Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

She'll be driving in no time ;) Actually she's going for the 'horn.' She loves to bang on the yellow head of the Pod chair.

Looking back on 2007

I (Andy) posted this story on another website that asked us to look back and reflect on 2007. I spent a good time of time writing it, so I thought it would be nice to share on this site as well:

I guess way back on January 1st of 2007, I realized how fortunate I was (still am) to have such a wonderful woman in my life. On New Years last year, my older sister and her pseudo husband took Becki and me out on the city (Detroit). They also brought my sister’s friend from Chicago with them. My sister’s friend is a very sweet and attractive woman in her mid thirties. However, she was recently TOTALLY screwed over by her cheating (now ex) husband. She looked pretty sad being alone on New Years, but it gave me a greater appreciation of what I have accomplished. While it sometimes feels like we’ve been together for an eternity, both Becki and I remember what it was like to be alone and without each other. Now that we have little Maggie together, I’ve never felt closer to Becki than I do today.

In February, I blew the most amount of money I’ve ever blown on a single vacation. Trying to keep up with the Jone’s, or the millionaire Canadians in this case, cost me some serious coin. It was fun while it (the money) lasted, but I’ll never do it again. At the end of the trip however, I still had just enough money to buy my pregnant wife a nice four door Cadillac.

Later on in March, I tried to take a more economical skiing “men’s vacation” with some friends from all corners of the country (Florida, Arizonia, and Colorado). I was financially on track to achieve my budgetary goals until I blew my knee apart. That little incident put a small kink in my plan. I also learned a very valuable lesson regarding snowboard parks. If the second jump was larger than the first one, the third will likely be the largest. Also, if you’ve nearly blown the first two landings and are preparing to hit the third jump with even more speed, prepare for failure.

Over the course of the spring time, I became really good at shifting the WRX without using the clutch (which would have required using my left leg.)

Another important lesson I learned is that no surgery is “routine”. I went to sleep for a quick knee reconstruction surgery and woke up two hours later with all sorts of oxygen hoses shoved down my throat and a crap-ton of hospital people frantically telling me to “BREATH!!!” After my ambulance ride to the neighboring (University of Michigan) E.R., I recognized that no matter how uncomfortable my hospital bed was, my seven and a half month pregnant wife sitting in a standard waiting room chair was probably less comfortable than I was. Especially after 24 hours.

On a good note, last summer I learned that my control strategy for no-idle HVAC systems in Semi-Trucks was submitted for a patent. Still no word if it has been awarded or not, but to have an idea of mine even submitted was already quite the personal accomplishment for me.

I drove the boat one afternoon in the summer and it broke. That’s all I want to say about that.

We had one heck of a good time during Labor Day weekend. I wish all my friends lived a little closer so we could do this more often, but I’m glad we were all still able to get together. Let’s just make sure those mortar tubes are dug extra deep into the sand next time. K? Thnx! Bye!

I’m sure most people remember hearing all my Germany stories, so I won’t relive any of the details. I will say again that driving the Neurburgring was a once in a lifetime experience that I’m glad I didn’t pass up. I’ll also miss driving on the Autobanh. There is just something about blowing past a polize car on the shoulder of the road at 130 mph and not thinking twice about it.

And last but not least, little Maggie is “by far” the coolest thing I’ve ever done. Some nights I just sit and stare at her while she sleeps. Not in a weird creepy old man way, but more with a sense of accomplishment and gratification. I just look at her and say “I made that… woah!” This morning, Becki said something a little sobering at breakfast. She told me to enjoy these days, because there will be a time that Maggie will no longer think I’m the most fascinating person on Earth.

I’m going to do my best to prolong that for as long as possible though by playing the part of “Super Dad” for as long as Maggie will let me get away with it.