Fun With Jeffrey

I have had more fun than ever being with Jeffrey. My experience of being away from him for a while and having an unexpected return has made me want to spend even more time with him.

This is Jeffrey tuned into his favorite movie, WALLE.

I am glad that I took the time to wake up early each morning to record a few mintutes of story for him. It made me feel close and gave me something to do for him rather than just think of him without anything to show on his end.

Last Vacation Photos

On our last days of vacation with the Brown family we passed through the city of Silverton. Our first stop after the local information hot spot was the photoshop where we had our pictures taken. We all dressed in old western atire and I picked out a gun from the rack on the wall for our vintage photo.

As we were leaving Silverton we started heading the wrong way, but found this wonderful canyon we wanted to come back and explore some day. I used two neutral density filters on my lens to slow down my shutter speed to get this photo. The water looks silky because at f22 I am still using a shutter speed of 8 seconds.

Tricia met this nice man while we were walking through town.

As soon as everyone steps off of the Silverton Durango train the first thing they want to take a photo of is the train. I had to wait for the crowd to move on before I could get this shot. I dialed down my EV a full f stop to ensure that the black train would turn out black in the exposure.

Outside of an antique shop a lot of rusty farm implements and tools were hung on the barn like wall. I cannot resist taking photos of old things.

Our plan was to return home through Gunnison National Forest, but it was so dark when we passed through that all we saw was the first line of trees in our head lights.

Images From Vacation

Here area few more images from our vacation with the Browns.

The Mesa Verde park was a lot of fun to walk and drive around.

Although we were not allowed to touch the stones of the indian dwellings, we were able to walk right up to them during our tour.

This is what it is like to drive around the park and look out of our windows and the scenery we are passing.

The weather was perfect for our time on vacation. Each day was sunny but cool.

I think that the train ride was one of the funnest parts of our vacation. Though it was short, about 45 minutes, it was just enough for Jeffrey not to get bored and enough for us adults to enjoy the country side.

Chocolate milk (schocate milky) is a favorite treat for Jeffrey.

Memorial Ceremony

My leave here in Colorado was just in time to allow me to attend the October memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the 4ID back in September. Tricia and Peggy worked to get my Class A ready for me to wear. The memorial was held on 10 OCT 09 at the FT Carson Soldier's Chapel. The soldiers memorialized were

1LT Tyler E. Parten

SSG Randy M. Haney

SGT Youvert Loney

SGT David A. Davis

PFC Matthew E. Wildes

PFC William L. Meredith

At the head of the chapel six M4 were posted barrel down with bayonett, helmet atop and boots posted at the base. SSG Haney was in the MRAP with me when we were hit by the RPG. After the ceremony I had a chance to meet Mrs. Haney, wife of the late SSG. I do not think that she was expecting to meet me as she showed immediate recognition of me when she read my name plate, but became very emotional and could hardly talk. It is not easy to unexpectedly meet the last person to see your significant other alive.

The ceremony was performed well and gave a dignified opportunity for many here in the FT Carson area to bid farewell to their loved friend, associate or family member.

Whosover shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14.

Chineese Garden

These are the photos that I took while on the tour of San Antonio a few weeks ago. Most of these are from the Chineese Garden that was built over an old quary. I used to be called the Japaneese Garden, but when WWII kicked off whoever owned it decided it was a good idea not to be associated with the Japaneese.

Get Well Soon

Everyone has been wishing me a get well soon, and I have certainly done that. The wound in my arm is completely healed over, I have full mobility back in my arm and I have softened the scar tissue from the surgery a great deal. I do not know what the doctors will want from me next, but as far as I can tell I am doing just fine.

Tricia's Visit to Texas

I did not get to post any photos during Tricia's visit to see me in Texas, and I am still trying to catch up on the photos I took while on vacation with the Browns. We have had a good time with the time we have been given to spend with each other, and we are taking full advantage of our cell phones to call each other throughout the day. I will be heading back to Texas soon, but I do not know exactly what the future holds for me. What ever it is, Tricia and I are ready for it. We have been very blessed in all that we have been given. Many friends and family have come around us to give us service and make sure we know we are loved and thought of.

Fishing Photos

Just a few photos from my fishing trip that I wrote about several weeks ago.

San Antonio Rodeo

These are a few photos from the San Antonio rodeo that I went to several weeks ago.

Photos from the San Antonio Zoo

Now that I am back in Colorado and have access to Lightroom, I am able to work on a few photos and post these that are back from the trip to the San Antonio Zoo that I visited with Tricia.

Finding Hope

Each week the LDS church puts out a new video on YouTube. I suppose that leaders of the church discovered how many people really pay attention to YouTube and have decided to use it as a means to spread a positive message. This is the video that was posted during the week of September 11.

Mesa Verde

After waking up and enjoying a quick continental breakfast at the Quality Inn, it was off to church at the local ward meeting house. We all slipped in just as the meeting was begining and slided out as soon as it was over as we were on our way to a full day at the Mesa Verde National Park.

While driving to our first destination we finished listening to The Lost Symbol. None of us realized that we had the abriged version until the very end, but it was a good story any way. Tricia and I agree that Dan Brown novels are better to listen to than read.

Our time at Mesa Verde was spent between the Cliff Palace and the Spruce House. I had Jeffrey on my back in his carrier and my camera attached to my face. What a fun day together we all had. Our picnic lunch was held in the van since the wind had picked up at the top of the mesa.

Family Trip to Durango

The Army was good enough to give me 14 days of convalensence leave to go back to Colorado to see the family. They even picked up the price of the airline tickets. Tricia picked me up at the Dever airport with Jeffrey in her arms and carrying a sign that Welcome Home Daddy in red, white and blue letters. Jeffrey was waving a small American flag. I almost did not recognize Jeffrey at first sight. He has grown and changed so much in the last four months that it looked to me like Tricia was holding someone elese's kid.

Jeffrey did have a fun time watching the luggage drop onto the convayor belt until my piece finially came out. Everyone we walked by stopped to watch Jeffrey hauling my big black suit case as we walked toward the exit. Once we were in the car Jeffrey started calling me daddy and that is when I knew that he still recognized me.

On Friday we headed out on our first day of a short vacation together along with Peggy and Phil. We enjoyed the beautiful Colorado country side while we listened to Dan Brown's new novel, The Lost Symbol. Our journey ended in Durango where we spent the evening walking through the historical part of the town.

This morning we enjoyed a short train ride that took us to a small park set up with games and activities for kids of a harvest festival theme. Jeffrey kept wanting to go into the bounce house, but as soon as he discovered he had entered alone, he came right back out to look for his mom. We did get a great picture of him with us and and three Peanuts charachters posing. Jeffrey was of course screaming in the photo. I think he had the most fun out in the grass running through the crisp leaves that had fallen. I did have a fun time with Jeffrey sitting on a bail of hay on the tractor ride.

Pearl Jam

I went on a tour today of the historic San Antonio. Our tour guide was knowledgeable about past and current history of the area and took us to see things and places that many would drive by without realizing how interesting they are. What made the trip the most fun was having another photographer along with me. We had a great time snapping photos and comparing what we had captured.

I jumped on the opportunity to attend the Pearl Jam concert going on in Austin, TX, sponsored by Austin City Limits at the music festival. Pearl Jam was the closing act for the festival and was the highlight event of the three day fest. Our accommodations were better than front row seats. A platform had been constructed stage right and one floor up. We were able to look down on the band playing just a short distance from us. At the midpoint of the concert between songs Ed Vedder, the lead singer, had the lights turned up on us and made sure the audience knew who we were and why we had been invited to be so close. The concert was two hours long and we rocked to many of the old school jams of Ten and Yield.

Tonight I we went to a steak restaurant where we ate our selves full of fresh hot rolls, a melt in your mouth steak, and a baked potato with all of the fixings. I sat next to SPC Ford whom I have come to know and attend a lot of the events with. I enjoy his company because he likes to get out and do fun things to experience the world around him and we can laugh ourselves silly over nearly anything.

Back in San Antonio

I have been making the very best of my time here while at the WTU in FT Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. All of my doctors have been giving me positive reports about my progress in healing. I lost a lot of mobility in my right arm after the initial surgery, but working daily with the occupational therapist I have already regained most of it. I should be able to start a light workout with my arm soon.

I am back in school and working on my last class that stands between me and my associates degree. After I finish MAT 117 at Axia College of University of Phoenix I will switch to the Art Institute of Pittsburg for a Bachelors of Science of photography.

I recently made the purchase of a Canon EF50mm f/1.4 USM and am loving it. I took it out for its trial run to Operation Float a Soldier. There are four lakes in the San Antonio area at which boat owners have donated their time for a day to take soldiers out skiing, tubing and fishing. I met up with a very nice couple that had a fun boat on Canyon Lake that took me out for a day. When I was not casting my reel I had my camera in hand and looking for great shots. I am also working with my second 580EX II Speedlite. Having two off camera flash gives an amazing amount of control over the texture and feel of nearly any scene. I have found a great website that is all about strobe photography and is constantly being updated. Check out strobist.blogspot.com