I would first like to thank my wife, Aimee, for encouraging me and giving me the time and freedom to write this book. Her tireless efforts and sacrifices were an outpouring of her amazing love. I thank my parents for the example they set of working hard to accomplish great things, for modeling excellence and integrity, and for giving me the freedom to fail enough to succeed.

No matter the size, each book is a long-term effort. It has been a real pleasure to work with the professional editors at McGraw-Hill, especially executive editor Timothy Green. Thank you for your patience, guidance, and honest feedback. Glen Clarke deserves special mention for his remarkable contributions as technical editor. His comments, questions, and clarifying notes brought polish and refinement to this work. I also want to thank Janet Walden and Claire Yee for their attention to detail, feedback, and patient reminders. It has been a blessing to work with such a great editorial team.

Thank you all so much. May this book be a testimony to your efforts, assistance, and guidance.