EVANS CITY — Being a great dad is not just about the time spent with your children.

It also is the time spent away from your children, working to provide for your family.

One father who understands that is Dayne Wesley Herr Jr., 38, a UPS driver.

“I work 13-hour shifts,” Herr said.

Throughout the long days he wonders what he is missing with his kids, but he knows that his job is providing a better life for them.

“All my sacrifices are for them,” he said.

He and his wife, Lindsay, 33, are the parents of son, Dayne Wesley Herr III, 21 months, and Hayden Elizabeth, born April 29.

Herr said he was “absolutely ecstatic” when he found out his wife was pregnant with their second child.

“It is the most amazing feeling,” he said.

Herr said finding out his wife was pregnant again was equally as amazing as the first time around.

Herr describes holding his children for the first time as an “amazing connection.” He said that it is something that is hard to describe until you’ve experienced it.

“Yesterday it wasn’t here, and today it’s in the world,” Herr said.

As any parent can attest, life changes after having children.

Herr said, “It’s the little things, the faces that weren’t there before.”

He enjoys being there for his children, and he wants to guide them and to help them to become functioning members of society.

At only several weeks old, Hayden already is starting to looking around and focus her eyes.

Meanwhile Dayne is in the energy mode of full discovery.

“Everything my son does is funny,” Herr said.

Herr said he and his wife recorded a “Saturday Night Live” skit featuring Mick Jagger, and for about three months every time they put it on his son would stop what he was doing and dance.

“It was great when my wife needed to grade papers,” he said.

Lindsay, a professor at Butler County Community College, would be home watching their son and trying to get work done for her classes.

Herr does get to see many of the precious moments that his children provide, but he also misses a lot due to the long shifts at work. His wife said that her husband works very hard for his children.

Herr remembers the time spent with his father while he was growing up. He said his father did not talk a lot when he was growing up, but he led by example. He said that he remembers his father coming to sporting events.

“He was always there,” Herr said.

He wants to be around for his children, too, and to help his children to be successful in life, whatever they define that to be.

“I want them to be happy with no regrets,” he said.