Navigating a Fabulous Yet Bumpy Life Journey Through Family and Time

Life is rarely a straight path. At 68, I look back on a journey filled with moments that range from truly fabulous to downright difficult. This story is not just about the highlights but also the struggles that shaped me. To help you follow along, I’ll start with a clear picture of my family and how we all connect. This foundation will make the stories that follow easier to understand, especially when I mention names that might otherwise leave you wondering, “Who is that?”

Understanding the Family Tree

Before diving into the tales of my life, it’s important to lay out the family structure. Family stories are the backbone of my journey, and knowing who’s who will help you keep track of the many characters involved. I’ve created an organizational chart that maps out the key family members, their relationships, and a few notes about each person. This chart isn’t just a tool; it’s a guide to the stories that come next.

The family includes several generations, with branches that stretch across different states. Some relatives have been close, others distant, but many have played a role in the story of my life. The chart will help you see the connections clearly, so when I mention Aunt Mary or Cousin Joe, you’ll know exactly where they fit in.

Family tree chart showing multiple generations and relationships

Early Years and Childhood Memories

My earliest memories are a mix of stories I’ve heard and moments I recall myself. Since I wasn’t always aware of everything happening around me, some details might be a bit fuzzy or secondhand. Still, these early years set the stage for who I became. It was a difficult time for me and my family as we moved from a traditional nuclear family, to children of divorce living with relatives, to remarriage and a true his, mine, and ours family. This chapter covers my time until graduation.

Serving in the Air Force for 21 Years

A major chapter of my life was my 21 years in the Air Force. This period brought structure, discipline, and a sense of purpose. It also introduced me to new places, people, jobs, education after high school expanding my world far beyond what I thought possible. The Air Force changed me for the better, it gave me a good life, it gave me educational opportunities, it helped me meet my spouse of 45 years who I love dearly, it gave me a second family in North Dakota (where my wife is from), and it launched me into a successful second career after the Air Force.

A Career at the Texas Department of Transportation

After retiring from the Air Force, I transitioned to a civilian career as a City Administrator and then at the Texas Department of Transportation in Administration. This job lasted about 25 years and was a different kind of challenge. It involved working with a diverse team so we could support those who maintained the system and developed new parts of the system. Overall, it was a great experience.

The work was rewarding but also demanding. Balancing deadlines, budgets, managing payments, overseeing safety, the warehouse and equipment shop as well as Human Resources was challenging but I took pride in being a small part of our mission to move people from here to there successfully and safely.

Embracing Retirement and Reflecting on Life

Now in retirement, I have the time to reflect on the full journey. Retirement is not just about stepping away from work; it’s about embracing new opportunities and reconnecting with family and friends. That's why retirees say, "I've never worked so hard in my life" after they retire I think.

This phase has its own stories, filled with both joy and challenges. Health issues, changes in relationships, and the simple pleasure of quiet days all shape this time. I find myself missing work and the relationships I formed over the years but one thing I learned while working: when you leave, it's like you dropped off the face of the earth. Only a handful of people I worked with continue to talk with me and discuss things with me. That is normal I think; that is the way it's supposed to be. Still, it's odd.

Family remains at the heart of my life. Sharing these stories is a way to keep connections alive and to pass on lessons learned. If anyone in my family feels nervous about what I’m going to share; they probably should be. I plan to tell all. To me it's about catharsis and to my children it will be about "what dad went through, what dad did, etc." and I hope it provides them insight and comfort. I had a friend who once told me about his house, "it's just a house and it's not trying to be anything else." That's me. I'm just me and I'm not trying to be anything else.

What to Expect in the Stories Ahead

My plan is to publish a 10 minute read a day and parcel this out for two reasons: 1. People are busy and can't consume very much at one time so I don't want to get too far out front of others and 2. I'm 68 and writing this will make me tired. I have a lot of the book written or drafted out so I know the basic content but it's going to take some brain power to get it publish ready.

This book is not polished or perfect. I’ve asked for feedback, and the silence I received suggests it might be rough around the edges. But that’s the point. Life is not perfect, and neither is this story. It’s honest, sometimes messy, and always real.

If you choose to read on, you’ll get a glimpse into a life that has been far from ordinary. From the early days to the present, the journey has been fabulous in many ways, even when it was bumpy.