Top 10 of 2011 #3 - #1

The is the last of the three part installment of my top 10 list of 2011.  At first I didn’t think 2011 was all that great.  But on careful recollection in going over the list I have discovered/remembered that 2011 was actually quite remarkable for me.  I think that is the value of counting your blessings and looking back for a short time.  One shouldn’t live their life in the past, but rather use it as a springboard for justification of their optimism that their future will be brighter.  My father always said, “May the best of your yesterdays be the worst of your tomorrows.”  Again, I reference Romans 8:28, as a believer each year should get better and better otherwise you’re not doing it right.  Sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways.  Actually in my life, that’s the norm.  God doesn’t always make sense in the present.  Only in retrospect I see how His perfect plan had unfolded.  Take Tim Tebow for instance.  I am a life long Oakland Raider fanatic.  Thus my sworn enemies in the football sense are the Denver Broncos, our most bitter rival.  Yet, I can’t help but rooting for Tim Tebow.  God is giving him an incredible platform in which to share his faith and convictions.  Tebow is defying all the critics telling him he is a lousy quarterback and can’t win.  Yet here Tebow is, after a 3 game losing streak going into the playoffs where he can’t seem to do anything right.  Suddenly he’s the reincarnation of Joe Montana.  The whole year of Tebow defies logical explanation really.  That is how God likes to work I think.  He chooses the unremarkable people to do remarkable things and that way His glory can shine through even brighter.  If you know anything about me, I will be the first to tell you how very unremarkable I am.  I am tenacious though.  I don’t know when to quit.  That has turned out to be a good thing.  On with the list. 

#3 Meeting Ed Summers.  At SAS, I have been able to meet a lot of very smart and talented people.  There is a lot of brainpower at this company.  I had the great privilege to work on several projects with a computer programmer named Ed Summers.  Ed leads the accessibility team at SAS, is a great dad and husband and programs intricate computer code from memory.  Oh, one thing I should mention about Ed, He’s Blind!!!!   Can you believe that!?!?!?  How can you program code without being able to see anything?  Ed used to have his vision, but it slowly deteriorated starting when he was around 11.  About 10 years ago, he lost it almost completely.  Yet Ed did an admirable thing and did not let his disability define his potential.  After some soul-searching Ed decided that he could master his obstacles and overcome them.  Ed programs code in his head from memory.  The best analogy I can make to this is Beethoven after he lost his hearing, composed his 9^th symphony (my favorite, the one from Die Hard, Joyful, Joyful we adore thee) Overcome the obstacles Ed did in a big way.  Now he is inspiring countless others how to overcome their own obstacles, like this writer for instance.  I think I make an immediate connection with Ed because he story is so dramatic and I seem to be drawn to drama.  I thought I could relate to him.  While I didn’t suffer a devastating physical disability (I don’t count my diabetes, to me that is more of an annoyance) rather I suffered an emotional disability with the loss of my first family.  Which I have well documented in this blog.    But rather than be defined by loss, by the grace of God I chose to be defined by what could be.  That sense of hope and optimism is what paved the way for so many blessings which led to opportunities which led directly to #2 and #1.  It seems that each and every one of us has some sort of disability, be it physical, emotional, or psychological that we need to overcome.  The outcome of our battle determines our character and our destiny. 

#2A, Thanksgiving with my family.  This isn't really a proper top 10 list, since I had to squeeze in 11.  Unfortunately, I knew that this was going to be one of the last holidays that I get to spend with my kids.  Once they turn 18 they are under no obligation to see me and they have let me know, in no uncertain terms, that will be the case.  I hope and pray that changes but really its out of my control and has been for some time.   In the mean time I will just continue to love them unconditionally.  So for Thanksgiving 2011 I flew into Houston and drove non-stop with my three children in tow to North Carolina.  It was an eventful trip as a deer hit me at 3:00 AM outside a gas station in South Carolina, and then 15 minutes from home after 19 hours of driving I get a speeding ticket.  Not that I didn't deserve it, because I did...I was just so close to home.  For Thanksgiving, Jennifer and her aunt prepared a delicious feast.  It was my first homecooked holiday meal in...well...I can't really remember the last time but it was probably since I lived in Oklahoma in 2002.  So just having my kids, Jennifer's aunt Delores, Uncle Jerry, Cousin David, and my parents with Jennifer and Sloan.  That was just magic to me.  I just wanted to catch time in a bottle hoping it wouldn't end.  I just love those kids soooooo much.  It really was special for me.  

This was our Christmas card from this year, if you didn't get it,
we don't have your address.

#2 Living with Jennifer full-time.  I know that sounds a little weird for a highlight to be living with my wife, but Jennifer and I have had a very weird relationship thus far.  Its just now that we seem to be settling into some sort of normalcy.  Jennifer and I knew that we would marry each other instinctively from our second conversation.  We call it love at first Skype.  There are so many ways that Jennifer and I are perfect for each other that it would take four or five blogs just to list all the points which I have in multiple previous blogs.  It would be redundant.   Jennifer and I knew that our marriage to each other was inevitable, almost unavoidable.  We had a choice to make.  We knew because of our careers that we would be separated physically for a short period of time.  We could either be dating/engaged while we were separated or be married and be physically separated.  So we got married and even though we were half a world a part we were less lonely.  We were able to see each other about every other month.  It was difficult but bearable.  Thus when I finally did move back to the U.S. (Highlight #6) we had to learn to live with each other.  I can see how there were many reasons why God told me to marry Jennifer as soon as possible.  One of which being I don’t believe in sex outside of marriage and with a girl as striking as Jennifer added to the fact that I had been single for four years, well…that just provided even additional incentive.  But it all worked out because I love Jennifer now more than ever and there is nothing that is going to stop that love from growing even deeper as long as we both focus on God.  This love had led directly to highlight #1.

#1 Birth of Sloan.  When Jennifer told me that she was pregnant that changed everything literally.  Our plans just went up in smoke.  But upon hindsight it was totally God’s play though and through.  ..I am going to be perfectly candid in this blog like I always have strived to be.  I have three children from a previous marriage.  I love these kids with all my heart.  I loved being a dad to them and raising them until everything went Kablooey.  My biggest prayer is that one day my relationship with my children will be restored and they will know how much I love them.  So with my history with my kids, I was afraid that with the new baby I would be like “Been there done that.”  Fortunately that has NOT been the case.  If you haven’t seen the birth video, Jennifer was very courageous.  It can be found here…but be forewarned…its not for the faint of heart.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-7FyoBLPE

When our precious daughter Sloan was being born I remember being so caught up with emotion.  As the baby was coming down the chute I just broke out in tears.  I don’t think I had done that before.  To me the moment was particularly life defining.  It was the poetic culmination of God’s faithfulness.  I’ve heard it said when one door is closed, God will open another one. Well my door was slammed shut and God just has emphatically opened another one.    This was the completion of the emotional restoration in my life.  I call it Life Take 2.  I consider myself so lucky/blessed.  Not many people in this world get a second chance at life and here I have one on a silver platter.  Not only am I living my second half, but I feel like I have been given a silver platter in which to experience life.  This is not to say that Jennifer and I are loaded financially, but rather we both feel we are abundantly blessed in almost every conceivable way.  It’s good to be me right now.  Four years ago…not so much.  But Sloan was such a beautiful blessing.  I didn’t really like the newborn phase that much…because babies are boring (I think the nurturing, cuddling) is a mom thing.  But now is when the fun is really starting.  Sloan is six months old now, and developing a personality.  I get to see life played out again on a grand stage.  This time seems a little different, though, better.  They say time flies, but for me time seems to be slowing down so I can savor this incredible gift of a family.  I think I am taking the time to stop and smell the roses.  I am smelling each and every rose and taking my time in doing so.  I think my story is a great one, especially since it has such an unpredictable happy ending.  I feel like I’m called to tell as many people as possible about my great story as a tribute to God’s faithfulness.  Because if He can do it for me, surely he can do it for you. 

2011 turned out to be quite an outstanding year (even if the Raiders missed the playoffs again).  

Top 10 of 2011 #6 - #4

This is a continuation of the my top 10 list of 2011.  I would greatly encourage you, if you haven’t already started doing one of these of your own, that you do so.  It can be a great reminder of God’s faithfulness and blessings.  As a Christian I believe in the tenet of Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good for those who believe and are called according to His purpose.”  But the catch is… ‘for those who believe.’  So if you are a Christian that essentially means you are in a no lose situation if you are living your life right.  Even in the most dire of circumstances you know eventually that everything will come up positive in the long run.  That promise I’ve seen evident in my life over and over again.  So no matter how bad things appear, I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I’ve been so brutally honest in this blog about my own struggles with highlights and lowlights to prove this.  I hope it has been convincing.  I think this is where the peace that passes all understanding comes into play.  Of course if you are not called according to His purpose, or not a believer or not living your life right…all bets are off.  Then you are on your own. You might have moments of happiness but you won’t have the over sustaining joy and peace 24/7.   Why did it take me so long to learn the principle?  When the going gets tough, the tough get on their knees.  Inexplicably sometimes it’s the answer to almost every problem I have.  It really works!!!

Jennifer's visit in Christmas 2010 outside of my flat

#6 Living in Dubai  I have lived in a lot of places all over the world.  I think my favorite place was Los Angeles, but Dubai has to be a close #2.  Living there was simply a blast.  I was quite spoiled while I was there.  I was working out of a home/office with my boss.  I know that seems weird, but I had my own bedroom and my commute to work was 24 steps. If I wanted to go swimming at the best beach in the UAE, it was a two minute walk across the street.   Another perk was that he was gone about 95% of the time so I had the place to myself.  Did I mention that there was a live in maid too?  This is quite standard in the Middle East.  So our place was on Jumeirah Beach, one of the ritziest places in Dubai.  In fact we were directly across the street from the Ritz Carlton Hotel.  It was the equivalent of living off of 5^th Avenue in New York or Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles.  This was the happening and hip place to be.  I got quite spoiled having my room made up everyday and laundry ironed and folded.  All I had to do was buy the groceries and Sunita, our Indian maid would whip it right up, breakfast lunch or dinner.  Not only that, Dubai was just cool with the high rises and energy.  It was quite expensive however.  If you have seen Mission Impossible 4, that you have a good feel for what life was like.  Total luxury. 

The falcon and I after one of our shoots

#5 Leaving Dubai.  There is a time and season for everything.  Leaving Dubai was actually quite an easy decision.  I have learned that the closer you are aligned with God the easier the most difficult decisions become.  As you can see, I loved living in Dubai.  Jennifer had gotten permission to transfer her job and work out of the Dubai office.  We had even found a placed to live on the man-made Palm Islands.  Jennifer was also about 4 months pregnant at this point.  But something happened neither of us anticipated.  I was awaiting a two year contract from my employer.  I had previously been on a month to month contract.  I finally gave them a deadline for the contract.  That same day of the deadline I got a job offer to come work for Jennifer’s company in North Carolina.  The timing was certainly of God.  It made a seemingly very difficult choice simple.  Honestly I think the offer was more about them not wanting to lose Jennifer than to be gaining Rick, but either way it worked.  In hindsight, I can totally see God’s hand in this move.  Jennifer developed serious complication in the latter stages of her pregnancy.  If she would have been in Dubai we would not have had health insurance.  So the costs would have been prohibitive.  Plus where there are certainly fine medical care facilities in the Middle East, being home sure brought with it a lot of peace of mind as we trudged through the uncertainty of our first child together. 

Jennifer and I snow skiing indoors in the Mall of the Emirates

#4  Working at SAS.  All three of these neatly fold together.  Forbes magazine voted SAS the #1 company to work for in America two years in a row.  I have also worked for DreamWorks in the past and DreamWorks is usually on the top 10 list as well.  But SAS is clearly #1.  What a great environment in which to work.  SAS has its own cafeterias, racquetball courts, swimming pools, Hair and nail salons, fitness center, doctor’s offices, physical therapists, and as of this month their own pharmacy.  Everything you could thing of in a company SAS seems to have thought of it first.  Again I feel quite spoiled/blessed working here.  There is also so much positivity as everyone I’ve met at SAS has been proud of working for this great company. 

#3-#1 Coming soon.  

Top 10 of 2011, #10-#6

2011 was a real year of transition for me in so many ways.  For me following up 2010 was difficult, as 2010 has gone down as the best year of my life, so far.  The key here is “so far” as I believe that if you are doing it right, life should get better and better.  That isn’t to say you won’t have setbacks, rather the setbacks will not be debilitating.  With the right attitude you will be able to build on them.  I certainly had my share of setbacks this past year, but I refused to do be identified with the setbacks.  Instead I think of setbacks as just setting the stage for the comebacks.  If you would like to read the highlights of the aforementioned 2010 it can be found here.  http://rickbeeman.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Jennifer gave me this idea about doing a top 10 list.  I think it’s a fabulous idea for a number of reasons.  First of all, it will be nice in a few years to look back and see what the actual highlights were.  I can go back and figure out what #1 and #2 were for say 1994 or 1998, but anything more than that is stretching it.  Keeping a list of positives is also good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness. When things aren’t going our way, we simply look back to God’s blessings and it helps us refocus on the positives.  So let me count this down from 10 to 1 for Rick Beeman’s top 10 moments of 2011. 

#10, Tuesday night trivia.  I think this officially makes me a nerd, but I just love going to trivia.  It started at an Irish pub in Bahrain, and then transferred to an Irish Pub in Cary.  I think this gives me a tangible outlet for all the warehouse of useless information that is stored in my head.  I don’t drink, but I think the Hibernian has the best Cheeseburgers in Cary.  We win more often than we lose.  Its great fun on a Tuesday night.  This was Jennifer’s crew at first, but I took over for her once she had the baby.  Jennifer has come back once since them to introduce her old team to Sloan.  This is a picture from that.  The pub isn’t the best place for a baby unless you’re in Ireland, then I think it becomes a rite of passage. 

#9  Superbowl Party at Darren’s.  This had become a tradition for me.  My good pal Darren would throw a Superbowl Party in Bahrain for all the American expats.  We had a few other nationalities represented who mainly came to see what the big deal was all about.  Darren went all out for these parties that started around 2:00 am local time and didn’t finish up til 7:00 am or just in time for work.  I made it two of these Super Bowl Parties before I went to Dubai.  But since Dubai was only a 45 minute flight away, I made an excuse to make it back for the party.  It was a great time to see old and now lifelong friends again in Bahrain.  While I don’t miss living in Bahrain or the Middle East, I do greatly miss the people and the sense of purpose that I had while I was living there.  My sense of purpose is still here, it has just been modified somewhat.

#8 Selling a House.  Jennifer had put her house on the market in February or March thinking we were moving to Dubai…more on that below.  So at first she had it for sale by owner, then we found an agent.  There were a few people that came through to look at it, but not many.  More importantly we had zero offers.  This was quite discouraging as she was going through the latter parts of her pregnancy.  Then the day she before she was to be induced, we got the one and only offer for the house.  So here we are in the hospital room negotiating the final details of the price.  It was quite eventful and Im sure stressful, Jennifer is/was a real trooper. Which leads directly to #7

#7 Buying a House  Once we realized that we were most likely going to be selling, we had to find a place to live…quick. We had to be out of our old place in six weeks.  So here Jennifer is very pregnant with pre-eclampsia, and hours before she is to be admitted to the hospital for delivery, she is house hunting.  Again what a trooper.  She looked at 8 houses, I think but we couldn’t find the perfect house.  So the baby came (More on that later…spoiler alert…It’s #1) and the day after she was released from the hospital we are out looking for houses again.  Nothing seems to keep this girl down.  Fortunately we found an ideal house without too much more looking.  We were actually homeless in the literal sense for a couple of days between the closings.   This bigger house gives us more room for visitors and plenty of room for expansion in the children department.  It really is a lovely place and Jennifer and I feel very blessed to be in it.  Especially with the short time frame that we had to work with getting into it.  God had his hand in this entire process so that is why we weren’t stressed that much.  At least I wasn’t stressed, not so sure about Jennifer.  I found that stress and worry are amazingly counter-productive so I don’t get riled up by almost anything anymore.  Like the faithful readers of the blog will realize, I’ve been through the fire already, everything else seems like a cakewalk from here on out. 

OK…don’t want to reveal too much too soon, so #6-#1 will come next.  If you would like to leave your own highlights, they don’t have to number 10, I would be thrilled to read them.  Please leave them in the comments section.