   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.
