Viva!!! Las Vegas!!!

The weekend is completed.  A two week whirlwind of excitement and amazement  has ended as I “officially” entire a new and exciting phase of my life, retirement!

Two weekends ago my beautiful wife Kim surprised me with the most extraordinary of Retirement Parties. With the help and planning of the amazing Staff of Rushmore Academy, my brothers Don and Jim and their families present, and our three boys Josh and his beautiful Kate, Kyle, and Andy and his Amanda all being home to celebrate, well I was I truly overwhelmed! And then while everyone was gathered a t the party Kim announced that the following weekend, this one just completed, we would be going to Las Vegas!

Well, we did and what a weekend to say the least!

Viva!!! Las Vegas!!!

Those of you who know me fairly well know that for me most of my living is based on “what have I learned new today”. Our weekend trip to Las Vegas was no exception! To say the least I learned many new things, and I can say learning was good.

But I write this piece to share today two very noticeable things I learned with my Las Vegas adventure. Here is the first.

I learned very quickly leading up to departing from Columbus and arriving in Las Vegas that it is best not to say, “We’re going to Las Vegas! Have you ever been there?” It took about three or four times of sharing this declaration and question that I quickly realized I was receiving a strange look followed almost immediately with, “Oh cool! I’ve been there more times than I can count!” It did not take me long to figured out our new adventure is fairly common place for many.

The second thing I learned equally as quick soon with the hope and desire of avoiding the looks of despair and the raised eyebrow of  “you poor guy, you’ve never lived” was to announce, “Yep, this is our first time!” We are late bloomers when it came to the going to Las Vegas for the first time.

Oh well! I am who I am! Kim and I, we are who we are!

  

But that’s O.K. For 32 years Kim and dedicated and devoted ourselves, our time, and our resources to raising an amazing Family and nurturing for me a fulfilling career in education. Life is about choices, and for us we relished, enjoyed, and savored every moment being a part of all our boys did. Having instilled in them a sense of adventure through our mini-vacations and camping trips, they have traveled far more and to far greater destinations than us. That too is O.K. because now is our time!

So yes, we went to Vegas for the very first time and it was totally awesome.  This is also the start of many new and exciting travel adventures. There are many places to visit and I can’t wait. I do not regret one iota that it has taken until now to take the opportunity to travel. I do believe Kim and I will be doing just fine!!