2004: Year in Review - Highs / Lows

In all, I'd give 2004 a thumbs-up. It was pretty good, as far as things go, and I think our family is better as we sit here this New Years Day than we were last. We have quite a bit going for us, and I'm thankful.

So what were the highlights in my mind from the past year?

Jan: FSMB kicked in at the end of the month, and most of the month I was picking through the folks that would eventually make up the team. Little did I realize how important selecting that team would be -- they've become some of my closest friends over the past year. SOx and compliance begin to take hold as a message for our services, and I end up spending much of the year traveling talking to clients and establishing our company strategy. At the end of the month, we opted out of the Super Bowl in Houston and fled to the Happiest Place on Earth -- Disney World, for Porter's birthday. Porter is out of diapers for good!

Feb: Project ramped up to full force and was the first full month of travel for this past year. The 4 day a week on the road schedule would carry on though much of the year. Also, at the end of the month, my friend Hadden released his new CD and I helped out updating his website and being a general 'roadie' at his Houston shows.

March: Beach weekends start back for our family. Jerry Jeff Walker birthday weekend in Austin becomes a third-year tradition.

April: My birthday, of course, spent at lake Conroe for the Montgomery County Fair BBQ Cookoff. I broke my elbow on Good Friday at the beach. April was also the month I made the personal record for most travel in one week: Houston to Memphis to Dallas to Denver to Dallas to Houston. I started managing a second project in Memphis for Harrah's, along with the FSMB stuff.

May: Katie's birthday at the beach is the highlight. Lots of travel for work, both in Dallas, and throughout the region.

June: Eric Clapton's Guitar Festival in Dallas is fantastic. Later, the project team from work takes a well-deserved trip to Vegas for some R&R.

July: Phase 2 of the project kicks off; and we celebrate Brother's Day again, with the Circus and dinner.

August: Jackson's birthday party with the 3-Amigos at a jumper place, and School starts at St. Vincent for Jackson and Porter is moved up to the big-kid section at school.

Sept: We celebrate Jackson's birthday at the beach; Mom and Row join us. Austin City Limits Festival becomes a second-year tradition and I get a toe ring while hanging out listening to music at Zilker Park.

Oct: Greek Festival; Family Fun Festival and Soccer take up our weekends.

Nov / Dec: Thanksgiving at the beach rings in the start of the holiday season; Work goes well, but project is extended through the holidays and I have to limit vacation to just 4 days. Santa visits and brings Spider-Man scooters that the boys love, and a new leather sofa/sectional for the big-folks. Torti makes sure that the leather is 'distressed' and that really upsets Katie, but we still let the cats live...

In all, quite a good year -- what will this year bring?