I was just sitting here at work and started thinking about how blessed I am to have to you. You are everything that I so often fail to be... selfless, caring, never failing to go out of your way to do simple things for our family.

Married as teenagers, we have shared everything for nearly half our lives. We learned to become adults together, learned to love together, and learned how to live through hard times together. You are the only person in the world that really understands me. You never judge me, even when you should. Your faith in me astounds me.

You gave me four wonderful children that remind me of how great you are. You are the true maker of our home, the example, the shaper, and the quiet driving force behind our family. You are my best friend, my lover, my therapist, my life. My love for you is a pale torch against the lighthouse beacon that your heart is.

You are a dependable rock that I lean on and sometimes I dwell on dark thoughts about what life would be like without you. I am thankful that you are there everyday when I come home, thankful you are next to me each night, and thankful that our children have you as a teacher and mother. You are a gift and I am thanking God right now for you. I love you now and forever.

Chris, originally uploaded by jimgoings.

Chris graduated from the University of California at Irving (UCI) this weekend with a Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics with Cum Laude honors (top 8% of his class). Chris has always been a genius and he seems to have discovered a real passion for math. He will bore you to tears with complicated math theories and seem genuinely excited to be doing so. :)

There was a great party on Saturday at Tom's house celebrating Chris', Sarah's and another Chris' college graduations. Sarah is going on to medical school somewhere in the midwest. The party was full of great people and was practically a who's who of my past. Liam, Robin, Jason, Damon, Monica, Barry, Norm, Tom, Bruce, and a myriad of others were all there. It was good times.

Damon and Monica played host to me for the weekend and although I missed fathers day with my kids, Monica made an excellent fathers day dinner for Damon and I just before we left for the airport. Steak with garlic parsley butter, red mashed potatos, and baked broccoli. It was awesome. It only lacked a roll to mop up yummy juices left on the plate.

I took lots pictures of the party and graduation ceremony.

Congratulations Chris. You've come a long way and I'm convinced that when you die, they will make a TV movie about you.

Levi in F-15 Eagle Cockpit, originally uploaded by jimgoings.

I took the family to the Young American Day at the Oregon Air National Guard Base this morning. I received an invitation from Nate, a 17 year vet in the Air National Guard. We were lucky enough to catch up with him and his family there too.

The kids got to sit in the cockpit of a F-15 Eagle fighter as well as a Coast Guard Blackhawk rescue helicopter. We also got to see 6 F-15 fighters perform gate climbs where they take off at full augmentation (similar to afterburners) and do a 90 degree ascent into the sky. It was awesome and kids loved it.

It was a great experience although it was a bit cut short by the rain as we were getting cold and wet. Thanks to Nate for the invite!