To my Mother-in-Law, Susan Gonzales

As an author, it is difficult to pick any one person to dedicate your work to as there are always so many people who have an impact on your life and deserve recognition. In my case, I’d like to dedicate this book to someone who was always able to see the future.

I grew up in a small town in New Mexico where I attended school and became best friends with the girl who would later become my wife. Her mother was a teacher at our school and was always kind to the geeky kid hanging out with her daughter. I have many memories of catching a lift with my best friend Christina and her mom, Sue, when it was cold outside. Even then, Sue always told me that I should never give up on my dreams and never let anyone tell me that there is something that I can’t accomplish. She told me that in time, I would always succeed (prediction #1).

Years later, I asked Christina if she would be my wife and she tearfully accepted my proposal. The next step, as it is for many engaged couples, is to tell our respective families about our decision. When we told my future mother-in-law Sue, she didn’t react with surprise or anger. Instead, she said to my newly betrothed, “I told you so.” Apparently she had predicted to my future bride far in advance that I was the one she was destined to marry (prediction #2).

After our wedding, my mother-in-law continued to be a positive influence in our lives and was always a willing ear for my wife when I was working long hours or traveling for my job. She taught my wife independence when she was a child and as an adult helped her learn how to deal with the trials and tribulations of living with a professional geek. Without that, I don’t know that my wife would be able to handle the unique lifestyle that comes with this type of work.

This week four years ago, my mother-in-law, Susan Gonzales passed away. She is no longer with us in body, but her legacy lives on in her daughter and through the lessons that she taught both of us. This book would not exist if Sue had not been in our lives, so I am proud to have this opportunity to dedicate it to her.

Mom, we love you and miss you very much.