I like to make things, learn things, and experience life to the fullest while trying to be the best spouse and parent that I can be. That is my goal and if you share my passion, I think that you will find something of interest on my blog.
I write about spirituality (in the Catholic tradition), parenting, productivity, books, brewing beer, and other ideas and projects that I want to share with the world.
For those whom I have not met personally, I am husband and father of five living in Findlay, Ohio, a small town surrounded by the vast farms of Northwestern Ohio.
I am a combat veteran having been sent to Iraq as part of team of Air Force engineers assigned to Abu Ghraib Prison to improve conditions right before the prisoner abuse story broke to the media. Abu Ghraib was regularly attacked by insurgents, overcrowded, and (after my first week there) embroiled in an international scandal. It was the hardest and most intense experience I have ever had, but I survived and the prison was much better when I left than when I arrived.
After the stress of Iraq, I decided to go to grad school in engineering to have a change of pace. I had a re-conversion to Catholicism and met my awesome wife. We moved to Alaska and decided that it was time to move on from the military after our first son was born.
I was due to head back to the Middle East and did not want to leave my wife and son. At the same time, the Air Force was eliminating positions in my specialty, so I asked to get out after five years of service. The construction job market was not great in 2007 after the housing market crash, so I decided to wait things out and get another degree. This time I attended Notre Dame Law School.
Because of my background in engineering and general interest in science and nature, I specialized in environmental law. Since then, I have worked as a lawyer litigating cases and practicing environmental law. For me, being a lawyer is the perfect job because I like to read, write, think, and argue, which is pretty much what I do every day.
Over the years, my wife and I have been foster parents to 13 kids, which has been both an incredible blessing and incredibly challenging.
In my spare time, I mostly enjoy hanging out with my family. My faith is important to me and I am active in my local parish. I am a voracious reader and writer. I also enjoy some more hands-on pursuits such as brewing beer, barbequing, and lifting weights.
Mike Gray Blog 