We got back from our big Costa Rican vacation on January 2nd. We had an absolutely fantastic time, and I could write pages about our experiences. However, I think I'll do that in future installments, over several posts so as not to cause widespread sleeping sickness. Today I thought I'd take a look back at my personal highlights for the year 2009 (in chronological order).
1. Wedding of Bethany Freede and Harrison Cody Girod - This was the greatest event of the year, without question. It came in a few thousand dollars over budget, but it was worth it. Vicki did a fantastic job of putting the entire event together. River Oaks Baptist Church was transformed by all the flowers, and the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Houston was both a unique and fabulous venue. The newly-weds are rapidly approaching their one year anniversary later this week. I'm thinking of marketing Vicki as a wedding coordinator to the rich people in River Oaks. We have pictures.
2. My Release From Transocean - It's hard to believe, but it's now been almost nine months since I was cut loose by Transocean. A year of severance seemed like a long time back them, but it's now shrunk to three months. However, I can honestly say that leaving Transocean was the best think that ever happened to me. If I had been forced to stay there much longer there would most likely have been either a suicide or a murder, or - most likely - both.
3. Southwest U.S. Road Trip - Vicki and I hit the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Sedona, Carlsbad Caverns, Lubbock and Round Rock on a thirteen day excursion that we'll remember for a long time to come. One of my best memories was the Star Motel in Sedona. If you're ever in Sedona you need to stay there. Really retro. Nine units, concrete block walls, 12x14 rooms. What a place!
4. Life of Joseph Bible Class Curriculum - At the request of the FCCC education committee I put together a five-week study from the Book of Genesis on the life of Joseph. I spend the better part of a month during the summer working up a 55-page treatise that had so much information that it would have taken five months to properly present it instead of five weeks. But I really learned a lot about my boy Joseph and the rest of his family. My apologies to all of the FCCC Bible class teachers who did their best.
5. Summer Christian Youth Camps - I was fortunate to be able to participate in two of these. The first was Camp Kadish at Abilene Christian University. The second was Camp Bandina between Bandera and Medina (Vicki was also at this one). I/we got to work with some really outstanding high school seniors. It was both a fulfilling and interesting experience.
6. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat - This event occupied more blog space than any other topic during 2009, so I won't say much here, other than it was a blast to sing and dance in front of 2,400 people.
7. The Ladder Incident/Knee Surgery - Once again, let me say that I didn't fall off the ladder. The ladder fell out from under me. My knee is still sore when I exert myself (so I try not to exert myself), but it's just about better. My new past time is counting the unending stream of bills I've been receiving for the last several weeks for the surgery from multitudes of doctors, clinics, hospitals, rehab facilities, etc. My favorite so far is the $3,700 bill for an "assistant surgeon", which by the way was deemed by United Healthcare to be "unnecessary" and therefore not a covered expense. I might have to agree with UHC on this one. How many surgeons are require to make two quarter inch incisions in a knee? One for each cut? Of course I'll still appeal the "unnecessary" decision part - $3,700 isn't exactly small change.
8. The Blizzard of 2009 - On December 4th Houston received it's earliest snowfall in recorded history. Snowmen were in abundance. It was cool.
I probably forgot some really important stuff, but if I remember anything else I'll add it later.
Get ready. Tomorrow I start on Costa Rica. We have pictures (528 of them to be exact).
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