Growing older comes with aching body parts that I didn’t even know I had to slowly but surely realizing my life has been awesome when I had a chance to reflect at the many things that I have done in my personal life and career. So, in an effort to try something that I’ve never done before, I will celebrate my birthday by creating a list of the best things that I remember experiencing. I will keep adding to this list as I remember events and happenings. I hope that you will find some joy in the simple things in life as I have.
- I was born today, on January 21. Thanks to my loving parents, Nelia and Leonardo.
- Getting that huge birthday cake with a massive jack in a box decoration with corndogs on a stick circling the entirety of the cake when I turned 7.
- Trying to make mashed potatoes with my brother, Kersey from sliced potatoes in the stew that my mom made.
- Tasting Dr. Pepper for the first time.
- The first time I successfully rode the bike without training wheels and supervision.
- My mom discretely sending me multiple choice answers with her hands, while sitting with the audience at a school math competition in 3rd grade. I still laugh at this one.
- Every time I played basketball at the driveway with my brother.
- Getting excited and anticipating the birth of my sister, Tanya.
- Wondering why my mom hasn’t come home from work at the hospital, then realizing she went to labor and just gave birth to my youngest sister.
- Making paper boats and placing them on puddles.
- Playing in the rain.
- Attempting to skateboard but couldn’t stay up on the board, so I decided to lay on it like I was Superman and weave around my parents’ house.
- Using the curtain rod and a tennis ball as a makeshift mini basketball set.
- My dad sneakily walks into the house and surprising us. I didn’t see him for 3 years because he was working overseas.
- My dad introducing burritos to my food pyramid.
- Making the school basketball team in 7th grade and receiving my first jersey with my name on it.
- Learning how to play the drums in junior high.
- Making all-county chorus in junior high. Cool and Ewwww at the same time. Hahaha.
- Meeting my lifelong friends in high school. One of them ends up being my wife, Amy.
- Marching with the drumline at the Pride of West Virginia.
- Recording with the WVU Band’s keynote concert
- Making the Graphic Design program at WVU.
- Meeting lifelong friends in the art department. Those guys are crazy, yet awesome.
- Recording the first live CD with my post-college band.
- Getting my first agency job shorty after graduation.
- Marrying my best friend in the world, Amy.
- Moving to Knoxville, Tennessee when it was close to 100 degrees in July.
- Going on my first cruise. Although, I still fear the wide open view of the ocean.
- Going to the Sugar Bowl in Atlanta where WVU won as an underdog to UGA after a fake punt.
- Building, closing and spending the first night at the first house we ever bought.
- Getting my logo designs published as one of the best in the world.
- Meeting my first born daughter, Kaylin
- Meeting my second daughter, Kadence
- Seeing the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. Twice.
- Going to Vegas for the first time and coming home on the plus side of gambling.
- Being on a reality tv show for TLC.
- Reaching 10 happy years of marriage.
- Waiting 3 years for a video game to be released and it was worth the wait after playing it almost everyday.
- Playing disc golf almost daily with the guys at work.








