I'm so blessed to pass the good times....

Pause whatever is playing on the playlist. Push play on this one.

I've had some kind of intense tones lately. Maybe a little bit self pitying.  I feel it's been a bit negative.  I don't keep negative people in my life, so I should shy away from the downer feel of the blog in the last couple of weeks.  Let's talk about what I'm thankful for. Maybe this will lighten things up.

I'm thankful for my family.  I was adopted at birth, as I explained before. I'm thankful that my birth mother was willing to give up me and my brother, in order to give us more.  My parents gave me a life that most people dream of.  I wasn't indulged, or spoiled.  We were taught to appreciate what we had, and work for it.  They spent lots of quality time with us, teaching us valuable life lessons, and helping us to learn right from wrong, and the importance of faith.

My dad is a bad ass.  When he was part way through high school, they gave him some sort of aptitude test.  He scored pretty low on it, and they told him that he would most likely be a low paid carpenter, or construction worker of sorts.  He didn't listen to those people. He knew that he could achieve anything he put his mind to. Today he owns a successful dental practice. He's a high ranking officer in the United States Army Reserves.  He's a pilot with a couple of small planes.  He's an avid hunter and fisherman. He has some horses, and some land that he enjoys taking care of. Every summer it seems we build a new fence, or a new project for his little 20 acre plot of land. He also still makes lots of time for his family.  It's so fun to watch him play with his granddaughter Ashtynn. If I grow up to be half the man my dad is, I'll be happy. I tried to spend as much time as I could with my dad growing up, and in recent years.  I still try to make time to learn from him as often as I can. He's in Kuwait right now with the army.

Dad quote: "Cotton pickin' [whatever]".

My mom is one of my best friends.  In recent years we've gotten much closer. We relate to each other in special ways.  She has some kind of "spider sense" that lets her know when she needs to worry about me.  I take her to the movies when I'm at home, or to dinner, and we talk about my work, and her 4th grade class, and how the family is doing.  I wish I was closer to home right now, since dad is overseas.  She's tough though, and she'll be okay. Mom quote: "Will you go check the mail?" 

She's gone through a lot in her life, and I'm proud of where she is today.  She helped put my dad through dental school, sometimes working three jobs to make ends meet.  All they had was a mattress on the floor, and an old suitcase to use as a table to eat on.  When we were a bit older, around 10, she went back to school and got her degree in education, and then a Master's degree.  She dragged us kids all over the country when we were little, and showed us some pretty awesome things.  I'm so glad she did that!  She's the best mom ever, and a great grandma too. 

I'm thankful for Anna, Ashtynn, and Zac.  A and Z were a couple of hellions when they met.  Now they're loving parents of the cutest little girl ever.  I'm thankful that they are in my life.  They are such wonderful people.  I don't get to see them nearly enough.

Thankful for my sister Emily.  She's such a sweetheart, and has a really funny sense of humor.  We've all missed her the last few years since she's been living in Texas, but she's now moving back to Utah, and we're all very thankful for that!  Zak is also a pretty cool dude.  He busts his ass working, and I'm sure is very good at what he does. He works in the oilfield (so does Anna's Zac) which puts him up a notch in my book anyway. 

I'm thankful for Reed and Rondee.  They support and encourage me in all my stupidities.  Reed pulls me through when business is killing me, and Rondee always gives me wonderful words of comfort when I really need it.  She's the first girl Reed ever brought home that I thought was worth a damn.  I'm so glad they got married, although at the time I thought they were crazy.  I have the best brother in the whole world, and I don't say it enough.  He puts up with my huge meltdowns. He's probably the only person alive that can handle that.  Kind of a big deal.  He also is as ambitious as I am, networking with important business people, innovating and creating new cool ideas.  He works as hard as I do, he just dresses better.

Reed Quote: "I got 100% on my [whatever] exam!"

Rondee Quote: "Reeeeeeeeed!"

I'm thankful for Chett Wills.  Chett has been running around with Reed and I since we were about 11 years old.  We've done so many shenanigans in the last 12 or so years, that it's fun to think back and reminisce. We've worked together for the past year, and he's busted his butt to help us be successful. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay his hard work and friendship.  He's been a great friend to me and Reed, and we see him as a brother. From Denver, to Dickenson, and Vernal to Vegas, we've done some running around, and have a few good stories. 

Chett quote: "You're the weird one!"

Jason Stroud.  One day, when I was living in Denver, the missionaries asked me to go with them to teach a lesson to an investigator named Jason.  He was pretty solid.  We became fast friends.  He got baptized, and a few months later, we moved to Vernal to start my first business doing ultrasonic pipeline inspection. He's now helping Reed cultivate some new business ideas over in Utah. I knew that they would hit it off as well. He's like the big brother I never had. He is one of the few people in my life who I listen to for advice.  He's pulled me through some pretty hard times, I'm glad the universe let us cross paths. 

 Jason Quote: "Zang-za-dam!"

"I'm so blessed to pass the good times,

with my family, and the friends I love,

in my short life I have met

                       so many people I deeply care for."   - Yeasayer

The Oilfield Romantic