A couple of weeks ago, Frank enjoyed some quiet time with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning. Somehow, what had shaped up to be another frantic Sunday of getting ready for church turned into a windfall of about 25 minutes on the deck in some unseasonably warm weather. As he sipped on the coffee and watched as Shay pawwed her way across the back yard looking for that "perfect spot," it occurred to Frank that yet another year was in its last few weeks. Most of the leaves in the trees of Rustling Oaks have either fallen or passed the peak of their color a few weeks earlier.
The realization that another year had begun its final dash through the holidays brought on time of reflection of the events of the past year. It has been a year of triumphs and sadness, accomplishments and challenges. The opening of a new office with the ribbon cutting and the meeting of so many new friends and clients; the bidding of sad farewells to those who have passed on from this life; the accomplishment of goals met and and the challenges of facing the demands of day-to-day existence.
On the local, state and political stages, it has been another year of change, watching voters on all levels essentially tell their leaders, "we're not happy with the way things are being done...,'' and saying so in a non-violent way through the ballot. No riots, no screaming, no rock-throwing as is so-often the scene on the nightly news. Just a change in leadership and a transition of power as directed by the voters. It never ceases to amaze Frank how this plays out at least one time a year on some level of government. This year has been a unique year in that all levels of government have seen some, if not significant, change.
On a personal level, Frank has witnessed changes in the family he holds so dear. Tammy, coming to the realization that her youngest is nearing the age of preschool and beyond, has re-entered the workplace. A government job, and one that has a lot of potential for growth. It will be interesting to watch as Tammy and Kendall make this adjustment.
Allison, Frank and Tammy's oldest, probably experienced the most change of anyone in their family. She continued to feel her way down the path to adulthood; taking not one, but two, trips out of state without her parents, the second even negotiating her way through air travel on her own. Frank remembers that week, kissing her on the forehead before leaving for work on Tuesday. He remembered thinking 'she's too young to be flying by herself.' But on Sunday, as he, Tammy and Kendall watched as Allison came down the escalator to the baggage claim area, Frank remembers thinking, 'Wow! What happened to my little girl?' Allison had met the challenge, made new friends and had experiences she will remember for a lifetime. She had entered young adulthood, and the process could not be reversed.
But, Allison wasn't done yet. In September, Allison joined the ranks of driving America. The process has begun, with journeys under the watchful, yet nervous, eye of Frank. Frank has had to make adjustments during this process as well. Its hard for him to sit in the passenger seat knowing he's not in control of the situation, and having to place his trust in the not-so-little girl that he and Tammy have watched mature to this point. Allison is turning the page on a journey that will last a lifetime...a journey that Tammy and Frank have done their best to equip her for, and can only hope they have done an adequate enough job.
The realization that another year had begun its final dash through the holidays brought on time of reflection of the events of the past year. It has been a year of triumphs and sadness, accomplishments and challenges. The opening of a new office with the ribbon cutting and the meeting of so many new friends and clients; the bidding of sad farewells to those who have passed on from this life; the accomplishment of goals met and and the challenges of facing the demands of day-to-day existence.
On the local, state and political stages, it has been another year of change, watching voters on all levels essentially tell their leaders, "we're not happy with the way things are being done...,'' and saying so in a non-violent way through the ballot. No riots, no screaming, no rock-throwing as is so-often the scene on the nightly news. Just a change in leadership and a transition of power as directed by the voters. It never ceases to amaze Frank how this plays out at least one time a year on some level of government. This year has been a unique year in that all levels of government have seen some, if not significant, change.
On a personal level, Frank has witnessed changes in the family he holds so dear. Tammy, coming to the realization that her youngest is nearing the age of preschool and beyond, has re-entered the workplace. A government job, and one that has a lot of potential for growth. It will be interesting to watch as Tammy and Kendall make this adjustment.
Allison, Frank and Tammy's oldest, probably experienced the most change of anyone in their family. She continued to feel her way down the path to adulthood; taking not one, but two, trips out of state without her parents, the second even negotiating her way through air travel on her own. Frank remembers that week, kissing her on the forehead before leaving for work on Tuesday. He remembered thinking 'she's too young to be flying by herself.' But on Sunday, as he, Tammy and Kendall watched as Allison came down the escalator to the baggage claim area, Frank remembers thinking, 'Wow! What happened to my little girl?' Allison had met the challenge, made new friends and had experiences she will remember for a lifetime. She had entered young adulthood, and the process could not be reversed.
But, Allison wasn't done yet. In September, Allison joined the ranks of driving America. The process has begun, with journeys under the watchful, yet nervous, eye of Frank. Frank has had to make adjustments during this process as well. Its hard for him to sit in the passenger seat knowing he's not in control of the situation, and having to place his trust in the not-so-little girl that he and Tammy have watched mature to this point. Allison is turning the page on a journey that will last a lifetime...a journey that Tammy and Frank have done their best to equip her for, and can only hope they have done an adequate enough job.
The coming year, well, Frank had taken a look at the blogs written last year, and realized that in some ways, the year of 2010 had seen a mixed bag. Yes, Frank and Tammy had watched as their lovely daughters continued to mature beyond their expectations. Tammy had re-entered the workforce, Luppe CPA had continued to grow in revenues and clients served, Frank had attained the designation of CFE, a goal specifically mentioned last year.
With growth comes the need for capital, and so the debt had not been reduced as much as Frank and Tammy had wanted, although they were able to secure some favorable refinancing terms on their mortgage. So, with time, and some additional income and reduced expenses, the debt should continue its downward trend.
So again, the Luppe's wish all their friends and family and Happy and Prosperous New Year. May your triumphs and accomplishments be many and may your disappointments and sadnesses be few and far between. Hang on all...here comes 2011!
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