Can you remember what your graduation day felt like? With social media buzzing with pictures of happy graduates it stirs up memories of my own day of promotion when finally I was unleashed on a world that needed me and the wisdom I had gathered sitting in the classroom all those years. Not sure how, but somehow I did do a little more than just sit in class and I was welcomed as the class of 1979. Look out society, here I come.

My niece, Angela Giarratana, who is not so little anymore, is one of the graduates this 2012 graduating class has produced. Looking at the pictures text'd over by my parents, she radiates a peace that I haven't seen in her when we would gather for the holidays and family vacations. She's actually smiling and her eyes are free from the "gotta do's" of school that always awaited her back home in California. Now she get's a short reprieve before she hits it again in the bigger, more challenging environment of UCLA. But all that can wait until August. For now, she's accomplished one of the greatest crowning achievements of her young life and she deserves to be celebrated.

I think we have this one right in life when it comes to graduating from High School. The lesson is this; when you do the work and put in the sacrifice then you'll be recognized for your labors and promoted to your next challenge. It's the equivalent of the playoff series in sports, as special recognition is given to those athletes who win. Trying is honorable, but winning and completing the journey you set out on is commended. Sure, there are many more games to be played next season, but for right now it's time to enjoy your success.

When I sat in a restaurant recently I was very impressed by the young server who seemed to understand this valuable lesson of work and reward. It was rather obvious this job was not his career choice and just side work to get him by financially to cover some bills and that his real job was in the College classroom at a local campus preparing himself for his future. Yet the same heart that he put into his future was also being displayed as he served my meal, giving great attention to see to it I was taken care of. There was no problem dropping a healthy tip to this young man because he seemed to value putting in the hard work that would someday lead to being promoted.

It's young men and women like this that show me our future looks so bright. Sure, we'll always have the free-loaders that want to jump on the bandwagon of progress and demand their place just because they put in the time and tried really hard. But when it comes to advancement and promotion one must do more than just show up and try hard. This kind of success requires pulling the all-nighter to be ready for that test and pass. Miami Heat President & General Manager, Pat Riley says it likes this. "Being ready isn't enough; you have to be prepared for a promotion."

By the looks of things in my little corner of the world, I'm seeing more and more of these young adults appear on the stage of life and this year some are graduating from High Schools and Universities across America, and thus deserve to be honored. One of those bright minds is the beautiful, hard-working, Princeton Graduate, Cristina Martinez. I've known this young lady since the day she was born and watched her competitive nature push her to succeed in and out of the classroom throughout her life. Today she stands with the elite of our day. So, to all those who have successfully completed your requirements for graduation, it's time for you to take your bow and enjoy your moment in the sun. You have earned the right to be promoted and that has made so many that love you proud.

Is there a graduate you would like to honor today? Take a minute to share this blog with them and post a congratulatory comment below.

• For your high tolerance of pain, which has taught your family to never quit, no matter how tough things may get.
• For your devotion and dedication to your 50 plus years of marriage, so much that Debbie & Darlene and I still remain married to the loves of our youth.
• For the Godly heritage of faith that's been passed down to your grandchildren (Alessi, Giarratana & Rivera).
• For staying active and always being the beautiful blonde that just wants all of us to be together and have fun.

Since becoming the Dogfather a few weeks ago, with the arrival of the new puppies came a new morning schedule. Usually just around sunrise I hear the barking of momma Stasia coming from the garage, and like this morning that means it's time for me to get up and go help her out with her babies. Today was especially funny as I opened the door for only two of the pups were in their "den", which is the plastic pool they've been living in for the last month. The others learned how to crawl out and were spread all over the garage in corners, under the motorcycle and up next to the warm water heater, and like a new frantic mother her bark seemed to say to me, "Help...these children just won't listen to me."

The prolific Leadership Guru John Maxwell is quoted as saying, “Everything rises and falls on Leadership.” That one phrase over the years has spoken to me about my own need not to just follow good leaders, but even more importantly, to be a great leader so I can contribute to the society I live in and inspire those around me.

Just call me The Don. No, not the Mob Boss...the Dog Dad.

As of 10:00 PM Monday, April 30th, my beautiful German Shepherd, Stasia, gave birth to 9 cute little pups and now my family has just extended its territory to include the garage, which has upped my list of titles to include Dog Breeder.

Since I was a kid, I've always loved German Shepherds and I've had plenty of the breed over the years. At first I was real creative with their unique names as I started with AJ, then BJ, then CJ, DJ, and then Mattie, which was my little sister's nickname given her by an old family friend. I even picked up a German Shepherd in my last year of college, which got me sent home and suspended from Southeastern University for a week. The administration said it had something to do with me being a "rebellious" Bible College student. Go figure. My last one we named King, but with raising kids and starting the Church, I just didn't have the time to devote to training him the way he deserved, so we gave him to a family that owned a ranch.

And then came Anastasia, the beauty I've been waiting for. Big, black and tan, and sweet as a dog can be. It was our goal from the beginning to breed her and I wanted a big, black, strong male out of the litter. When the time was right, we connected her with a male by the name of Kato and pregnant she became and for the last 60 days we've been anticipating the birth of her pups. I never dreamed this breeding and birthing thing could be so exciting and yet so dirty at the same time. OMG, this wasn't at all what I expected. Our four kids being born at Baptist Hospital was a lot cleaner than having these pups. I mean sure, the newborn puppies are so cute and cuddly with their little eyes closed as they enter the world, but there's also this other stuff that's coming out of Stasia everywhere and it's not that cute at all. Give me a barf bag quick. I'm getting dizzy and the room is spinning fast. And what is that smell? I don't remember reading anything on Google about the interesting odor birthing pups would emit into the air. I had no idea being a Dogfather would be such a bloody and ugly mess.

Then again, I guess if you want to expand your family, influence, business or otherwise, things can get pretty messy. Dreams have a lot less headaches when they're experienced in our sleep. It's when you try to put flesh on them that reality wakes you up to a whole different experience that requires change and growth, and that in itself is a dirty, bloody, ugly mess.

We're told that one of the fears many people experience in life is the fear of success. When I first heard that I thought to myself, "who could be that fearful?" Then I learned it's not that people fear the fun or the experiences that success can bring them, it's the pain, the sacrifice, the adjustments and changes that need to be made on the way to achieving success. But that's exactly what's required if living larger than we presently are is desired. It's one thing to manage life, but it's another thing to expand our lives and territory.

I'm a little nervous not knowing exactly what lies ahead for our family, Stasia, and the cute little nine pups. I've already been on the phone a number of times with the Doggy Doctor and Breeder just to make sure we're doing everything right. Momma Stasia is doing what female Shepherd's do when they have their babies and the little pups are making all kinds of noises. So far, it's been middle of the night checks and plenty of sweeping, moping, feeding, cleaning, waiting and watching. And that sounds exactly like what all of us will have to do when we get on the road to seeing our dreams come true.

OK, now I need your help naming our 4 males and 5 female puppies. Any suggestions?