A Good Year

This will be my second to last post of the year. Starting next week I am "home for the holidays". A Christmas post is annually supplanted by my Christmas letter to you. My time and attention while home is better served NEXT TO YOU and not upstairs posting things I could have said to your lovely face or whispered in your soft ear.

That leads me to this post. We received a few of those "state of the family" letters with Christmas cards. As I read them I thought how cool it would be to "show off" our family success via a letter. Since doing so isn't our style - I figured I would use this space for it. This is intended to have some very nice sentiment, some bragging and a few "tongue in cheek" references. For flow purposes and to maintain our anonymity we are the "Wilson" family. I embellished a few other names as well. Enjoy.

Dear Friends and Family -

It has been a terrific year for the Wilson family. So much has changed for us I don't really even know where to begin. We aren't a family that embraces change very well. Its not like we would vote for change. We generally like things just the way currently happen to be.

Wisconsin is still treating us well. We still view it as the best decision we have ever made. Moving here is about the only change we ever sought out on our own. We are still enjoying the snow and the wonderful summers. We even became rabid fans of a new Wisconsin sports team (more on that later).

Our year started slowly. About the most early year excitement we had was a new car. Our first in a long time. During the winter we did get to see the younger one snowboard a few times and that is always a joy. She is really good. Even her friends tell us that. Plus it makes her smile so much - and we like it when she smiles.

The winter had the older one applying to colleges. We even visited a few. The whole process was so hard. Letters, resumes, information gathering, stress, angst, etc. There is so much to that process you cannot even imagine. She applied to a bevy of schools, but only really had 1 (or two) in mind. I remember the day I read her paper for her application and saw her high school accomplishments. It was impossible to not burst with pride. We spent winter and early spring anticipating the results. It eventually came with much surprise. After not getting into the University of Wisconsin we had finally settled on her becoming a Marquette Golden Eagle.

We spent a great weekend in Atlanta with our friends. After the horrific previous summer it was really nice to have so much fun with them. It was like a light switched was turned back on. The weekend included a trip the Zoo, aquarium, fun dinners, drinking and tons of sing-star. Prior to the trip you "tripped" yourself. At the time it seemed like a minor event, boy were we wrong! Our friends didn't show it at the time, but they had a "shock" for us as well later in the year.

In the spring we found out our family would be growing. The youngest nephew stumbled (literally) a bit at college and we reached out to him to come to live with us and work for our growing little company. You did such a nice job of making him feel welcome. New room, new furniture, new life. Just about everything he needed to get his life back in order. We even celebrated by dragging him along on spring break with us to Arizona. yup that's right Arizona. 7 fabulous days with my family and my Brewers in Spring Training. I am certain I can never repay you for the joy that brought me.

I turns out that during February you really messed up your knee. So much so you had to have surgery. Like a trooper you put it off until after the graduation event. When I say event I really mean event. Our oldest graduated from high school in June. Just before she graduated she got a fantastic surprise. The University of Wisconsin called and advised her that she had been accepted! From a Eagle to a Badger in an instant. I have never seen someone so excited. I have never seen my wife so excited. It was perfect. She accepted immediately and we moved quickly to graduation.

The graduation was so nice. We had the entire family here. Sisters, nephews, moms, dads, brothers and friends. For 3 days we celebrated, ate, partied and enjoyed being together. We found time for the actual ceremony and when she walked across the stage we were so proud. Imagine our little girl a high school graduate.

There was truly special family moment during this time. The little sister spent nearly a year working on the "video". You have no idea how well it worked out. The video featured old movies, photos and text put to music. The phrase "my sister, my hero" is forever etched in my head. The book with the letters was also a nice touch. Each letter made me so proud of who the older daughter had become. That the little sister did this for her was just amazing. It really illustrated what an amazing family we have.

After the graduation we took our summer vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. It was much more fun than I imagined it would be. Our best friends came with us. Our youngest nephew was supposed to come too. However, after a mere 2 months with us he had decided to move back home. Apparently, he had "figured out" what he needed to do in life and everything was fine. I won't re-hash how angry I was about all of that, but I love him still the same. At least he is back in college - well almost college.

We spent the rest of the glorious WI summer relaxing and preparing for the departure of the oldest one to college in Madison. You finally had your knee surgery, started your rehab and life just kind of went on. The younger one started working. Easily proving that the older one had skated by for 2 years at the same job. Seeing the younger one at work - working so hard make me proud. Even if she does never spend her own money.

In August we found out that our best friends we separating. For the strangest reasons. Trust me only this couple could come up with this story. It will all make a good book someday I am sure. Not one everyone can read, but good all the same. We had half of their family come to WI for a "break" weekend. To collect her thoughts. She collected them all right. Apparently our powers for good fixed all their problems and after a 40 day non contact period she called and everything was fine. No divorce, no separation. We must have been like Barack Obama magic fairy dust and fixed everything.

In September we had the day that made us so sad and so proud all at the same time. The older one went off to college. 86 miles away. I know it is 86 miles because we have now driven there and back a dozen times since she left. We miss her - she leaves a void in the family. We are coping with that. I think the younger one is having the hardest time adjusting to it. We don't like change in our family - have I mentioned that?

In September the world apparently went to hell in hand basket. Gas shot up over $4 a gallon, the economy failed, people started losing jobs, the war in Iraq became a failure, cats and dogs starting fighting in the streets. It was complete anarchy. To no avail, we had a savior. Someone who would fix it all. He didn't get elected and now we have that other guy. The one who will have us fix it all by giving away our hard earned money to those who choose to not work as hard. Funny, but we never seemed to be affected by this failing economy thing did we. We have our little business to thank for that. You know the one built with hard work and ingenuity? I will miss our current president. He appreciates my hard work.

The younger one is president again by the way. Yup a two-termer. President of her sophomore class. She has no idea how proud this makes me of her. She has no idea how much I love her. I know it is her age right now. She is so amazing.

We did have some good change. In October we got to go to Dallas for the oldest nephews wedding. We now have a new neice. The whole thing was so cool. You were so proud of him and the wedding was wonderful. It was nice to have a second big family gathering. We really re-connected as a family this year.

Work is good for me. Still commuting. A lot less this year and even less next year. I just got a major project approved so next year will be good too. Again an example of how hard work and ingenuity pays off. George would be so proud of me.

That brings us to now. The end of the year. Through all of this there is one thing that brings it all together. That is my incredible wife. The one who makes this family go. The one who planned everything you read above. Made it all come together. Managed every little bump in the road. You got prettier this year, smarter and even took your first steps towards becoming Jamie Sommers (bionic woman get it) with your new knee.

I am so proud of our family. So happy with what we have and what we have become. There is so much love in our family. I can't wait for 2009. And 2010. And 2020. And 2030. And 2040. After that starts the drooling, so I won't get too excited about that.

I love you so much sweetie. More than anything in the world. Thank you for a terrific 2008.