Out of touch

I just got back in touch with my friends Patrick and Claudia to find out that in our time apart, they have become parents! Wow! Now not only are they the smartest couple I know, they are now probably the smartest FAMILY I know!

Background on them: Claudia got a Fulbright scholarship to study in Germany after college. Which is not only prestigous but helpful since Patrick had to do a year of service in Germany where he is from. Then after that year, they got married and were off to Washington, D.C. so Claudia could work at a think tank there and Patrick could work for Arthur Andersen. In Claudia's spare time she liked to take classes which led her to getting a scholarship to get her PhD at the University of Michigan (I'm sure it was a full-ride and a stipend but I'll double check! Did I mention I think she graduated at the top of her class at Dennison?) In the mean time, Patrick got his MBA and now works at Dennison University in finance.

Oh, to brag on Patrick, he's the guy who wrote a letter to Dennison University about why they should set a scholarship for German students to go there. Wouldn't you know, he got himself a scholarship to Dennison! Then through another letter he got an internship with the Mayor of Columbus and later an internship with Huntington Bank which at the time had a German man in charge. Patrick got to have lunch with the head of the bank, "Franc," regularly to talk about Dresden, Germany. Talk about access to your superiors! I've missed out on his accomplishments in Michigan but an internet search showed he's on the Board of the MBA program there....wow, yet I really shouldn't be surprised!

Hopefully I will get to see all THREE of them in the next few weeks since they are now just 45 minutes away again!! (So glad when people are moving back to Ohio!--Next up is Stephanie in August and Liz and Ryan soon after that!!! My friends are back in town : )