Fat Ninja

Christmas has once again come and gone, and it must be said that never in my life have I had so much to be thankful for. First and foremost, is my wife, Laura. I don’t know where she finds the inner strength and mental dexterity to juggle all of the responsibilities that she does, but it’s what keeps us going. Her drive and ambition are matched only by her love and compassion. Her patience as a mother and wife are near limitless (Though I think I’ve probed its outer limits on more than one occassion). She is truly the light of my life, and I am fortunate to have found her.

I also have two beautiful, bright children to be thankful for. Our son, Byron , is a caring and emotinally candid child. He’s quick to make friends. He’s grown so quickly, and is turning out to be a fine young man. On Christmas Eve we went to Target for a few last minute items. Byron had $10 in Christmas money that he had received from his Great Uncle Bill and Great Aunt Linda. Now, it’s been our ritual to always order two popcorns and two drinks to fuel our Target shopping trips.

This time around, as we were driving to Target, Byron said from the back of the van, “Mommy, when we get to Target, I’m gonna buy you popcorn and a drink, ok?”

Laura and I were very touched by this unprompted show of generosity on our young son’s behalf. And sure enough, when we walked in, Byron marched proudly to the snack bar and had me order, and then eagerly gave the attendant his crisp $10 bill. We’re very proud of him.

Now, I certainly can’t fail to express my gratitude with regards to our beautiful daughter Brynn . She’s a mischievous one, to be sure, and she’s about as clever as they come. At under two-years of age, she’s got a pretty well developed vocabulary, and has become very adept at communicating her needs; particularly when it comes to attention.

The other night while I was thoroughly engrossed in Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360 , she decided it was time that daddy paid her some mind. But rather than attempt an ineffectual tugging at my sleeve, she went straight for the source, standing directly in front of the TV, facing me, arms spread behind her. I said, “Brynn!!!” but as soon as that smile spread across her face and that impish gleam hit her eyes, I just melted. I tell you this, she will wholly ensnare many a young men’s hearts as she gets older.

Of course, mere words cannot truly convey my profound love and gratitude for the blessings that are my wife and children. They’ve made me yearn and strive to be a better man. I can tell you that there is nothing more satisfying to the soul than seeing the twinkle of admiration and adoration in your child’s eyes as they watch you complete the most mundane of tasks, like lifting them in the air with one hand, or helping them “transform” their new Transformer. You almost feel like a superhero in those moments.

There’s also my other family to be thankful for. My brother and sister, though we don’t see each other as much as we should, have always been there for me. Their love and support have been a blessing through many of the struggles I’ve faced in my life. I wish them and their families all the best this Christmas, and into the coming year. We’ve been through a lot and though we may have faltered on occassion, we never gave up.

Of course, there are also my parents to be thankful for. We’ve not always seen eye to eye on everything, and our relationship has faced its own challenges, we’ve never given up on each other. I’m glad we’ve overcome the impasse in our lives, and that we are able to openly discuss and overcome life’s obstacles. I’m glad that my children know the love that their grandparents have for them.

Then there are my friends, whether those I’ve not seen in nearly a decade or those that I see every day. Each one of you has left me with something; a sort of spiritual imprint, if you will. You have helped me forge the person that I am today, and the one that I will be tomorrow.  For that, I thank you.

Finally, I also have to express my thanks to Yahoo! and whatever force that brought me here. Since working here I’ve just felt so much harmony between my work-life and my home-life. Gone are the days of bringing home emotional baggage from an unfulfilling career and letting it poison my family life. Some people go all their life looking for this kind of solace, and I’ve been fortunate enough to find it early on.

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