Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Does this picture look familiar?

One of my favorite moments with my dad...

I played soccer when I was little and my first year our team was awesome. It was one of the big games and we were tied. We had a shoot off and I was the goalie. We weren't so awesome in this game. I was so nervous. I blocked a few but missed one and the game was over, the other team won. I was so sad, embarassed and mad that I let my team down.

The one thing I remember most from that game is that my dad was there and he picked me up and carried me to the car. I felt safe and secure and that everything was going to be ok.

Thank you for being there for me dad, for always being there!

Meeting Santa...

PRICELESS!!!

This is the first time for both of them. Obviously Cheyenne wasn't a fan!

Ayva loved it and even gave him her list.

my daddy, my dad, my friend

Because of the last post with the poem and Thanksgiving I wanted to write this post.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I learned more about my dad in a few hours than I ever did living in the same house with him for years. From his growing up years, Ricks College, mission, Ricks College again, boot camp and then Vietnam. He is amazing and MY HERO!!!

I apologize for my lack of skill in expressing how I feel in words but I'll try.

I've always had a special place in my heart for those who defend our country and never knew why I felt so strongly, until now.

The things he went through--- just hearing the experiences he went through for me is pure devastation. Knowing that someone you love and care about went through--in my words--torture is almost too much for me to take. Boot camp, he said, was probably the worst.

Things were a little different back then. His number came up and he was drafted. Although he was drafted, he felt like he needed to go and help because he was at home living the good life while others were fighting for that life. The amazing part to me and I don't know how to say it without it sounding snobby, his life at the time was hardly the good life.

Whenever I see soldiers or veterans something inside says to "Stand up and salute!" and give them the respect they deserve. Vietnam Veterans certainly did not receive that kind of treatment when they came home but they do now and he (and I) love that!

There's something there (possibly pride, but there's got to be something more to it then just pride) when I see the soldiers in their uniforms standing at attention when everyone else is clapping and screaming, walking in reverence, saluting, protecting their own and more. Maybe it's because when I see any soldier or veteran, hear a story about soldiers or songs that sing about this---I think of my dad.

I went to DC one year with my sister Stephanie. The tomb of the unknown soldier was the most amazing thing I've seen besides the Vietnam wall, Arlington Cemetery and the Marine Corp War Memorial. For those who have never been there, there is a marine that guards it all the time. The changing of the guards was so reverent and respectful. There was a ton of tourists there including my sister and I watching. The new marine came on and started his post. The crowd started to leave and was very loud. I noticed the guard stopped in the middle turned to the crowd, still at attention, and basically told people to be quiet. It was more like a chastisement but in a respectful way. I wish I remembered what exactly he said but I absolutely loved it! I believe, in this day, we have lost that reverence and respect that people use to have and it's sad to me.

This song, as soon as I hear the music and words I'm in tears and can never get through the whole thing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZZf619DIpo

This is my dad and my friend.

He is a good, honorable, strong, brave, courageous, hard-working, determined, loving and compassionate man.

I wish you could all know him the way I do!

I love you dad!

A Christmas Poem

My aunt sent this email to us and there are no words that adequately describe how I felt reading this. So I thought I'd share.

Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts…

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.”
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
“I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Getting ready for Christmas

The Monday after Thanksgiving we put up the Christmas tree for FHE. The girls had a great time putting on all the ornaments.

I'm terrible, I know, I didn't have a star for the tree and Ayva didn't let me forget. So the next day I went to Wal-Mart and got a little star.

They both had to have a turn at putting the star on top.

On another note, it is bitterly cold here and extremely windy (just keep that in mind).

So, I hung Christmas balls on the little dead tree in our front yard last week. It is so windy here that one of the balls feel off yesterday and I kept saying - I'll pick it up later. Well today I was at the kitchen sink and looked out the window and saw my Christmas ball rolling away down the road.

I was really sad, I know pathetic, but I love Christmas and all the fun decorations. Since we've been married I've never really stocked up on my decorations because of all the moving, so this year I decided to go a little more crazy with all that (well not that crazy).

So as the ball was rolling away I thought it was gone forever and I was so sad I almost cried--see pathetic!!

I decided to wander out to see if I could get it. I went down our driveway and didn't see it so I turned around and the cold, bitter, snowy wind took my breath away and just about knocked me over. I came back in and gave up.

Josh came down and I told him all about it. He was very nice and didn't give me a hard time about being sad over one Christmas ball-what a great guy!

He gave me hope and I was determined to find it this time. I bundled myself up and went out!

I started walking down the street and kept going and I turned a corner and there it was--in the middle of the road rolling on top of the powder snow. I GOT IT!!!

The walk home was the worst! I was walking into the wind. I couldn't see or breath (ok, I'm assuming you got the sarcasm there)!

I felt kind of stupid, all that just for a decoration.

BUT NOW I'M HAPPY AGAIN!!!

Feel free to tell me how pathetic I am!

Christmas Lights

I spent Saturday morning on the roof hanging Christmas lights--well I actually spent most of Friday, all of Saturday morning and part of Saturday afternoon. It got so cold Saturday afternoon that I could barely move my fingers!

Happy Late Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with my parents and sister Brittany and had a great time!

We had fun chatting, eating, playing games, watching movies, going to the movies (Thanks Brit for going with us) and going through old family pictures. That was so fun!!!

Here's some pics of our trip...

Thanksgiving dinner, thanks mom!!! It was yummy!!!

I'm stunned that grandpa rode the merry-go-round with the girls!!!

The girls had so much fun hanging out with grandpa!

It was kind of cold outside so we went to The Great Mall and let them play.

We went to Zonkers (like Chuck E Cheese) in the mall and the girls loved it, they love those rides.

Grandma even went on the little roller coaster ride with them, Ayva is still talking about it.

Grandpa is building a kid size train for their basement. He started on it while we were there and the girls got to help grandpa.

Ayva is blowing off the dust.

Cheyenne being cute! What a cute little girl!!!

Grandpa took the girls to Lowe's to get some things and they came back with a tool. Grandpa bought them each a tool.

Ayva loves to sweep!

For some odd reason Cheyenne wanted to get into the trunk, crazy girl! And no she did not ride in the trunk home.

The first section of track--finished! Good job Dad, it's awesome!!!

Cheyenne was climbing all over grandma and she's our little cuddler too!!!

Thanks for letting us come and invade for the holidays, we had so much fun!!