Happy New Year - Xin nian kuai le!

Scott here ... let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year, or Xin nian kuai le if you speak mandarin! Yes, it's true, this is my first ever post to the Huff Family blog. I promised Jen that I would actively participate in our blog this year and I'm starting RIGHT NOW!

I think it's safe to say that many of us are anxious to get 2008 behind us. It has been a tumultuous year mainly due to the biggest recession in our generation, a deflated housing market, and a job market that continues to keep most Americans concerned about the future. If you follow Chinese philosophy, 2008 was the year of the Rat ... certainly not the cute little rat, Remy, from the Disney movie Ratatouille. 2009 is the year of the Ox, which is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. There is certainly a lot of hard work ahead for the Obama administration and let's hope prosperity returns for so many families that have lost their jobs, homes, or even worse, loved ones who have been fighting for our freedoms.

If you know me at all, you know I'm an optimistic person. There are many things that happened in 2008 that I am VERY thankful for. Julia was born on July 3rd and has been such a blessing. My love for Jen, Tyler, Chase, and Julia deepens with each day. This is going to sound strange, but I'm thankful that the aviation business I was attempting to launch at the Stafford airport didn't materialize in 2008 ... in the face of a weakening economy that would have made it extremely difficult to weather through. A negative turned positive ... you bet! The aerial photography business I started in 2006 continued to generate enough revenue to cover the costs of owning our airplane. Given the cost of fuel during the summer of 2008, I seriously considered selling her. Making lemonade from lemons ... you bet!

Our family was faced with many challenges in 2008, but I believe it's the love of friends and family that helped us through it all. For example, Jen and I celebrated our 8th anniversary on December 1st ... that very morning Jen got laid off from EDS, after 7 years of exemplary service. While Jen was being shown the door, I was going through new hire orientation with InfoReliance Corporation. Knowing layoffs were eminent, I decided to leave EDS after 10 years of dedicated service. It was an emotional roller coaster that day and for the first time we directly felt the affects of this recession. True to form, we have kept our heads up and continue to search for the "bronze lining" that we always seem to find. I'm convinced Jen will find a better opportunity ... for now she is enjoying quality time with Julia comforted by a generous severance package. As for me, I couldn't be happier with InfoReliance ... this job is truly a blessing.

Friends and family often goof on me for being a big dreamer. While many of my ideas & dreams are aviation related, some are off on a tangent of some sort. Yes, I dream big, with a humble conviction that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen. I have many big ideas for 2009 ... some will come to fruition, some will get shelved because the timing isn't right. I'll share some of those with you in future posts, knowing full well that I'm opening myself up to public ridicule.

Regardless of what happens this year, I look towards my friends and family for strength, support, and motivation. I wish all of you the very best this year and thank you for being there when I needed you. Please know that I am always here for you.

Scott