not once. he didn't just give me the opportunity of a lifetime. he had my back every single day, and i'm grateful for it. but there is one person who contributed to my success more than anyone else, and she doesn't even work at the white house. my wife natalie was 6 months pregnant with our first child when i got this job. she was home with the air conditioning repairman when the president of the united states called me into the oval office to offer me the job. when i got back to my desk, i saw that i had several missed calls on my cell phone from her. i quickly called her back. i told her i was sorry i missed her caughts, but that i had the best possible excuse for missing them. since then she's extended to me more support and understanding than i could ever ask for. even as she was becoming the best mom any 2-year-old kid could hope for. when i miss the markup here, she didn't hesitate to tell me about it, and when i got it right the next day, it was usually because i followed her advice. so thank you, sweetheart, for your patience, your loyalty, your counsel, and your love. without it, i would not be standing here, and i'll never be