2017 in Review

What’s Our Role?

We believe we influence the course of our lives through our attitude, actions and aspirations and also believe that our journey is somehow guided via the hand of an almighty Creator. Every day we encounter situations (many of our own making) permitting choices which challenge what we believe or desire and the path God would like us to pursue.

Our experiences through 2017 continued to demonstrate that we’re here to fulfill the role He has for us. Some of our best laid plans were challenged, altered, modified or put to rest. Just a few years ago that would have been reason to work longer, harder and with more vigor to achieve them in the subsequent year. Today, we’ve come to accept our journey has taken us to this point for a reason. A reason we’ve yet to discover or understand, but one that we’re willing to accept given its source.

We’re by no means giving up, going with the flow or blindly accepting what a self-centered world chooses to share or deliver to/through us. We’ve come to realize there are forces stronger and more powerful at work, molding and shaping our lives and we’re choosing to keep our eyes open to experience and enjoy the changes in course, speed and destination those forces are guiding us to encounter.

If you have no idea what I’m taking about or think this is a bunch of spiritual hog wash, I was in the same place years ago. All we ask is that you keep reading, don’t judge us or others and be open to a similar transformation in your life views.

What Happened?

Most of you know Rick as a Corporate Guy, investing 24 years as an IT professional at Procter & Gamble before “retiring” in 2010. Some of you know he’s worked diligently since 1994 to make a go of entrepreneurship. These activities have included everything from marketing financial services (Primerica) to selling weight loss lollipops (Power Pops), selling commercial real estate (Lightyear Holdings) and supporting Anita’s real estate investing activities. Most recently he’s been working with partners in Cincinnati selling digital marketing services (Intercept Marketing) and the optimization of school culture (Dream Builders University).

In April, Rick returned to P&G to manage a Cascade project, added a 2^nd project in July, providing foundational income upon which to grow.  He’s working from home, has the flexibility to manage his calendar and is learning new aspects of P&G’s business. His work with Dream Builders University tapered off dramatically while building visibility for a re-branding of the digital marketing business.

Family Matters

The Barron family (minus Tina and Grace) met in Fairfield Glade, TN for the 2017 reunion. We missed Grace and Tina who stayed home to (successfully) try out for the varsity volleyball team. We enjoyed affirming and strengthening the bonds of family plus the new experiences of playing pickleball, lake fishing, waterfalling and seeing preparations for the total solar eclipse (the resort area was in the 100% zone). A few weeks later, Sally took Rick to the family wedding of her brother John’s son Garrett in Grafton, VT. The celebration started in Buffalo, where the Barron family originated before expanding to the hamlet of Grafton. The wedding day was gorgeous and made for a fabulous celebration of love and family.

Rick was thrilled to spend a week with Mia and Anna in Orlando for their spring break from school. Anna was finishing her high school curriculum (in 2 years through an accelerated program) while Mia was serving as a para professional at a school for those needing assistance within the same school system. Anna returned to Cincinnati for a behind the scenes visit to the Newport Aquarium (courtesy of one of Rick’s website clients). Mia returned with Rick’s ex Cindy but was unable to reconnect for a face-to-face visit.

Our Christmas celebration in Georgia was spent visiting Anita’s mother Louise in the hospital (she was released on Christmas Eve), helping her to embrace some changes to protect her health and hiding from the unseasonably cold weather (the dog Hershey actually used his dog house). Sam and Louise have transformed Anita’s grandfather’s farm into a park-like experience by reclaiming a century of overgrowth, planting 1,000’s of pine trees and clearing dead and dying trees from the pond. Then sharing their love for and TLC of the property with us. It’s a pleasure to see what they accomplish between visits.

Kevin‘s son Andrew is a sophomore at James Madison University studying Nursing an d spent his summer working for a family friend as a construction laborer. Grace is a senior in high school, looking forward to studying one of the life sciences at an inner city university. Will is a sophomore in high school and has grown into a fine young man. Kevin is still working full-time as a consultant for the Virginia Department of Transportation and Tina continues her work as a contract specialist for Life Science and Engineering Services company.

Kendra’s son A.J. is now a freshman in high school (My! How time flies!). Kendra is still working as a Paralegal and Eric continues running an IT Consulting Company.

Tiny Bubbles

Rick enjoyed some new SCUBA adventures. Because of our “central” location in SW Ohio, it’s a real challenge to practice before a dive trip. This means Rick spends most of his underwater time in local stone quarries. They’re nowhere near as fun as diving wrecks or reefs, but it’s an opportunity to dive and Rick will take all the dives he can log. His business partner and dive buddy Ben got them into the Sugar Grove quarry between Cincinnati and Columbus. The water was COLD at depth but did offer a chance to test our warm water gear before heading to Pompano Beach, FL. The diving was cancelled most days due to heavy wind (which create big waves making it hazardous to exit and enter the dive boat) so we had a chance to experience a digital shooting range and some cave diving. In the spring, Rick combined a business trip to Flint, MI with some wreck diving from Port Sanilac.

Patience is a Virtue

In the final days of September 2012 Rick walked into the Clermont County Commissioners Office to ask one simple question, “What’s the process to bid on the animal shelter contract?”. This question had been brewing in Anita’s mind for a half dozen years as she lead her animal rescue non-profit Pet Alliance to create programs to save more shelter pets. That question initiated an over 2 year process to bid on the 2015 animal shelter contract in Clermont County, OH. Unfortunately, the political climate in the County was one in which who you knew (or had made a deal with) determined the outcome of the bid and a 3 year contract was awarded to another organization, but at least the organization was removed who for over 40 years had claimed there were not enough homes for the animals (killing 90% of the cats and 60% of the dogs who entered their “care”).

Fast forward to September 2017, where we were approached by a coalition of animal advocates (what Anita wanted to do vs. actually bidding for the contact to run the shelter) to share our experience as they prepared to bid for the 2018 shelter contract. This group was successful and has plans to bring the programs Anita had been advocating to Clermont County, seeking to make Clermont County a safe haven for lost and homeless pets.

Anita’s thrilled to have been the catalyst to affect change in our back yard and helped to educate other local leaders who have implemented these programs in most of the Counties in Northern Kentucky. She’s made a life-saving change in the lives of 1,000’s of animals in Clermont County through her program Clermont Pets Alive and is looking forward to transitioning ownership of the vision to Clermont Animal CARE Humane Society.

It’s Official

The addition of your own website is a sure sign you’ve been accepted into the Barron family. Our “foster” dog Manny is now in the navigation. Manny joins Diva, Rochelle (oops, guess she needs a page too) and Wyndham as one of our little ones (Manny’s 80+ pounds). We’re able to live harmoniously because Manny is such a good crate dog. He spends his days in his outside kennel, comes in to sleep in his crate at dinner time and comes out to roam the house (after the cats are herded into and locked in a bedroom) and play tug of war with Rick until it’s time for bed. If you’ve yet to see photos of Manny, I suggest visiting the slideshow to see the videos. He’s a great dog, we’re blessed to call him ours.

Other Stuff

• Anita and Rick celebrated his 54^th birthday (talk about time flying) in the Windy City.
• Rick worked with his Triathlon partner Reuben to update some landscaping and remove some trees.
• Sally purchased a 2017 Kia Sportage, naming her Kalinda and celebrate Thanksgiving with family at Big Bear.
• Rick and Anita enjoyed a Reds game from the Club Level with all the perks through the generosity of Anita’s friend.
• Anita spent a few hours with a sprained ankle in the emergency room almost a year after breaking her wrist in 2016.
• Must be other things we’ve neglected to share as we rush to end the duration of our tardiness in completing the 2017 Year in Review.

Website Updates

Progress was slower than expected upgrading websites from FrontPage to WordPress. Visitors to Dick and Kendra‘s websites now enjoy a modern browsing experience that’s responsive on any device. Rick planned to upgrade Anita and Kevin in 2017, but that just never seemed to make it to the top of his list. Rick and Mia have the bulk of the content on the site, Rick may need to retire to make those happen.

Closing Thoughts

Writing this summary (does it feel abbreviated?) allows us to relive the previous year and reflect upon our plans for the coming one. In January it’s already becoming difficult to schedule the trips and experiences we’d like to have and share with others. Life is full and we’re VERY blessed.

We bought tickets for the $400M+ lotteries at the end of the year and romanced the idea on the way home from Georgia about the experiences we’d have, the things we’d acquire and the lives we’d change. Not winning reminds us it’s OK to dream and that God has something else planned. We look forward to seeing, speaking with and thinking of you. If you’re reading this letter, we consider you someone close and desire to stay in touch to share our journeys though life.

With All Our Love,

 and 

E-Mail Us