All treats, no tricks

This may be the last time everyone agrees on a theme,

so we're going to enjoy it while we can.

May the force be with you!

We did it again!

We just can't resist dressing up as a family for Halloween. This year Ryan decided on our theme months in advance. But for some reason, I was still putting together the final pieces before we walked out the door for the Fall Festival. Oi!

Did you spot everyone?

Because Jaida's costume always seems to be just a little harder to call.

(And Huey, not in costume, appears to be retching on the lawn. Lovely.)

Is it a little clearer now? She's Great Shape Barbie.

It might be the last year that she agrees to play our little game. It's getting harder and harder to find a costume she's willing to wear for us and she keeps threatening to "go out on her own".

There's Jessie! Yo-de-le-hee-hoo!

And Buzz in action--to infinity and beyond!

Have you ever seen a cuter alien?

You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful!

Need a closer look? I thought so.

I couldn't find a costume small enough for Hope, so I had to make it. Looking back, perfectionist that I am, I wish I had made the eyes horizontal ovals, instead of circles....

But Ryan keeps reminding me that she is recognizable and that is the point.

Not to mention, like I said before, I was putting this together the day she was supposed to wear it, so I'm lucky I got anything done at all.

Even though I don't look like the Bo Peep in the movie,

everyone knew who I was.

And Ryan went so far as to shave the sweet retirement goatee he'd been growing since "Woody doesn't have a beard!"

Another Halloween and fun was had by all!

Fifteen

"...when you're fifteen feeling like there's nothing to figure out...

...well count to ten, take it in...

...This is life before you know who you're gonna be...

...Fifteen."

Did you know?

Did you know that we spent New Year's at Disneyland with Ryan's sister, brother-in-law, and nieces?

Did you know that this year the Vail Veterans Program expanded to include families and we brought our kids to Vail to ski and play in the snow?

Did you know that sometimes you just gotta saddle up for Cowboy Breakfast at the child development center?

Did you know that some giraffes like to eat cookies?

Did you know that a girls only weekend with your best friend might have to become an annual tradition?

Did you know that you should always ask the vendor how much it costs to purchase two swirly light up wands at Disney on Ice? (Really. You should ask before you tell the kids yes.)

Did you know that it's hard to get three kids looking the same direction with smiles on Easter Sunday?

Did you know that Jaida received the sacrament of confirmation this year?

Did you know that Ryan got his prosthetic ears and they look so real that I forget they're fake?

Did you know that Ryan and I were invited to the Wounded Warrior Project's Courage Awards and benefit dinner in NYC? Both Trace Adkins and Bill O'Reilly received awards and we got to attend a taping of the O'Reilly Factor.

Did you know that Jaida attended her first formal dance this year and I think I had as much fun as she did picking out her outfit?

Did you know that Maya completed her Strong Beginnings Pre-K program and the graduation was almost too cute for words?

Did you know this is my attempt at catching you up on the main events of the last six months? We've been busy. It was this or nothing.

1

The last big thing that we forgot to tell you about in 2009 was probably one of the hardest decisions we had to make in a long time. After a lot of discussion, prayer, and soul searching, Ryan decided that it was time for him to get out of the Marine Corps. For the two and a half years since his injury, his goal had been to recover and get back to doing what he loves. And he does love being a Marine and flying Cobras. But even as much as he loves the Marine Corps and the life that we have had on active duty, he decided that it was time for a change.

This decision did not come easily for either of us. Ryan's career got cut short at a time when it was really just starting to get fun. He missed out on the best years of being a Cobra pilot. He was getting past the part where he was still trying to figure things out and was not yet to the part where it starts to get political. He was about to tuck his first deployment under his belt and enjoy his years as a company grade officer. As for me, since I was seventeen, the Marine Corps has been my life. I went from enlisted, to officer, to dependent wife. I almost can't remember life before the Marine Corps. While it definitely has it's good and bad, it is the life we'd chosen and loved. Our friends were more like family and we felt very much at home. Even Jaida is struggling with the idea of not being a Marine kid anymore. She has grown up around Marines and has always been proud to be a part of the Marine Corps family. This is all she knows.

We have no doubt that we will find success and happiness in our civilian life, but it is definitely a detour from the road we thought we were on. Life changed and we are changing right along with it. While we know that this is right and good, it is still difficult and a little bit scary.

Since that day in November when the decision was made, we have been discussing, praying, and searching for what is next in our lives. We are waiting for the results of his medical board so we can begin the process for his retirement from the Marine Corps. Ryan has put in some job applications and we are still waiting for an offer. We are hoping to be moving west as early as this summer, with San Diego as our first choice for location. Wherever we end up and whatever we end up doing, we know that God has a plan for us and we are in this together.

3

Jaida had quite an eventful 2009. And so much of it, I never told you about.

For instance, last spring, Jaida saw an advertisement for the North East School of the Arts (NESA). It is a magnet program on the Lee High School campus here in San Antonio. They offer seven majors in the arts that a student can focus on while getting a high school diploma. Jaida completed an application, resumé, prepared 10 pages of original creative writing, and spent an entire day interviewing and auditioning. We were told we would receive a letter within two weeks letting us know if she was accepted into their program. We got a phone call two days later. Jaida was accepted into her first choice program, Creative Writing. She was thrilled! And we are so proud of her. Being at NESA means that she has a more intense workload than she would have otherwise, as she takes two elective Creative Writing classes in addition to her primarily Pre A/P courses. But Jaida has juggled her responsibilities well and kept her grades stellar.

Jaida on the first day of high school

After Jaida got accepted into NESA, she didn't spend her summer waiting for something exciting to happen in the fall. She had a busy summer of traveling planned. She left at the beginning of July for California to stay with her Grandpa Davis and Mama Ruth. For the last two summers she has attended camp at Park Creek Bible Camp and was selected as Best Camper in summer 2008. That meant her tuition at camp this summer was free! She spent a couple days with Grandpa, then a wonderful week at camp, and then a few more days with Grandpa. But she wasn't done having fun quite yet, because then she hopped a plane to Honolulu!

Jaida's best friend, Taylor, lived in the house behind us from the day we moved into housing at Fort Sam. It didn't take long for these two girls to become inseparable. Unfortunately, military orders often make separation inevitable and Taylor's family moved to Hawaii in December 2008. Jaida was crushed and missed Taylor desperately. So it only made sense that Jaida wanted to go visit. Jaida, being the brilliant child that she is, came to me one day and said that she didn't want anything for her birthday. She didn't want presents or a party. She just wanted to visit Taylor. Ryan and I thought that was pretty reasonable, so that's just what she did. Taylor's family graciously hosted Jaida for two fun-filled weeks that Jaida will never forget. Jaida made a weeklong stop in Oregon to visit family before she finally ventured home to us in San Antonio. We really missed her all those weeks but were so glad she had those experiences.

Together again and all smiles!

An ocean can't keep these girls apart.

While I'm already posting what I'm sure Jaida will consider a thoroughly embarrassing post, let me brag about her just a little more. When Jaida was in 7th grade, she found out that the child of one of her teachers was diagnosed with leukemia. It really upset her and she wanted to do something about it. Someone told her that if you collected a gallon sized jug of soda pop tabs you could use it to pay for one chemo treatment. She immediately set out to save as many pop tops as she could. Later she did some research and discovered that wasn't true. But the pop tops weren't completely useless, the Ronald McDonald house accepts them as donations and recycles them to help offset their expenses. Jaida continued to save pop tops for more than two years. She even told a few of her friends to save them and they spread the word and brought her their collections. When it became apparent that the pop tops were taking over our garage, I told Jaida it was time for them to serve their purpose. Jaida called the Ronald McDonald house in Houston and asked them if they would accept her donation, and they did. Jaida and I toured their building and learned about the families that come to stay there. It was very moving and I was so glad Jaida could see the impact of her efforts.

Jaida with a small sampling of the gift she brought that day.

I don't think 2010 is going to be any less exciting for Jaida, considering she was nominated to be a student ambassador to China with the People to People program. She is still working through the application and letters of recommendation and has interviews scheduled for next month. (I'm sure there will be more discussion of it on the blog, so keep an eye out for that.) Jaida IS still a teenager and still drives us crazy sometimes, but Ryan and I are impressed with the young lady that we are raising and are thankful that God gave us such a great kid!

5

In May, our family participated in the Warrior Getaway hosted by the christian organization Joni & Friends. It was offered locally, in the Texas Hill Country and, unlike many, it was an event focused on the whole family.

Ryan and the kids take a break for a quick picture.

There were several recreational opportunities from horseback riding, to kayaking, to golf, and rock wall climbing. There were clowns and clown clothes so the kids (0r parents) could dress up and join in the fun. There was swimming, and jewelry making, and trips into town to do a little shopping. There was music and games at dinner, a family dance, a hilarious comedian one night, and an ice cream social another.

Maya and Trey climbing trees

But all the fun and laughs that we had weren't even the best part of the weekend.

Daddy and Noah like dinner.

Everyday there was an opportunity for the kids to go to supervised age appropriate activities, while the parents went to classes and break out sessions facilitated by the staff and volunteers at Joni & Friends. Our guest speaker for the weekend was Army LtCol. (retired) Brian Birdwell. Brian was severely burned on September 11, 2001, while working in the Pentagon. He offers a message of healing, hope, and forgiveness that so many people can relate to and it hit home with everyone present.

Trey and Maya pause for a little face painting.

The break out sessions gave the men and women time separately to talk about their experiences and connect with each other. There was laughter, tears, and a whole lot of honesty.

Ryan and Pam with Mel and Brian Birdwell

The weekend ended with a worship service that, like the rest of the weekend, was personal, honest, and deeply moving. It was hard to believe that in the four days we were there we had found so much peace and rest.

A family picture in the golf cart before we head for home

While we were at the Warrior Getaway, several families were asked to record a short interview about their experience during the weekend and which aspects were most valuable. We willingly participated and shared a little about our journey and how we came to be at the event.

A couple of months later, Ryan got an email from Doug Mazza, president of Joni & Friends International, asking Ryan to call him. We never could have imagined what came next. Our family was invited to come to Laguna Beach, California, in October to attend their President's Retreat. They were hoping we'd be willing to share our testimony and what the Getaway meant to us with the supporters of their ministry.

Noah's first time in the Pacific Ocean

Everything about our visit to California in October was so thoughtful. From our beautiful beach side resort, The Montage, to the welcome basket in our room complete with juice boxes, goldfish crackers, crayons and coloring books, and so much more. They provided transportation and tickets for our family to spend a day at Disneyland. And even Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada were interested in making our stay a pleasant one.

Maya loves the beach.

On Saturday morning it was our chance to stand on stage and share a little of our story. As we stood backstage, they played a video created to document the Warrior Getaway experience. Several families were featured, but our interview was really highlighted. After the video, Doug invited us onstage. We were greeted by a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes. It was unbelievable.

Jaida made friends with the Willis Clan.

We answered a few questions about the getaway and how much it meant to us to be a part of it. Meanwhile, Noah and Maya jumped up and down and generally had the wiggles the whole time. But no one seemed to mind. We were only onstage for a few minutes, but we were happy to do our part to continue their good work.

Ryan with Doug Mazza

At the next break, we were able to meet several of the other guests at the retreat. Before that we had not participated in any of the sessions. (I think they wanted our appearance to be a surprise.) Everyone wanted to meet Ryan and I and the kids, to hear more of our story and to thank Ryan for his service to our country.

Our family at Joni's 60th birthday celebration

The remainder of our weekend was full with a performance by The Willis Clan, a presentation from Joni Eareckson Tada, and Joni's 60th birthday celebration. Somehow we still managed to squeeze in a visit with my sister, Angie, and my dear friend Sarah. It was an amazing weekend!

The Joni & Friends organization does so much more than the Warrior Getaway. They have spent 30 years ministering to people with disabilities, and they continue their work with Wheels for the World, Family Retreats, radio ministry, and so much more. Joni's life story is such an inspirational one and she gives all the credit to God in everything she does. She has written books, recorded music, inspired movies, produced beautiful artwork, and changed lives all from the confines of a wheelchair due to quadriplegia. We were so honored to meet her and to play a small part in the continuation of the work she does with Joni & Friends.