44 days left in 2025… a year in review. This year had everything. From watching my son rise through the hockey ranks to mounting Starlink on the truck, from backward crossovers to broken puppy legs, it has been chaotic, meaningful, exhausting, and rewarding all at once.
I want to lead this with what meant the most: Alexander.
Watching my son grow into a young boy has been the greatest joy of my life this year. Watching him learn, grow, and excel at nearly everything he does is unbelievable. Academically, he has maintained discipline and takes pride in his work, from homework to spelling tests to reading assignments. On the ice, his cold weather climate, North American bloodline shows loud and clear with how quickly he adapted to the game of hockey. Awareness, athleticism, grit, passion… he has it all.
He worked his way from house league to 10U travel through pure dedication. He has a few points on the season already as a right defenseman. He and his defensive partner, Henry, are a reliable duo when it comes to protecting leads and shutting down high-producing opponents.
I have had the privilege of being an assistant coach for the team, and that experience has been rewarding on many levels. I get to help him and his teammates learn the game of hockey from the front lines. It has strengthened my communication skills, and finishing my USA Hockey Level 1 coaching certification this year was a great milestone. I have always believed in the impact of team sports, and I’m grateful he has the chance to play hockey here in southern Arizona.
Another highlight this year was welcoming a new family member: Triple Deke. He came to us through a rescue and re-homing situation at a very young age. His introduction into the family was not smooth. He fell off the bed early on (yes, airhead move on my part), broke his leg, and that led to everything from frequent bandage changes to delayed potty training. It was rough. We powered through it, though, and now we are finally settling into normalcy. He has secured his spot on the family roster.
Can’t forget about the Starlink adventure. Mounting Starlink on the truck was a trip and honestly a successful experiment in creating a fully mobile internet-connected setup. It made IoT devices, streaming, and working remotely effortless. I had canceled my mobile data service a couple years back and never looked back because everything these days is done through internet-based communication anyway, from calls to video meetings.
The system needed more power than expected, though. I wanted the Starlink setup physically separate from the truck while still having access to the truck’s power. I ended up installing an inverter and a UPS battery backup. The inverter charges the battery while the truck is running, and the battery powers the system independently when parked. Once that was in place, the setup became genuinely off-grid in a power sense.
But here is my conclusion. What I built is an incredibly strong secondary communication system. Secondary is important. As 2025 winds down, I realize that without mobile data almost everywhere I go, it is difficult to maintain or build rapport in real time. The biggest issue is entering buildings and instantly losing connection to the truck. I have thought about extending the system’s range, but doing that right would require scaling power, hardware, and cost to an entirely new level. For now, I have accepted that a fresh business mobile data plan is probably in the near future and might end up being this year’s Christmas gift.
This year taught me three big lessons that I plan to carry into 2026.
- Active Listening
Spending so much time working in isolation did something to me that I didn’t notice at first. My mind started wandering in conversations. Not the harmless kind of wandering either, but the type where someone is mid sentence and suddenly I’m floating ten miles away, completely disconnected from the moment. It hurts communication, relationships, and honestly, my own confidence. So one of my main goals for 2026 is to rebuild that skill. I want to retrain my brain to stay present, stay locked in, and stay connected to the people I’m talking to. It’s time to sharpen that attention like I’m sharpening skates. - Health and Fitness
During the early Dark Horses USA days, we relied on food assistance. I’ll never forget the volunteers who made that possible. It kept us afloat, no question. But that stretch of time threw my eating and cooking habits straight into the ditch. When you don’t have the ability to choose what you cook or plan your meals, you slowly lose the rhythm of it. My kitchen confidence tanked, and so did my routine. This year reminded me how far that slipped. Next year is about taking the reins again. Getting back in the kitchen. Getting back in the gym. Getting back to feeling like myself with the same fire I see in my son when he steps onto the ice. - Stop Forcing
Starting a business is honestly one of the weirdest psychological experiences. You know what you want, you can feel it, you can see pieces of it in your head, but you can’t quite grab it. For most of this year, it felt like I was throwing paint cans down a hallway hoping something hit a five inch canvas at the end. It was messy. It was frustrating. But near the end of the year, something finally shifted. The picture started forming. I could see where the pieces go. I could sense the direction. So 2026 is about building with intention. Calm, deliberate, creative. More Bob Ross, less paint grenade.
2025 was a rollercoaster. A year worth remembering. I am looking forward to a strong finish surrounded by family, friends, and hockey.
Thank you all for your support and for another year of life, love, and momentum.
