As this year nears a close, I want to offer a salute and thank you to one person. This was no less a rewarding a year of parenting for my wife and I than any other, but it did happen to be our most intimidating. Everything's relative - we are thankful for the health and happiness in our home and only hope it continues. But you could say we dealt with some unexpected developments. To those challenges, my wife responded like a field general. A field general who didn't hide her fears, but a field general nonetheless.