Unicorn

In mid-November Ben's company achieved Unicorn status!  A definitive agreement was announced that they were being acquired by a big tech banking company for the staggering price of $1.2B.  This had been in the works for months, but of course still warranted some celebrating, however comparatively small the celebration might have been.  The kids helped me put up some decorations to surprise Ben when he got home from the east coast late that night.

This is how he got home:

The announcement was originally going to be made a week earlier

and when it had to be pushed back, it necessitated a late flight home for Ben

and the crew from Utah because of preexisting company commitments.

So the new owners provided timely transportation.

I waited up for him so we could have a sparkling cider toast.

You can't tell in the picture, but I'm wearing my tshirt from Start Fest,

a local start-up competition Ben and Matt pitched for in the early days

of the company.

Later when the kids were awake and everyone was home at the same time...

And... a few days even later when everyone was together

in the evening and we finally had a chance to eat a delicious

celebratory red velvet cake from a delicious bakery.

This was a major victory for Ben for sure, but I feel like we all made contributions in one way or another.  Ben works a lot, and he worked even more in the early days, on the computer, on the phone, traveling, going going going.  He does as much as he can with the family but there have also been a lot of sacrifices.  At the same time, we definitely appreciate the friendships and the work parties and the perks we've enjoyed in the last 7 years.  It's been a challenging and wonderful experience, and we're all so excited about how far the company has come, and the great things that will happen in the future.