Thanks Everybody!

Not just thanks for my ring (which many of you contributed to for a graduation present), but thanks to the many, many of you who have helped us get through college in one piece. To say that college was difficult for me would probably be a severe understatement. Not that I didn't enjoy learning, etc., but the whole work full-time, go to school full-time, be a husband and father full-time thing was a lot to bear. As I look back, it becomes especially remarkable when I think of going through such events as pregnancy, loss of a child, aftermath from loss of a child, adoption of a child, and fathering an infant. I look back and really don't know how I did it (of course I do, we all do) When school finished in late April, I thought it was no big deal. I figured that I was just fine. I didn't realize, however, how mentally, physically, and spiritually drained I had become over the past few years. The end of college was the cue for my body to relax for a bit; and it took full advantage of it. I pretty much just shut down (with the exception of those things that couldn't be missed) for a while. It was not until a week or so ago that I actually felt like doing anything again.

As for my degree, I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Construction Management Technology. I have to say that I am a bit defensive of my chosen field of study because of the more than a few times over my college life when I would tell someone what I was studying and they would say, "There's a degree in that!?" Yup! And it's a good one. We graduate with one of the higher starting salaries out of college and have nearly perfect placement of students. Of course that's due to most of us working in the industry full-time while we go to school, but for those who don't the placement is still remarkably high.

Also, the degree is a good one because of the fact that a specialized college degree was never the norm in the industry until just recently. The construction industry is one of the last industries to have a major computer technology integration and therefore people with specialized university training are needed. I like to say that the days of sketching up drawings and building as you go are done.

The industry is trying to get away from the above perception

I have been trained to use, and get to use several highly advanced software programs to make sure that highly advanced buildings worth millions of dollars get built correctly. College grads. come out with the skills to run a business and be a good businessman or businesswoman, run the accounting operation for a business, read and understand highly technical building plans, estimate costs for buildings, and knowledge of how to manage these projects. As I said and as I am sure you can tell, I am very proud of my degree. But as I said before, there was no way Faith and I could have made it through without the help of too many people to fully mention (family and specifically mother's especially). You are all angels to us and we are very grateful for your help in getting us to this point.

On a final note, if any of you want to visit me, I am working downtown and would be happy to receive a visit from anybody. Here's our project:

It's not much to look at right now, but it's getting busy. Here's what it will kind of look like when we get done: