Things I am thankful for this year
So 1 year ago I made a post containing things I am thankful for. Not a whole lot has changed except for 1 addition to our family.
This year I am most thankful for our new baby girl Juliet. She is 5 months old today!
Other things I am thankful for:
My Friend George Schaeffer III- About six years ago I was living in Moline Illinois and going NO WHERE fast. I was about $20,000 in debt and with no formal education and work ethic my outlook liked pretty dim for the area. The Quad City area where I was from was totally dead tech wise. If you were not working for John Deere then you had a unstable job. Being that I had been fired or laid off from almost all tech related industries in the area I had to make a move. My friend George Schaeffer III insisted that I come visit him in Des Monies, IA and check out the jobs there. George was fairly certain that I could find full time work pretty quick. George opened up his home (2 bedroom apt) to me and even let me sleep on his bed. (his girlfriend at the time (now his wife)) and son slept in his sons room and George slept on the couch. Also I was 400 LBS at the time and definitely not the ideal guest. I stayed with George in these conditions for over 1 month. I don’t know how he did it and I don’t know if I would be willing to do it for another person but that literally changed my life. I got a job with Wells Fargo Company and started for a pretty good wage doing help desk support. Being the UNIX h4×0r that I am I quickly moved up from a lvl 1 help desk position to “senior UNIX security administrator” which was a lvl 7 pay grade ;). Also in Des Monies is where I met my wife. I owe George Schaeffer III and family so much and someday I hope to repay them for there generosity. George now is Regional Manager for Loss prevention and does a super good job for his employer. His wife also has moved up the ranks at her career and they now have a beautiful home in Des Monies, IA.
My wife - J, or as she has earned Dr. J Schoemaker (no she is not a sixers fan). My wife is a practicing Cardiac Anesthesiologist who is in her first year of private practice. Like me she is extremely driven to be the best at what she does. I never thought I was going to be married but then I never thought a woman existed like her. She is extremely intelligent and very well educated (BA from St. Johns, BSA from Chicago school of business, and M.D. from UNL). She is also well traveled and volunteered for 1 year to practice medicine in Nigeria. This is quite a contrast from myself, who BARELY graduated high school and had never left the Midwest. My wife has taught me some of her structure and work ethic and it has helped me to be such a better person career wise. I love her more every day and I hope to spend many many many many many more years with her. My wife’s rock solid income has given me the ability to be the internet cowboy and go after some huge cash online 
My dog Baxter - Son of Mick who won Best In Show in 2003 - Baxter is awesome and I love him. He is the official curator of the squirrel sanctuary for wayward varmints here at the Schoemaker estate for wayward varmints.
And of course always thankful for friends !!
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I truly appreciate your post Jeremy.
It seems to me that you are mastering one of the most important laws o the universe, the Law of attraction.
It’s a shame that we don’t have the same tradition in Europe.
Being thankful for what you have and have accomplished in life is one of the best experiences a Human being can have. Looking at those portraits I must say you have much to be thankful indeed.
You have have a beautiful family Jeremy, and all of you happiness and many more prosperous and abundant years to come.
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That is a great story Shoe, you always strike me as someone who is not afraid to tell the truth about your life, I like that, I try to do the same and wish more people would do the same.
You have some solid people in your background that are part of the story and that makes it so much better, I’m glad you remember those who helped you along the way, that’s great.
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very nice post.. Never knew your wifes an MD, that gives me a whole new outlook on ShoeMoney.
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I never thought I was going to be married but then I never thought a woman existed like her.
Nice post… made me think what I like in life.
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Very nice - props to your shoe for getting out of debt and finding a wonderful wife. On a side note, your wifes educational backgrounds has made me feel like a complete dumbass.
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Great story Jeremy! All the best for 2007…
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It seems everything went good for you in the last six years
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Thanks for sharing the things you’re thankful for and why. Very interesting, you’ve come a long way. Happy Holidays to you and your better half.
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Shoe…i admire your success in all aspects of your life! Being grateful for the gifts we receive each day makes you realize what is important in life..you’re a good man and i truly wish you and your family lots of health and success…im gonna call my wife today and tell her the $500 dress she bought last night looks very nice on her!
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I am thankful for the future wife, this past year I’ve been trying to make the best web site in my little area to bring in some extra money, I’m ’still’ trying and through out she’s never lost faith in my ability and always supported my actions.
She’s no doubt sick of hearing “if they just ranked higher they should pull in money” (even I’m stick of hearing myself say it!)but she’s always give me a hug and keeps tell me it will happen… one day maybe
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Shoemoney, did you steal Anthony Robbins life story?
jk man
Great to read/hear stories like these in life. Finances should never be a major part of anyones lives and it looks as if you’ve figured that out and haven’t taken friends and family for granted as they’re the most important things in life…
Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving as well as everyone else who reads this! Happy Holidays!
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Great post from a nice and kind person.
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I am inspiring webpreneur (Spelling?) Either way your story is extremely interesting. I will be 21 in a week and feeling that school isn’t for me. Already a two time drop out from a community College in Cedar Rapids Iowa and Dubuque Iowa both nearly an hour from your beloved Moline and the Quad Cities. The area really is a dead portion of the world techwise. I am not quite 20 k in deb but Im only about 3 off from that. Maybe I could follow in your shoes and finally get out of the Drearymidwest and make something of myself. I am really glad to see that someone in the area was able to make success out of their life. When I finally get a site published I’ll be employing many of your techniques for SEO and advertising.
Thanks again for Bringing hope to the MIDwest.
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Hey Shoe, I think part of this article exists somewhere on your website. I remember it reading some time ago. Make sure Google doesn’t apply duplicate content penalty =)
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Thanks for such a great story Shoe…your success is a great lesson to everyone that thinks certain things in life are impossible.
Between you and Shawn (Digital Point), I’ve learned a great deal over the past year and have already begun to see a return on all my hard work. Thanks for all you’ve done for the webmaster community!
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that’s a lot of good reasons to be thankful for, and getting out of debt is no easy task.
I’m in for almost 30k due to College and it’s getting deeper every year.
Hopefully it’ll be worth it and I can be thankful for the education
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I have also been blessed with my first child this year, and it has been the greatese life experience I have ever known.
One of the little things I am thankful for is discovering Shoe and Webmaster Radio about a month ago. I have just started investing in domains and I have learned so much from these sources. I have even started making some mini-sites using tips I have learned here. Thanks for your help Shoe. Hopefully I can build my own PPC empire someday!
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you’re also thankful for your hot sister!!!
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I really liked this post, it reminds me that I also have a ton of things to be thankful of.
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[...] post of Shoemoney.com is titled “Things I’m thankful for this year” and I really liked it because it inspired me to think about all the blessings I’ve [...]