The Wood Family

Here are some samples of the fruit of my weekend away. I am so thankful for my friend, Steph, and her cabin up north! We had such a fun time together and I was able to complete an entire album (yes, four whole months of our life – Amy is laughing at me.)

This is lengthy, but worth posting. My dad was honored tonight for his 40-year anniversary of working for EDS. My sister and I had a chance to vicariously say a few words and I’d like to post our speech in his honor.

To our Dad from Lindsay & Lauren:

Albert Einstein advised, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” Well, Dad, you have achieved both. First, you are a man of success. Tonight commemorates the success of forty faithful years with EDS. And we can honestly say… we still don’t really know what you do for a living! As children we would ask, “Dad, what is your job?” (hoping for a straightforward answer like teacher, doctor, or firefighter) and your grandiose, slippery description had us more confused than ever. Does anyone have a clear and concise definition of business process management??  Well, despite the ambiguity, your dedication to your work was never a question. We remember a company picnic one summer where the mock currency was printed with your picture and the words written, “In Bob we trust.” That day stands out because it was a day we learned that you were more important at work than we realized (!) and also because we experienced firsthand the admiration and respect other people had for you.

Beyond that, our knowledge of your work came from a different perspective. We knew you best after hours, when you came through the door as Mom had dinner cooking on the stove, your briefcase in hand and a smile on your face.  There may have been some hints of a long day in your face sometimes, but you always wiped them away and engaged us in conversation about our day, wrestled around and played with us, and gave us all the attention and affirmation we could need.  On the weekends at our request you were “big brother Bob” and would get down on the floor with us at our level and enter our world to play board games and card games or even Barbies and beauty parlor! Now your grandchildren benefit from the same attention and affirmation that made us so strong and secure. Not only have you been a man of success in the workplace, but you are a man of value. You taught us by example to live with integrity and quietly do the right thing. You believed in us which made us believe in ourselves. You are our hero for the example you have set and continue to set in loyalty, humility, dedication, ingenuity, and integrity, the qualities that have made you such a valuable asset to EDS for these past 40 years. You are a man of success and a man of value. We are so proud of you, Dad, and honored to be your girls.