CONGRATULATIONS DADDY!!

Thumbs up to you and graduating in the TOP 10% of your class!! You really are the smartest Daddy in the WORLD!



This story starts long long looooooong ago...when we were still in our 20s. Ok. When Danny was still in his 20s. Life was much different January 2007. Just a little over a year into our marriage, Danny would begin a new journey. A journey that would leave him with sleepless nights. Weekends full of studying. Gray hairs. Tests and writing 10 page papers. More wrinkles. And numerous sacrfices....

Here is our story.
(cue Law & Order music)

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So Journey to the Masters (we'll just call it that cause it sounds cool. Like the golfing event)actually began in 2006. Danny began studying for the GMAT (The Graduate Management Admission Test, is a computer-adaptive standardized test in mathematics and the English language for measuring aptitude to succeed academically in graduate business studies. Business school commonly use the test as one of many selection criterias for admission into graduate business administration programs: thanks Wikipedia).



I can't remember how long he studied before he took the GMAT, but I think it was probably around 6 months. If I'm wrong, then you wouldn't know anyway, so it doesn't really matter...and it was so long ago.... I do know that he studied a long time and would take practice tests. But back to the story...Once he tested and got his scores, it was time to choose a college. (I can't remember when he tested for his GMAT, and what score he got either =[ (I couldn't ask him either since this blog is a surprise) I think he was happy with his test scores though!! Ok, now really. Let's get back to the story. He narrowed down his choices to obviously CSU and Mississippi State University. It seemed like such a hard decision for him. We even compared mascots of the schools to see which one was 'cooler' to help with the decision making process. Uh, yeah. How funny does that sound?Ultimately he picked CSU, and ironically, we would be just 2 hours away from the campus 4 years later...


Now let's take a glance into the past and see where this adventure took us...


"Journey to the Masters"
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In early 2007, Danny and I were living in Frederick, MD and exploring all the beauty that surrounds the area. What an amazing place to live!!
Pennsylvania Memorial in Gettysburg, PA
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Cemetary Hill
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We also had a great summer vacation back to Washington State to see our family and friends!

This would be our last photo flying from Pasco back to MD. Danny and I moved to Dublin, CA later that summer.
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In November 2007, Danny and I were able to drive home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas! Something we never thought we'd be able to do when we moved away!! We took turns driving and Danny would study while I drove =]

Bears vs Seahawks~ We met Danny's friends in Seattle to cheer on the Hawks! We won!! Merry Christmas 2007!
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Living in the East Bay had MANY perks!! Like seeing the Mariners in Oakland!! Whoo Hoooooooooo!!
April 2008~ Yes, this is how close we were to Felix. Oh yeah!!
GOOOOOOOOOO MARINERS!!
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Danny's folks were able to come visit in August 2008. We rode the BART to downtown San Francisco where Danny worked and ate lunch with him. We loved taking the family to see SF!! Always had a great time!!
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In September 2008, one of Danny's friends got married in Lake Tahoe! Beautiful!! We wished we could've went there more before we moved! That place is somewhere we could go and retire it was that amazing! Plus. You know. It has gambling there too. And golf courses!! Need I go on?? ~September 24, 2008 we were also put into circulation for adoption =] One of the best days!! So along with studying, Danny had been helping me get all of our adoption papers and stuff completed. (cue gray hair)
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In October 2008, we watched the Seahawks come back and beat the San Francisco 49ers!!This was the game that 49er Coach Mike Singletary yelled at Vernon Davis and kicked him outta of the game...AND Seneca Wallace threw a 62 yard TD to fullback Leonard Weaver with 6:23 left n the game!! Whooo Hoooooooooo!!

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And finally, in November of 2008, we were able to watch the Cougars get their asses handed to them by Stanford. Oh well.

GO COUGS!!

Mariners vs A's, May 2009, Griffey had just rejoined our team making this an UNBELIEVABLE year! DREAM COME TRUUUUUUUE!! Seeing him again in a Mariners uniform was the BEST!
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Scott and Kerri came to visit us in Dublin and were also able to catch the Mariners in Oakland!!Danny and Scott waiting for the BART...waiting to watch the Mariners beat Oakland!
May 2009 We finally went to Monterey Aquarium. TOTALLY AWESOME!
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Unbelieveable sadness and heartache hit Danny and I in February 2009 and again in July 2009. God had set things into motion for us although we weren't sure where it would lead us. My Mom, Bud and Lily came for a summertime visit to help us heal. What a fantastic and needed visit from our family =] July 2009, Fisherman's Wharf Danny and Lily on one of the piers, with Alcatraz in the background...never took the boat ride and tour =[ Damn it!!
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In August 2009, we had driven to Washington for Casey & Kelly's wedding and were planning to stay the week to visit family and friends too. (Danny was doing homework as I drove to WA, of course)

On Monday, August 17, while golfing at Columbia Point with my brother Justin, we got



"the call"....
12:25 PM


On August 16, 2009, Kendall Green Cuillier was born...


Unforgettable!!




We left WA at 2:30 PM with our bags and Kendall's car seat and essentials...we drove through the night and arrived in Sacramento at 2:15 AM. The longest drive ever and we just couldn't get there fast enough!



We met our beautiful daughter, Kendall Green on Danny's birthday, August 18th, 2009 at 10:15 AM

Our family was complete.

September 20, 2009, Pics taken by Kate =]

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Pumpkin Patch in Livermore, CA

Our first Christmas with Kendall!!
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Our days were numbered in California after Christmas...we finalized Kendall's adoption February 8, 2010 and had packed up and moved to Colorado Springs, CO on February 20th.

It was a whirlwind!! Poor Danny had to continue to study at our hotel, initially, and then at the loft. Many nights were spent with hurried dinners, and then Danny closing the door to the bedroom to study. It totally sucked. Especially now with Kendall, who was learning to crawl and was constantly exploring every nook and cranny. I know Danny's heart hurt whenever he had to "go back and study" and leave Kendall behind =[

We moved into our house April 10, and still Danny would come home late because we didn't have the internet hooked up in the house. So long nights were spent lonely....in the loft. BOO! I need to also mention that Danny has a 80 minute commute...one way!! So he leaves in the morning at 4:50 AM, and doesn't get home until 6:45 PM. So during the week, Kendall and I would only see him for about 20 minutes...and that was to eat dinner =[ BOOOOOOOOOO!

It's crazy to look back and think of what he had to do to continue to get A's in his courses! Simply amazing!! Ok, I started bragging again. I just can't help it. =] Let's get back to the good stuff...

4th of July Colorado style...included hail, wind, rain, thunder & lightning!!

Daddy & Kendall at the Burgener Ranch, July 2010

Best Birthday Ever =] my first as a Mommy

Playing at the Park with Daddy =]

For Kendall's 1st birthday we decided to take her to Vegas!! Oh yes folks! VEGAS! Uhhh yeah. Not the original plan, but it's what we did =] And we had a great time!! Happy Birthday BABY!! It was a family filled weekend though!! Gramma and Papa Shaw, Gramma and Grampa Togiai, Auntie Holly, Auntie Lori, and Uncle Justin were all there too!!

Danny's folks came to visit us later that August and had a great time!! BBQ's, visit to the Denver Aquarium, and great company.

Denver Aquarium

While Danny's folk were in town, we took advantage and played a round of golf!! Hooray!! Times like these are few and far between =] And we enjoy every minute!!

October 16-17, 2010 So, without a lot on our plates and plenty of time on our hands, Danny and I joined Linda, Dad and Linda's friend Michelle in Denver for the Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon...

Dad watched Kendall as we ran our butts off!!

Danny didn't get to train as much as he would've liked because he was studying so much. Oh yeah. He still finished his first half marathon in 1hr 58m and 36s....Imagine if he'd trained!! GESH! OMGEEEEEEEE!! An amazing experience and we plan on doing it again this year! Mark the date....October 9, 2011

We did it!! October 17, 2010

Time to find our pumpkins!!

Daddy helping Kendall up the haystack October 2010

Our first trick or treat!!!

Helping Daddy put lights on the house!! November 2010

Decorating the house for Christmas!!
Danny didn't have much a a break from school this Christmas. But it sure was nice to have him for a couple weeks!! NO HOMEWORK!! Ok, he still had a little, but it didn't dampen the holiday spirit.

Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Colorado Springs, December 2010

Home for the Holidays~Christmas 2010

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Something we'd always wanted to do was go to Mariners Spring Training in AZ. Check that off the bucket list!! Whooo Hooooooooo!! We were hoping to catch a glimpse of Ken Griffey Jr., but we was out of the country. We did meet Rick Rizz and Danny met Jack Z, the General Manager of the M's. March 2011
Danny studied on this little vacation too....not a lot, but still managed to get some time in =]
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April 2011 So after Daddy gets up and studies on Saturday mornings, he does soccer with Kendall. It's so fun to watch Kendall makes him run in circles. Some Saturdays, this was the only time we got to hang out with him! But those days are loooooooong gone...
Our first Sky Sox game....FAIL! It snowed, was windy, and freezing!! We will try again when it becomes baseball weather.

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May 2011

Oh yeah...
That's my Daddy...oh yeah, that's my DADDY!!

I'm soooooooo excited! And I just can't hide it!!
This is my "holy cow my daddy is done with college finally" face!
"All done"
CONGRATULATIONS DADDY!!

We are so proud of you and that you not only got your MBA, but also earned your spot in the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. HOLY COW!!

From Kendall~Love you Daddy

From Your Wife~ I am so stinkin' proud of you and so excited to have you "back"!! I've been sharing you with that other woman, called "Homework" for too long... Congrats Baaaaaaabe on getting your MBA!! You ROCK!! YOU AMAZE ME!!! I really am married to "Excellence" =]

And so folks....that's where this story ends.

• 4.5 years....January 2007 until May 2011.





• We have moved twice and lived in 3 states.
  
  
  


• Danny earned 12 A's, three A-'s, and one B+...the B+ came from the second class he took... and he's still pissed off about it.
  
  
  


• Danny has been in school for 1460 days....I rounded it out to 4 years, since he did get summer and spring breaks =]
  
  
  


• His GPA is 3.875, without the last grade...which will likely bump it up to a 3.88
  
  

Danny had his final presentation on Friday night, May 6th with his group, and presented his final project....they finished at 8:02 PM

On May 13th, 2011

Danny will graduate with his

Masters of Business Administration

from Colorado State University!!

Whoooo Hoooooooooooo!!

~CONGRATULATIONS DADDY~

YOU DID IT!!

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