Rescuing the Rescuers

January 1 dawns the start of a new year and new beginnings. Sometimes we expect a lot, sometimes we're pessimistic and decide to be grouchy about it all, and sometimes we just decide to set that day aside to help those who give up a lot of time to help us. That was the case for Jeff and I as we began 2011. I know that sounds like a big deal, but I think it was really more fun for us and a chance for the rescuers to realize just how insane the people in Colorado really are.

Saturday morning was a very brisk start to 2011. The thermometer at our house read -8 degrees, but the thermometer at the Pueblo airport, about a dozen miles to the East, was reading -21 degrees. But, oh, what a gorgeous morning! That perfect robin's egg blue sky, a few whispy clouds, the snow still hanging around....Still, it took a few moments to decide on how to dress in preparation for the, uh, task ahead. We finally made a decision on our wardrobe, gathered our sleepy son up, and hit the road. Our destination was Palmer Park in Colorado Springs, but first we had to make a detour to a friend's house nearby the park to drop Luke off. He wasn't happy about that since the original plans were for him to be with us, but he dealt since it was so cold and we didn't want to worry about him. Besides, he'd have a young friend to play with, and he loves that!

So, on to what we were doing. Well, we joined about 600 other crazy individuals and braved the frigid temperatures to run a race! It was the 33rd annual Rescue Run 5k and 10k, which benefits the El Paso County Search and Rescue. I guess a little over 700 people signed up (interesting, since we saw numbers over 1000, and I saw the number 1 bib), but not everyone came. That's okay, all the money still goes to help these rescuers who brave horrible conditions, bad situations, crumbly rocks, floods, snowstorms, get a little over-anxious on the Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak, and so much more in order to help keep those of us who love the outdoors safe. They even help those who aren't so outdoorsy! So, this is a fun way to show support.

The course was a moderately difficult one with a lot of hills. It also took us over pavement, slightly sandy soil, and gravel, all of which were covered by a layer of snow. And ice! I have heard that a number of people slipped and fell on the 5k run, especially on the way back down the hill. I am pleased to let everyone know Jeff and I both stayed upright, something that could've been tricky! Speaking of, I thought of grabbing my Yaktrax before leaving the house, but decided not to. Yeah, I think next year they'll be a must!

When we started our run it was a balmy 5 degrees. Toasty warm! Not really, but since the winds were calm, it really wasn't that bad. Once we started running, the toes warmed right up, too. Jeff wasn't sure which course he would do, though he'd initially planned on the 5k (this race you decide which one to run while on course). When we got to the fork he went right, making his first run of 2011 a 10k. I was behind him at this point and was happy to see him taking the challenge! You have to realize that I'm the runner. He runs really well, but he's a mountain biker. He grabs a few miles on his feet each week, but the rest of the time is spent on his bike. This was a big step! I did eventually pass him, but I wasn't sure what to expect on the amount, size, or distances of the hills, so I was preserving myself. He did a fantastic job of keeping a steady pace, and he still came in under an hour! I'm very, very proud of him.

Speaking of how the run went, I now know I can push myself a lot more on this course. I got stronger as the time went on, even while watching my footing so I wouldn't get hurt. By the last 2.5 miles I had a really, really good pace going. My last 1.5 miles I believe I ran about a 7:15 mile. I passed a lot of people, and the SAR teams posted at various points around the course got a kick out of my singing while running. I'm glad I could provide some laughter! I finished in a conservative 56:17 for the 6.2 miles. Not bad, considering the course conditions and the fact I had no idea what to expect on difficulty!

(horrible mid-stride shot, but you can see I'm definitely singing!)

Once we were done and cooled down (which, frankly, sounds really strange since it was maybe 10-degrees now), we headed back to our friend's house to have some lunch and pick up our son. It was a great, great day! The perfect way to begin what will hopefully be an active year, and a great new tradition for us. Happy New Year, everyone!

Resolutions? Nope! I set goals!

I have a problem with making resolutions for the incoming year. They're too easily broken, too easily ignored, and too easily forgotten. My solution to this problem is to make goals instead. This means I can change them, not do something stupid in order to achieve that goal, and not feel guilty if it doesn't happen. It makes life so much simpler!

So, as we usher in 2011, I will share what my goals for the year are. Brace yourself. I think I am officially 100% insane now:

1. Complete the Pikes Peak Ascent in decent form and fashion. This is a half marathon (13.1 miles) up Barr Trail from Manitou Springs to the summit of Pikes Peak. The distance isn't the issue, it's the nearly 8000 foot elevation gain! Okay, so I need to be on the ball and get my entry in immediately as it opens or this will have to wait for another year, but I have a plan in place!

2. Complete my first (and only...I'm not that insane!) full marathon in October. That will be 26.2 miles of pounding the pavement through the streets of Denver. I don't plan on being fast, just finishing. I'd really like to finish ahead of Jared Fogle's time in the NYC marathon (the Subway guy). I'd really hate to have him show me up!

3. Get those 3 mountains in this year! Pikes Peak Ascent doesn't count. I know this is all weather dependent, but I'm okay with that.

4. Camp more. We love it, we just need to do it more often.

5. Complete the bike race at Pueblo Reservoir in April. I've been talked into this, but I'm game! Jeff will be doing the race, too. Just a more advanced trail.

6. Get that triathlon in this year! I'm upping the ante here. Instead of doing a sprint tri (half mile swim, 11-15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run), I'm going for the "regular" distance. I can't remember the swim distance, but it's about a mile, the bike is 25 miles, and the run is 6 miles. If scheduling is tough again, and/or a sprint tri is more readily available, I'll hold this goal for later and do the sprint triathlon.

7. Finish the race tomorrow morning (New Year's Day) in the snow, frigid temps, and hilly terrain of Palmer Park. This is in Colorado Springs, and it benefits the El Paso County Search and Rescue team. Jeff is running the 5k, I am running the 10k. We're both in really good shape, but I have a feeling this one will wipe us both pretty good! Who cares? It will be fun, and it benefits a GREAT thing for all of us!

8. Most importantly: to have fun! I always strive to be a halfway decent mom and wife, I need to do better as a homemaker, and constantly live to grow in my faith, so those really don't apply to this list. I'm pretty sure I'm over being a mediocre Airman, and my career is in God's hands. I do the best I can to serve my country and community, but I can't do it without Him leading me. So, that leaves having fun!

I wish and pray for all of you to have a fantastic year. Enjoy your families, enjoy whatever environment you live in, and have a blessed time! Happy New Year! Now, let's get busy ringing in 2011.....

2010 In Review...

Okay, so it might be a tad early to be posting this since we're a week away from New Year's Eve, but it also doubles as a Christmas letter, so...

What a wild, fast-paced, and fun year! The year was rung in with the usual fireworks from atop Pikes Peak. It's quite the spectacle from 40-miles away! It was also the fourth year we were blessed to see this sight. If the forecast holds out, we won't be so lucky on year five. That's okay, we really need the snow. February brought the world together for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. Little did we know this was going to be the start of something thrilling and invigorating for us! Luke saw the figure skaters, speed skaters, and hockey players and stated, rather bluntly, that he wanted to skate. Being the parents we are, we seized the moment and immediately looked into lessons. He was on the ice within a week....and immediately hated it. Little did he know you can't just walk out onto the stuff like you can a sidewalk! But he stuck with it and tried as hard as he could to become great on the ice. He informed us he wanted to play hockey, and he's on his first team now. This was one sport we never even considered when we found out a baby was on the way, but it's one we've enjoyed watching in the past. Maybe that final Penguins game we got to go to with the Fayette Energy Facility guys while I was 4-months along did the trick! Hockey is definitely more fun to watch when it's a bunch of 4 - 8 year olds, though!

(Luke's on the right, his buddy, Parker, next to him)

Jeff took up mountain biking with a vengeance this year. He went through two bikes (okay, he still has his first and uses it on the road) and logged about 600 or 700 miles on the trails. There were some spectacular crashes, a few moments of blood, and a couple of hilarious videos, but no broken bones. Thank goodness! He took me with him a few times, but I just can't keep up with the man! He's an animal on the bike! I'm grateful to have a husband who is so inclined to be outside and doing something active. He didn't sail much this year, but sometimes the schedules just don't mesh with real life. He did get to take Luke out for about an hour, though! Both thought that was just an awesome way to spend the afternoon, and I'm just glad they got off the lake before the winds kicked enough to blow them all they way to Leadville!

I started running again before the new year, but I wasn't wholly serious about it. Once I realized I felt better than I had since before my pregnancy, I kicked it up a notch. We ran our town's annual 5k race on the 4th of July, and I was thrilled to have been in the top 10% of all the competitors (there's more to that, but I'll explain later)! I found a few more races I wanted to do, started logging my miles, and ended up with an invite to run my first half marathon in Denver in October. It took me about 3-months to get ready, but I completed those 13.1 miles feeling better than I expected to (I was still rather sore, though!) in 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 30 seconds. I smashed my goal of 2 hours and 30 minutes!! That was my big news for the year, and one I'm not afraid to say I'm rather proud of.

I never did get to compete in a triathlon this year like I had planned. I never could find one that worked with my schedule. I'm okay with it since I ran the half marathon, but I hope to try again this coming year. Jeff and I both planned to do three 14ers (Fourteeners = 14,000 foot mountains), but we accomplished only one each. No complaints there, either, since Mother Nature had a bigger goal than us and provided deadly thunderstorms and monsoons that began in the mornings instead of the late afternoons. That led to a lot of people hiking and climbing at night, and a lot of others who decided they could handle the weather during the day. It was a banner year for people coming off the mountains in body bags.....or not at all. Nature was telling us to give it a rest this season, and we gladly listened. Still, Jeff was able to make the climb to the summit of Mount Princeton outside of Buena Vista (pronounced Byounah, not how you'd want to say it) in late July while I summited the one I really, really wanted to do: Mount Massive outside of Leadville. Remember how I said the 4th of July race had more to it? Yeah, I climbed this mountain (and was coming down, still above tree level, when a fast moving storm hit. No lightning, thank God! Just a ton of wind and graupel) the day before that 5k. It was July 3rd, and it was amazing! Definitely the prettiest 14er I have done to date! Most emotional, too...

Luke did more than just skating and hockey, too. He played Tee Ball for the first time. He enjoyed it, but was frustrated because he couldn't handle the ball more. He showed in another leadline class at the Colorado Summer Classic Horse Show on a pony that had never left the property before. Both were fantastic and the stars of the show (Finn was the smallest pony there). And he got some time learning to ride his bike, getting some hiking in, and begging to go camping.

We were able to make it to both Utah and Texas to visit both sets of grandparents this fall. Utah was over our 12th wedding anniversary, and it was an active trip! Luke loved getting the time with Gramma and Grampa, Jeff and I loved getting to do a few trails on our bikes together. It was too short of a trip, but it was a lot of fun. Texas was over Thanksgiving and a bit of a shock. I don't know what the temperature was when we arrived, but the next day was the day before Thanksgiving and it was 86 degrees! That's insane for that time of year, even for Texas! Thanksgiving brought the cold front and the daytime temps dropped to 35. See? Shocking! But it was a fantastic trip filled with family and a lot of laughter.

Finally, we have the arrival of Christmas. We stayed home in our quiet little house and had a nice morning opening gifts, watching A Christmas Story, and enjoying each other's company. We also started a new tradition: sledding on Christmas Day! While most of the mountains have been hammered recently and have a ton of snow, the same cannot be said for us, the Front Range, or the Wet Mountains out the front of our house. Still, we loaded sleds, snow gear, and hot chocolate, then piled into the 4Runner to make the trip to San Isabel. We really weren't sure there would be any snow, so imagine our relief and pleasure when there was JUST enough to sled for a while! We had a ball, and we're only a little worse for the wear.

I hope the year was as fun and eventful for all of you!

Merry Christmas!

To Israel, With Love.....

Not many people are aware that I have a heritage of firefighting and law enforcement in my family. It's widely known that we have a strong military background, but I think most are actually shocked when they learn about the other civil service connections. It is something that we don't hide, but it's also not brought up in casual conversation nearly as often as the Air Force. Let me give you the very fast rundown:

My mom's side of the family holds the law enforcement background. I can't really explain why, but every mention of NASCAR gives me a bitter feeling. You see, this racing sport finds its roots in prohibition. It was a group of Bootleggers, the name given to those who illegally transported the outlawed liquors to underground bars (speakeasies), who are responsible for the death of my great-grandfather, an Anderson County, South Carolina Sheriff's Deputy. He was killed in the line of duty while pursuing a car known to be supplying a speakeasy and was run off an embankment. You can view his memorial on the Officer Down Memorial Page here.

My dad's side of the family had a number of men who served as firefighters in Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. My parents still display in their house a photograph from the 1920's (I believe) of my dad's uncle and two of his fellow firefighters on an engine. When I've visited Moline, I have made it a point to stop by the old firehouse. I am sad to hear that it is vacant and falling into decay now, but the voices of the past speak loudly at this spot.

What does this have to do with Israel? Well, it gives a little background, and a little insight into some of my feelings. For a short time in high school I considered pursuing a college degree in law enforcement. I even visited the Police Academy in Salt Lake City to inquire! Then I saw how those cadets were training and thought I could never survive that kind of discipline and structure. I was always kind of enamored with firefighting, but I figured I wasn't strong enough and too big a chicken to actually consider making that a career. I don't have any idea why the lack of confidence never entered my brain when I decided to enlist into the military. Having a Smoky the Bear hat brim pushed into your forehead with some madman yelling at you to stop looking like Elvis (meaning my collar was standing up) at 5am while you're trying to eek out the Air Force Song isn't exactly a walk in the park! But, that was the decision I made and I have absolutely no regrets.

Now I am sitting here nearly 15-years after I flew out of my hometown for Basic Military Training and ponder those naive teenaged thoughts. It is no secret that I was blessed with the opportunity to join a Reserve unit in Colorado Springs last winter that holds a unique mission. I was excited because it meant I would actually be serving with planes. I mean, I've been in the Air Force a long time, but never stationed with planes! Okay, so I lived about 200-yards off of a very busy runway while I was Active Duty stationed in Hawaii, and Kelly-turned-Lackland has C-5's and F-16's, but I finished my Active Duty time in Texas on the Annex with the label as "one of those weird people who disappear once they park their cars." The legal office at Andrews may have a fantastic view of Air Force One, but other than being able to see the plane out the window because we shared a MAJCOM and base, we had nothing to do with aircraft. I digress....

I mention this unique mission because it also brings my firefighting heritage full circle. The 302nd Airlift Wing is the only Air Force Reserve unit with the mission of aerial firefighting via the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). There are four C-130 units with this capability, but the other three are Air National Guard units. While I admit I am not one of the lucky individuals who gets to operate the MAFFS systems and fly all over the place to help those in need, I am proud to be able to support this mission by being a member of this unit.

This past week saw the eruption of the worst wildfire in Israel's history. It was fast-moving, burning over a large expanse of land, and deadly. To their credit, this small nation realized they needed a lot of help from the international community. Our crews and planes were called to leave on Saturday morning. It was such an amazing example of how quickly we (myself included here) can get a typical C-130H aircraft turned into a firebombing tanker and a crew into the air in a matter of moments. As the planes left the cold of Colorado, we sent our prayers with them to the warmth of Israel.

I am pleased to report that the fire is now contained with hot spots being mopped up. Our planes should be headed home soon, if they aren't in the air already. The people of Israel can rest a little easier tonight, even while they grieve the loss of 42 lives. We await the arrival of our crews back to Colorado, and we start the preparation for the next call. Meanwhile, I sit here tonight thinking of this and finally realizing just how ingrained a familial heritage really can be.....

Rock 'n' Roll Pro-shots

These are just a smattering of my favorite shots by the professional photographers from the half marathon two weeks ago. What an exhilarating feeling! After looking at every single photo, and watching the finish line video multiple times, I also have learned that I strike my left heel too much while my right foot lands pretty beautifully mid- to forefoot every single time. Guess who's going to work on fixing that by going to a more minimal stance (i.e. Newton running shoes and Vibram FiveFingers....basically: barefoot). Heck, I'm not a big shoe person, anyway :)

About mile 3, right before the old Union Station. I thought this was a fun shot since we were in the same step, same stride, and both looking at the camera. She pulled away shortly after and finished 19-minutes ahead of me.

Deep in concentration, probably singing, around mile 9 or 10. Two steps later and I realized I was inches from running the photographer over! Whoops...quick sidestep and all was saved.

Photographer JUST missed my hands up, but it's still a good shot

Stopping my watch at the finish line

Rockin 'n' Rollin Denver....

As much as I absolutely love watching the sun come up and the world come to life, I desperately hate dragging my lazy butt out of bed in the morning. This is especially true when the seasons turn and it's cold. I made the exception this morning, however, to have an adventure through the the streets of Denver, Colorado.

My day started when my alarm went off at 4:45 am and I stumbled out of my very comfortable bed at my cousin's house in Highlands Ranch. If ever there was a time I was grateful to not have to wear make-up or make a big ta-da about getting ready to go somewhere, this was it! My body was protesting and the bed was calling. Frankly, I was amazed because I slept great and felt no anxiety when I thought I would. I pushed forward, layered my clothing, made sure I had everything packed up, stuffed my hair in a ball cap and braided my pony tail before heading out to my car. Thank goodness the train station was minutes away and I didn't have to worry about driving this early!

Imagine my surprise when I arrived to a full parking lot, had to wait in line to buy my ticket, and piled into the train with close to 100 people heading to the same destination as mine. It was at that moment I knew the decision to ride the light rail was an excellent plan for the morning. It was easy to settle in for the 30'ish-minute ride into downtown Denver, giving me a chance to munch a granola bar and hydrate just a little bit. I watched as more people filled the train and figure the final count was probably close to 300 people leaving the train and walking the nearly 1/2 mile to the Civic Center Park. Really, this was a wonderful way to keep a bit of the 38-degree chill of an autumn morning in Colorado!

I arrived to the park and still looked around in amazement at the amount of people who had already shown up for our early morning excursion. I figured I'd make a pit stop (which required standing in line for about 15-minutes), find the gear check area to drop my gear bag and shed my warm clothing, make one more pit stop, and head for my corral area. Turns out that was wise because I only had about 5-minutes before I went from shivering to stretching my legs on the pavement from the moment I dropped my gear bag!

I don't know if you've ever seen 16,000 people cheerfully facing the daunting task of running 13.1 or 26.2 miles on a chilly morning before the sun has risen, but it is definitely a sight to behold! I was a little wary of ever being able to settle into a decent stride, but the fabulous race and planning crews in events this large, the wave start worked like a dream. From the moment I crossed the start line I was able to catch my stride and set to work attempting to achieve a bit of an insane goal.

The run down 14th Street was really inspiring since there was a throng of spectators braving the cold to cheer us on. Even shop owners stepped out to lend their support! This went on for about 2-miles. By mile 3, the streets were nearly deserted. I managed to wind my way through a lot of people who were already struggling while actually enjoying the historical architecture. I was actually given chills as we ran past Union Station since I had just learned its history a few days prior. I had no idea we were so close to it! Once we rounded the corner onto 17th Street, the masses of spectators were back. So was the first real test of the course.

We were about 4-miles into the course by this point and the road turned into a short, but steep hill. I am so thankful I live in Pueblo West and have been training on the hills in my community for so many months! This hill was a piece of cake for me, to the point I increased my pace! There were a few of us who were able to do this, but the majority were dropping like flies. Some had to step off the course and catch their breath, others walked slowly. It truly showed who had prepared, and who was doing too much too soon.

The top of the hill came quickly and we wound our way into the park that houses the Denver Zoo. As I neared the 6.2-mile mark (10k), I realized I was just shy of the half-way point. It went by so fast! I cruised through the next couple of miles, increasing my pace and stride length all the way. Then I hit mile 9.

This was the most difficult part of the race for me. It was also around this time I realized I could no longer feel my butt....literally....and the ball of my right foot felt like I was stepping on a large rock with every step. I immediately thought "oh boy, this is going to make thing tougher and I'm going to pay for it," but I pushed on. While I still could not feel my butt by mile 10, I did get relief in my foot and gained an extra bit of strength that still surprises me. I knew I only had 3.1 miles left and increased my stride and pace again. By the time I reached 11.5 miles, I was completely comfortable again because my butt regained feeling. I've never experienced that before! It was quite strange.

Mile 12 was the point where the marathoners split from the half marathoners. It was such an organized thing that I was impressed for the umpteenth time. I also knew I was just over 1 mile from my finish line, that I was done with any and all slight (and I mean VERY slight) uphill sections. In fact, this part of the course gave us a very slight downhill, so I took full advantage. I opened up and decided to start my "fast finish" from here rather than the last 1/2 mile. The course also gave us about 1/4 mile of a steep downhill, so that gave me even more opportunity.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I ran my first half marathon today! I have trained hard over the past few months in an effort to just complete all of those miles. I was eventually challenged to enter the Pikes Peak Ascent next summer, so I changed my goal to running this race in 2 hours 30 minutes (the qualifying time to enter the Ascent). I crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 55-minutes, and 30-seconds, absolutely smashing my goal! It was a total feeling of euphoria!

I am now sitting here with sore muscles, a very tired body, and a really cool finisher's medal. I'm riding a high that is rivaled only by the birth of my beautiful son, but I also know getting out of bed tomorrow morning....AFTER the sun comes up.....is going to be a wee bit painful. But I figure if I can climb the steps to the Capitol building and climb on top of a pillar to take a fun picture after my race while my legs are screaming at me to just sit and rest, followed by walking those few miles back to Union Station (where I decided to catch the train back to my car so I wouldn't have to walk any further), then I can climb out of bed and head to school.....

Hockey Mom!

Yes, yes, it is true: I am now officially a Hockey Mom! In all honesty, when the glimmer of kids came up in our lives, I never once imagined that the term "hockey parents" would ever enter the picture. It's just now something that we've ever been big into. Baseball, swimming, football, even soccer was more along the expectation line!

Fast forward a number of years and get to know my amazing, stubborn, and dead-set 4-year-old son and you can now find us picking out equipment to protect said child from cracking all of his bones on the ice.

Last spring, after Luke started to learn how to skate, we were invited to watch a youth hockey tournament. It was the BEST hockey game ever! The most adorable kids, the most enthusiastic parents, and just a ton of fun all around. It's hard to believe that we'll be cheering our youngster with those others, but we are extremely excited about it.

Now, if anyone can give suggestions on how to keep Luke from having his stick attached to him at all times, especially in bed, that would be great......

Not so long ago...

There are times in your life when you put aside the writing you so enjoy producing because you're actually tired of writing! Such has been the case for me since my degree program has me writing many, many academic papers. Just this past summer I wrote over 150-pages, for one class...in just 8-weeks! I have been burned out. It was not so long ago that I undertook this blog as a way to express the crazy things that run through my mind, as well as the insane things we do as a family. I vowed I would never let this activity go the wayside. I guess I shouldn't vow things like that to myself any longer.

Through it all, however, I have had some fantastic fun with my small family. Luke and I spent way too much time with the ponies, but we got a wonderful horse show out of it. We have watched Luke grow from a timid little one on the ice to a capable ice skater who is now ready to start playing hockey. He also finally got to participate in tee-ball, got in on some hiking, decided he needed to ditch the training wheels on his bike, started pre-k, and gave us the scare of our lives when he contracted bacterial pneumonia in February. He's such a little pistol, and he refuses to do anything but go 8-bazillion MPH all day, everyday!

There have also been a lot of logged miles. Yes, I have taken my joy of running up a notch. I managed to place 5th in my division, 80th overall (out of 300) in the 4th of July 5k here in Pueblo West (after climbing my one 14er of the year the day before), but I wasn't quite satisfied. August 29th I crossed the line in the 4th position, 1st female, and the winner of the prediction for a 10k trail race at Pueblo Reservoir's South shore (Arkansas Point). I was 43 seconds off of my predicted time, which may as well have been the exact time it was so close. They'd never seen that before! Two weeks ago I added to that with a 3rd place division finish, and 15th overall finish (out of 95) on a 4-mile race over the paved bike trails in Pueblo West. That one earned me a medal! But here's the big thing: I will be competing in my first half-marathon in two weeks! No, I won't be in the top runners, but that's not really the point.

Jeff has really stepped up the mountain biking. He has tackled so many trails along the front range, and a couple of easier ones in Utah (since I'm not the technical rider he is) this summer that he is now ready to race. He has crashed, drawn blood, scratched the daylights out of and broken a brake on his bike, replaced a helmet, and endured my endless giggling over stories and videos of crashes and cactus (not him, but it's a really great story and video of a friend!). He's really becoming a beautiful and fast MTB rider, I'm very proud of him.

There were camping trips, and we are back to strictly tent camping. I can't say I'm brokenhearted; I am a traditionalist on a lot of things, after all! But I don't recommend the way we got back to the primitive style. As we were preparing to head out for a weekend trip with Jeff's parents, our trailer decided it no longer wanted any part of it. The fridge started a nice fire, we spent 3 extinguishers and some water from the hose to put it out, and the insurance company totaled the whole thing. The good news is that it didn't engulf the trailer, and it happened here at home before we had it hooked up to the truck instead of while we were on the road or asleep.

In the meantime, I am hard to work at my degree again. I am ready to be done with school, but I have a long, long way to go. More papers, more silly classes to fill requirements I couldn't give a hoot about, and more opportunities to learn about the past that thrills my senses. It's time consuming, but it will be worth it in the long run....

Pony Daze...

I realized it's been quite a while since I have shared pictures of my beautiful boy on here. Defunct mom, that's for sure! He's going to be a man before I know it, and I'm constantly amazed at the changes he experiences every day.

One of the gifts he received for Christmas was a set of brushes, complete with hoof pick. He has been very anxious to use them, we just haven't had a whole lot of chance. Last Tuesday finally afforded decent enough weather, time on our part, and opportunity for our friends to have company. We've all been busy!

I love that I could barely get Luke out of his seat quick enough for him to greet his fuzzy buddies! As soon as his feet hit the dirt he took off running to pet noses and say hi to Jack, Penny, and Polly. They were all lined up at their gate waiting to greet their favorite small person, too. I had the camera, but I was unable to grab a shot of this since I also had my arms full with Luke's saddle, bridle, helmet, brushes, and jacket that he so conveniently forgot to grab. I will readily admit that I'll be happy to see the day Luke carries his own tack...I have plenty of my own to worry about!

I grabbed a halter and pulled Jack out. Luke immediately grabbed his brushes and set to work getting his buddy ready for a ride. Well, as ready as Luke could get him since he can't reach his back or do his feet without help, but it's still a big accomplishment. He did a great job, too! I then threw his tack on, helped Luke get his helmet on, and walked the pony to the mounting block. Luke was already waiting for us and I could only stand in amazement as he stretched his foot up, put it in the stirrup, grabbed the pommel & cantle and hoisted himself right up! He then proceeded to top that perfect mounting off with an immediate sliding of his right foot into the other iron, getting himself square, picked up his reins and said "walk, Jack" while he appropriately squeezed his legs closed. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Wasn't it just yesterday that he needed me to lift him into the seat and put his feet in the irons? Didn't I have to hand him the reins and make sure he was ready?

We did wander around a bit and had a good walk. Luke showed me how well he does his "up-downs", what a good leg he has, spontaneously reached to pet & praise his pony on his own, and demonstrated that he is actually prepared to begin walk-trot lessons. It's a bittersweet thing for me because my baby boy, my little leadline rider is ready to progress. I've wanted this for him, but I'll miss our own little lessons and fun at shows while in the ring together. Not only that, I need to learn to keep my emotions and stomach in check while he learns to tackle riding by himself. Oh my...

I did manage to snap two pictures before Luke dismounted...again, he did this all by himself. A friend told me he looks like he was falling asleep, but he was griping that I had the camera out again. He gets tired of me taking his picture all the time. But I'll always remember that even HE laughed when he saw them!

Every single day my child correctly uses a new big word in a sentence, and he does something that is probably beyond his years. Every single day I thank God for allowing me another 24-hours with him and marvel at how he is growing up. But I have to think that every single time I see him in the saddle I will only see my little child on a large grey pony....

Natural Disasters Equal Natural Tears...

There is just no other way to say it: I am a complete emotional mess. I hide it well, but then I sit here after everyone else has gone to bed and I cry. I admit that it is not one of those things I just sit and do on regular occasion, but when something hits me in the heart I let go and cry. The only thing that keeps me from being completely buried in embarrassment is the fact that I know I am not alone.

I know everyone is aware of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked the tiny third-world country of Haiti barely 10-days ago. That's no longer news. But it is haunting me. I am struggling with the fact there are so many children who have lost everything, including their entire families. I am wishing I were among the people who have volunteered and deployed to help the Haitian people, whether on their own, through an organization, or with the military. And I am praying. Fervently. It's all been emotionally draining.

Yet the good thing is that I know who I am and that I'm not the cold-hearted person I sometimes am accused of being. When it becomes your nature to hide emotion and a lot of personality from those who aren't family or the closest of friends you begin to hear all sorts of interesting impressions and accusations. Sometimes it makes me laugh, this time it made me bawl my eyes out...

New Year, New Semester, New Life....

January ushered in more than just a new year, it brought the start of another semester of school for me. I am still a part-time student, it's what's working for me, but I have upped things to 3/4 time: 9 semester credits. Yes, I am well aware that that fact is less than exciting, but it is what seems to work for our family. Right now those classes are still history classes, but they do involve a lot of work. Especially this semester! Four research papers, one speech, and plenty of time making sure I don't completely blow tests that are all essay questions. I see many late nights in my future! But it IS all worth it!

January also brought about some new things for the family. I have been on a mission to clean out the accumulated stuff in our house. Things such as coats, clothes, toys, and just...stuff! I am pleased, yet also very humiliated to share that we donated 9 trash bags of adult clothing and coats (seriously, 3 of those bags were JUST the coats Jeff & I had accumulated!) to the shelter at the Salvation Army. But other than that, I have finally nearly completed the cleaning out of the basement. Goodwill has gotten to know me a wee bit too well! Luke has been fantastic with this. It's tough for a 3-year old to understand having so much and sharing with those who don't, but he's thrown a few things in the donation boxes.

But I think the biggest new thing actually revolves around yours truly. It's probably not any kind of a secret that I have been looking and applying to return to full-time work, but it is a bit of a surprise when people find out where. I have been turned down by some, had the FBI position cancelled (but they're retaining my resume, so that's VERY good!), and am still waiting to hear on a few others, but they are all Federal positions of the intelligence kind. Right up my ally, and definitely where I am trained. The door that has been opened, however, is the one that finds me back in uniform.

I cannot even begin to express my excitement over that fact! It is truly amazing how one can feel they've left their job unfinished but then be given another chance at fulfilling the mission. Even better is the fact I'll actually be with the planes this time instead of only sitting inside a SCIF freezing my butt off! Yes, being an Air Force Reservist is a part-time job, but it's also still 24/7. The door opened with the opportunity of becoming what is known as an Air Reserve Technician, the same full-time position my dad held for so many years (just in a different shop, of course!). Until my SCI clearance is upgraded again (which tends to take months....always) I will be doing structural inspections on the C-130, including X-rays. VERY cool, and I'm trained in the art of taking, developing, and reading X-rays! But I do hope I'll get the chance to crawl inside an intake for an inspection. I always feared it when my dad had to do something similar in the F-16, so it's sort of facing that fear, but it's also just kind of fun to say "I was the smallest person, so they sent me in." How many people can say they've hung out inside an aircraft engine's intake?

(Not part of the 302nd, but a great demo of intake inspection)

Needless to say, Luke is a little excited about this, as well. He keeps telling me I can't be an "Air Force Man" because HE is the one who is, but he's thrilled to get to know the airplanes. This child takes after his mom, uncle, and sometimes Grampa in that he hears a plane (or helicopter) fly anywhere near the house and shoots out the door to take a look, and he's expressed that he wants to fly later in life. I can't wait to get him familiar with these Herculean birds!

(one of my unit's birds dropping water on a wildfire)

If you have read this far, I thank you! I know it's a bunch of rambling drivel, but it's also the quick catch-up. I hope January has been half as exciting for the rest of you!

Joyeux Noel...part 2

Yes, yes, I know I am slow on this.

We woke on Christmas morning when daddy got home from work. Well, Luke woke up, I was allowed to sleep in another hour. I'm quite grateful for that! But then the fun began.

Luke could not hold his excitement at being able to finally tear into the presents without getting into trouble. I add that caveat because he tore into two gifts on two separate occasions and presented his treasure to us with pride. Imagine his disappointment when it was taken away and he got to spend a few minutes in time-out for that little trick. But he learned, and now he was ready to devour the paper. He thought it was great fun and couldn't get enough! He even enjoyed the orange & apple I put in his stocking (momma & daddy got one of each, too, don't worry!). The orange instantly became a temporary baseball while the apple became an instant breakfast. Goofball kid...but I can't complain that he loves his fruit.

He thought it was great fun that he was allowed to help us tear the paper off of our gifts, but he also thought our stuff was very boring. It didn't make sounds, it didn't have Lightning McQueen on it, and it wasn't something that he could put together to drive stuff on or use as an airstrip. His toys, however? He was in complete heaven! I'm also proud to report the few items of clothing were much appreciated as he attempted to wear all of it at the same time, pre-washing. The books he received were all read (at least in part) before noon. And the puzzles were sadly told they had to wait until we could find a spot on the floor to put them together. What a great kid to patiently wait for that to happen!

Once things were somewhat picked up, family was called, and everyone was fed I took off to deliver some cookies to friends in Penrose. Daddy took a well-deserved nap and Luke joined him for a bit. I wasn't gone that long, but they were both up & playing by the time I got home.

All-in-all, we had a fantastic day that was full of nothing but family fun. As much as I enjoy being with extended family on holidays, it is pure love to have Christmas morning involve just me & the boys.....

Joyeux Noel...part 1

I had so much fun preparing for Christmas this year. Luke's third seems to have been the most fun thus far, and he was certainly ready! After quite some time of exclaiming over the lights, helping me put up the decorations, doing a really good job of staying calm while we gave toys to OTHER kids, and deciding he wanted nothing to do with the Christmas program at church, Christmas Eve finally rolled around.

Daddy had to work, but Luke and I went to the 5:30 candlelight service at our church. That's earliest Christmas Eve service I have been to in a very, very long time. When I lived in Hawaii I went to an 8pm service, but that WAS the late service. Otherwise, it's been only 11pm services since I was young and my parents decided I was old enough. That is, however, much too late for a little child. I was actually quite surprised at just how crowded it was! I figured most of the kids went to the 3:30 Barn Service, but there were still quite a few at this one. Luke was fidgety, and he even let the entire congregation know he wanted to talk. "Can I talk NOW??" And a round of laughter. I was really amused, but also mortified. He survived, though, and he loved the candles. Then came time for us to have a special treat for dinner: Christmas pancakes at IHOP!

This really was a treat because we don't go out that often. I was just sorry Daddy couldn't join us for this one festive occasion, though. You see, this was the reward for the gift Luke gave us, fittingly on Christmas Eve. A year ago this month (January) he had been fully potty trained as was doing really, really great. When I had my pulmonary embolism in February, all that training went down the toilet. It was so bad for a while that he would have a full-fledged panic attack if we even attempted walking into a public restroom....which ended up painful for the parents, but we dealt. For the past almost year we have been fighting to get him back onto the potty. On Christmas Eve morning he marched into the bathroom, sat on his potty, then hollered to us at the top of his lungs "I POOPED!" And that was all it took! He's been in big boy pants ever since!

We got home a little after 8, later than Luke's bedtime, but it was a special night. I let him watch a Christmas show, we continued tracking Santa on NORAD's map, and he was too excited to go to sleep. Eventually he caved, and Santa was able to make his visit. I finally climbed into bed somewhere around 2am, and the sugar plums danced in our heads all night long....

New Year's Eve....

I know I still need to post on Christmas and my crazy child. He definitely gave us a unique present this year, but it's one we're more than happy to have. More will come on that later...

For now, I want to remind everyone that this is a night that is so much fun for everyone. Last year I posted about the AdAmAn (add a man) Club from our area and their annual climb up Pikes Peak to shoot fireworks at midnight. What a fantastic way to ring in the New Year, and let me tell you just how jealous I am of them this day! It is glorious outside. Not too cold (should be in the teens on the summit), just a little bit of wind, robin egg-blue skies with no clouds. Absolutely gorgeous!! And perfect for climbing! As I write this the team is about 2-miles from summit, meaning they have about 2 hours left to climb. They should summit about 3pm MT. They can then rest a bit, enjoy a donut and something warm to drink, set up for the 5 fireworks at 9pm in honor of the original Frozen Five, and make sure all is ready for the midnight show. They've also assured us that they have extra fireworks this year for a bigger show. Yay!

This year they've done things just a little bit differently. Sure, they've done the same thing of leaving Manitou onto Barr Trail yesterday morning, camped at Barr Camp overnight, and left the camp this morning around 9am. Sure, they've flashed the mirrors and let everyone in the Springs know their status. But this year they've joined cyberspace! They're tweeting and Facebooking status updates.

So, for now, the point of this post is to let everyone know that. Make sure you check them out! Follow them on Twitter at TheAdAmAnClub, and on Facebook at The AdAmAn Club. In honor of this, I will TRY to get a few pictures of the fireworks tonight. I just don't know how well it will work since I'm far enough away and it's dark...but I'll definitely try...

Salty Thoughts...

As I glanced out my kitchen window last night I noticed how the dark clouds with a flat edge contrasted the sky and I was instantly swept back to my days in Hawaii. To see how easily the pale blue sky fell right into the dark blue ocean always fascinated me. Unless it was night, I always gawked as I drove home from the Tunnel to Hickam, or crossed to the Windward side of Oahu via the Pale, Like Like, or eventually the H-3. There were times it was tiring to see the white clouds hanging low on the mountains and have to convince my brain that it didn't mean snow (unless we were talking about Maui or the Big Island, of course), and it was often frustrating to have a great amount of rain but never any lightning & thunder, but it never got old to see that great big body of water we know as the Pacific Ocean blending into the sky along the horizon.

I had someone look at me very oddly on Christmas Day, too. I had cookies to take to friends in Penrose, so hubby asked me to stop at the gas station to get him some more Dr. Pepper. Nevermind the fact we had plenty of cans in the garage, he wanted the 2-Liters. He's addicted. Now way around it. Regardless, I started giggling while waiting in line because the "Woohoo" song came on. I don't know the real name, I've always called it that. It came out the same day I landed in Hawaii and the only part of the words I remember are "WOOOHOOO!" So, that's how it came to be dubbed. Everytime I hear something that was popular while I lived there, I grow calmer, or warmer, or smell the ocean, or smell the sweetness of the pineapples that grew in the fields above my head at the Tunnel, or think of the boat (that would be submarine, not ship, and not a sail boat), or many, many, many hours sitting on the beach or in Aloha A'ina Park watching the ships & boats entering or leaving Pearl, and countless miles run on the roads, sidewalks, and bike paths on both Hickam & Pearl. Or it all floods back to mind. This day it made me warmer, and I told the person who looked to see what I was giggling about that this song made me instantly feel warmer because it reminded me of another time. I'm sure they thought I was completely out of my gourd, but it was the truth.

Hawaii has been on my mind a lot lately. It's not just because it's cold here and I still wish there was a place that had mountains as fantastic as the Rockies out my back door while beaches and that glorious salty scent of the ocean out my front door. There are reasons the place is on my mind. No, we are not moving. No, we are not taking a vacation (what the heck are those, anyway??). It's reasons that will come forward in due time. But they're such sweet memories that nobody needs a reason to think of them, anyway...

And The Fire Danger Is...

I couldn't help but take this shot at the beginning of the month. It was a whopping 2 degrees outside with 8 inches of snow on the ground. I started laughing.

Here's your sign!

Winter Wonderland....

I thought it might be fun to talk about our interesting early winter weather. When we get a good storm out here, it doesn't make much news. It's a little frustrating at times, but something those of us who live in Colorado have to bear with. It's a pretty widespread belief that Colorado equals mountain towns and skiing (sound familiar, Utah folk?), but what so many people in the nation, including the national media, have no idea that the areas with the major population are actually on the desert plains EAST of the mountains! Seriously, for us to get the snow we have this year is unusual. Even more unusual is the below zero temperatures. The first week of December we here in Pueblo had 8 inches of snow, didn't get above 10 degrees during the day, and were as cold as -18 at night. That is very, very early! We usually don't see that kind of cold until the end of January, and it lasts less time than this snap did. Yet, there was barely a breathe of mention about it. Oh well, life goes on.

But this weather that started back before Halloween has made me notice something. I'm truly shocked at the amount of kids who aren't properly outfitted for the snow and cold in a state that is no stranger to the stuff! Sure, I gave the benefit of the doubt in October because it was still early and many stores still didn't have a full stock of winter clothing, but in December? Really? Luke and I were toasty and enjoyed our snowy start to this month simply because we like to be outside and I'm one who will search the universe to get appropriate clothing. He is set with his snow pants, warm boots, gloves, hat, and coat. The most expensive thing being his boots because I kept being outbid on Ebay, so I bit the bullet and paid the average $25 for them. But while we were out there in appropriate gear that cost next-to-nothing, the other kids I saw were in light coats, no hats, no gloves (not even knit!), jeans, and tennis shoes. They'd be out for 5-minutes, MAYBE 10-minutes, then go back inside because they were cold. And we didn't see them out again. I know it costs money to outfit your kids for weather like this, believe me. I know! But even my parents, who for many years could barely afford to rub two dimes together, always managed to find us snow pants, boots, hats, gloves, and coats so we could play outside in the winter, and it didn't break the bank (thanks, guys! I REALLY appreciate that you did that for us!).

Anyway, I realized that we didn't have a sled for us, or for Luke. Griping about improperly geared children and I was neglecting this part of my son's life? Um, whoops. Luckily, I knew we could find some at Sports Authority and we dashed to the mall to buy one....but not until we trudged our snow packed road, ran down a bit and slid on our butts. We soon found neighbors in their windows laughing at us, and the dog was all-t0-pleased to join the fun. Upon our return, I immediately decked us out, inspiring giggles while I envisioned Ralphie's little brother being bundled up in A Christmas Story. Out the door we went and up the hill.

It didn't take long until the boys across the street came to join the fun. I took advantage of the moment and broke the camera out. Luke was having a ball! Sadly, just 2 days later, our snow had nearly all melted. We're still waiting for more (though current rumor has it we've got a good chance at a White Christmas..I hope so!)

Now for the contrast: the East Coast. My big brother and only sibling lives with his family in Virginia on the mouth of the Potomac River. They get some snow, but nothing spectacular. That's hard on a man who grew up in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah! Well, they received one whopper of a storm this week and it's my turn to be jealous. Actually, it's quite nice because they'll be moving to Shreveport, Louisiana in April, so Virginia is working on giving them some incredibly sweet memories before they leave. I'll steal and post the pictures of my beautiful niece and nephews playing in their approximately 2-feet of snow when I get them, but for now, I'll just share a couple that David took after just one short night of snowfall.

Global warming? I'd have to vote for a Global Cooling cycle, and I am enjoying it!

Neglect...

Good grief, I have neglected this blog! I love to write, and while I may not be the most gifted at the stuff, I get a lot of satisfaction from it. Why then have I basically forgotten about this very fun outlet for nearly a month? There's not one specific answer, but a lot of it does revolve around school. Some revolves around time with family and the ever-present "welcome to the Holiday Season" illnesses. Not much of an excuse, but it's the best I can offer.

There are certain times during the semester that I become a writing fool. I can handle it since I do love to write, but it takes time away from the recreational aspect of the outlet for me. Especially since the majority of what I write involves a great deal of reading, research, and figuring out what information I am actually going to use in the space allotted papers that deal with typically very past events. Not always the easiest of tasks, as was the case this semester. I chose to write on Sir William Wallace, who gained most of his American notoriety when Mel Gibson took his role in the film Braveheart. Talk about a tough man to find reliable information on! But the work paid off as I somehow managed to use every inch of space I was allowed and gained a 98 on the paper. Relief!

Mid-November also brings about a little bit of a frenzied time preparing for the Holiday Season. While it is only the three of us hanging out at the house this year, it does take a little planning. It seems like there's often a business trip planned around this time, we tend to get sick more often, and meals take more planning. Luke can't seem to shake cold, after cold, after cold. I actually managed to take the full-fledged Norovirus on this year (vs. past years when I was the one who grabbed the mild version) and decided to become friendly with the porcelain bowl and bathroom floor. The nice thing about it was that I didn't have to worry about the Thanksgiving calories! Jeff has managed to just get a few sniffles, so far. I guess we can't complain, really. It beats our usual "illnesses!"

As with all good things, it is time for me to refocus on my approaching finals. While I don't expect to have this blog be quite so quiet through this time, I do need to get through these final assignments and tests. So I now return to studying through the rest of the evening.....

My Deepest Appreciation....

This is such an incredible day for me. Each year it becomes more and more special. Luke and I attended the Veteran's Day parade in Pueblo on Saturday. I realized it is the first one I have been to as an adult that I have not marched in. That was sobering. I don't know if I can explain how, or even if I can make anyone understand. Realizing there is probably less than a handful of World War I Vets left, that the men and women of the generation of my grandfathers who served in World War II are dying very quickly, that the Korean War Vets, and even the Vietnam War Vets are aging and dying from things we are only beginning to understand hit me hard. My own generation is seeing things change rapidly, and appreciation sometimes seems to be slipping.
But then I think of those who have set the example for my life. My biggest hero will always be my father. My father, who worked so hard, gave so much of himself to allow my mom to stay home and raise my brother and me. Being a member of a fighter unit in the Air Force Reserve, working full time at that job, meant he left the country more often than other Reserve squadrons. Even when I was a small child, 2 weeks often morphed into a month or longer. But he made probably more than his ration of 5-minute phone calls from Denmark, Canada, Turkey, Thailand, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and many other places. They were words we lived by. He was often a staple at my horse shows, but also the only dad who came in his uniform. And he has left me with sweet, sweet memories of being an excited and spoiled little girl who relished the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of an F-105 and F-16. I regret I never had the chance to spend a day or night with him at work like my brother did, but am also so very proud David had that chance. Thank you, MSgt Melvin M. Ahrens (USAFRes, Ret)
My second hero is my big brother. We may be 5-years apart in age, but we are close in spirit. Sure, we have, and have had our sibling spats. Who really wants their baby sister tagging along to to every imaginable events, anyway? And how many can really hold their wits when that baby sister throws a royal fit because big brother gets to have "all the fun" with the planes while she has to go to bed early because she's truly little? But he always knew who he was and what he wanted to do with life. He worked hard, hard, hard and was accepted into a private university that is widely known to have produced some of the best pilots the U.S. Air Force has ever seen. Not only that, he was awarded a full ride scholarship. While he was turned down for a pilot's slot, he was navigator qualified, earned his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, and has proceeded to achieve his graduate degree in another engineering field. He is now a Lieutenant Colonel in our Air Force, and a fantastic family man. I can't be a more proud sister.
Not to be outdone is my wonderfully patient husband. We met in 1997 on Pearl Harbor. I lived on Hickam Air Force Base, which literally is separated from Pearl by a fence of brush and two pole gates; one at the edge of the water, one in base housing. This incredible man caught my eye and returned my smile. 1 year and 4-months later we were married. That was 11-years ago, but he has remained by the side of this crazy blonde chick from Utah. Any man who can serve on a submarine, let alone an attack submarine with the hull number of 666, is someone special, and I can't believe I ever got so lucky. I only regret that an injury cut his Naval career short.
I need mention my amazing father-in-law. Once in a while he speaks a bit of his time in the Navy, but I know the memories are difficult for him. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War, though he endured things no man should ever have to encounter in his own country. I sincerely doubt he is aware of just how much we appreciate not only him, but the example he showed to the man I married.
There can be no comparison to the men and women who have sacrificed all for our country. Nor can we forget those who are still missing, including Sgt. Matt Maupin (Edit to add I am an idiot. In my tiredness and emotion, I failed to remember Sgt Maupin's remains were recovered and brought home nearly 2-years ago....) and Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl. But my appreciation to every single person who has dutifully served our country can never be measured in words. Had it not been for the farmers who stood up against the tyrannical King George, we would not have this nation. Had it not been for all of those who have put on the uniform and not only fought here, but overseas in defense of our allies, there is no telling where we'd be today. Had those people not stood up and taken the oath to protect our Constitution against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic, we could not stand today and say
THANK YOU.......

Fort Hood....

I am sure I am only echoing the thoughts of everyone else in the nation tonight, but my heart is absolutely sick over the news coming from Killeen, Texas tonight. My time in service to my country afforded me the opportunity to witness some really bizarre behavior from my peers and superiors. I saw one of my officers lose his mind and drop a box of ramblings in a foreign language at the main gate on Hickam AFB, HI. It was addressed to the Base Commander and we were shut down with the thought someone had left a bomb. I saw some of the younger soldiers and Marines, in particular, become so tired that they would just fall over from exhaustion while on duty. I went through multiple bomb threats and evacuations. I was even present and on duty for an actual bomb exploding in the office of the First Sergeant at the Security Police Force's orderly room on Lackland AFB, Texas. She survived, though she lost a hand, an eye, most of her fingers on the surviving hand, and had other injuries. She also managed to finish her career. The newly dishonorably discharged airman who managed to get the bomb on base and into her office was prosecuted to the fullest extent. A few months after that all of America witnessed the horrific acts of 9/11. That was the worst example of humanity, and the strongest example of "brotherhood" I have experienced to date. A Middle-Eastern restaurant had been completely vandalized and nearly destroyed by angry citizens. The woman who owned it still somehow managed to open for lunch, but only because of the support of military members who were off-duty on September 12th. And the entire lunch and dinner crowd made the news. It was all military. I worked with a devout Muslim. He was angry over the happenings, and he was fearful, too. The entire crew on our shift, plus some, surrounded him and made sure was safe.

I never did see anything like the soldiers at Fort Hood saw today, however. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining! I am simply heartsick and wishing there was more I could do. I know the chaos that arrises in the moments surrounding a disaster. I don't think I even want to imagine the fear and pain, even in these many hours after the fact. No, I was not in the Army. Many of my coworkers were, or still are. Fort Hood was less than 2-hours away from those of us who were stationed in Texas for a time. It's a huge part of the community as a whole, even hundreds or thousands of miles away. It's a small world, to say the least.

So tonight I sit here with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes. I have not worn a uniform in 4 very long years, but the ties that bind are strong. So, to quote my big brother, LtCol David K. Ahrens, USAF, "Stay strong, Fort Hood. This USAF Sister is standing with you......."