why not

I was up early today, on may way to work @ 0510. When I left the house there was no one else awake. The only noise made was the whir of the coffee grinding, the only lights were the soft glow of the christmas tree. For some reason I was up @ 0400 (oh yeah, it was Georgie's perpetual knees in my back) and decided to go ahead and go in.

I was actually in a great mood on my 20 minute drive. I knew I only had to put in 4 hrs until I got to turn around and go home for a 10 day vacation. On my way I was pondering the past year. which led to thoughts of many years past. I wouldn't say that my life to this point has been hard. I wouldn't exactly call it easy either. In the end it doesn't matter. I am who I am based on the experiences I've and ...

2010 was a great year. Full of success and failure, elation and angst. We added another member to our family in 2010. She's beautiful. It's amazing to me how having children introduced me to another level of love that I never knew existed. I generally believe I have most things figured out. Who knew.

I have now been employed longer than any other job i've had outside of the Navy. That's a good feeling. And I like the job. We live in a house that we love. I don't think we'll live in a house we enjoy more.

I feel good. For the first time in my life I have wanted to slow down and smell the roses. Before, it was always hurry, hurry, hurry, on to the next stepping stone. I know i'll turn around and my kids will be teenagers, i'll be 50, and i'll marvel at where the time went. That's ok considering my greatest fear used to be that i'd never have a family.

Which is a great lead in to the most significant point in this post. Thank you God for my wife. I really love her. She is easily the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know I tease her when I get the chance that if it weren't for my persistence all this would never be. Some day she'll figure it out and turn around and say, "It was worth it, wasn't it? Now pour me a drink". Yup baby, yes it was. I might be the foundation to our family but you are the engine that keeps it running. If it weren't for you, everything would come crashing down. I'm proud of you.

Not to sound silly but you know what else i'm proud of? I'm proud to be an AMERICAN. I'll take this country on it's worst day before i'd jump ship. i'll take all the crooked politicians (and they're all crooked, every one of them), all the people looking for hand outs, all the snobs who are too good, all those who blame everyone else for their problems and all those who are too lazy to turn off their TV and engage another person. I believe that eventually Americans will get tired of shedding their constitutional responsibility to hold themselves and others accountable and figure it out.

The United States of American might just be a pimple of the ass of history but we ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

And God bless my family.

Amen.

Oh, and check out my kick ass Christmas beard...