Welcome Home!

On Monday January 12, Shane returned home from his deployment to Afghanistan. There are not words to express how happy we are to have him back! It is such a relief to have him home safe and sound. It has been fascinating for me to listen to him tell stories of his adventures in Afghanistan- he really had some amazing experiences. I thought that I would put some of his pictures from his deployment on my blog so that my family and friends could see them, too. In this case, a picture really is worth a thousand words. In the picture below, Shane's plane had just arrived here on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa and I had just picked him up. What a wonderful moment!

Pictures from Afghanistan

Shane is showing two of the five medals that he received while deployed.




Shane is with a little Afghani girl named Nazia who was receiving medical care at the American military hospital because the kind of treatment she required wasn't available in her country. Her story was so compelling that the hospital staff at Shane's hospital decided to try to raise money for her so that she could go to the States to be treated by the specialists she needed to see. They raised money by having a "moustache-growing contest." While the cause is worthy, I am sorry to have to show this next photo, which shows Shane sporting a fine 'stache. Thank heavens he had shaved it off by the time he came home!

Sweet!

While Shane and his friends were waiting for trauma patients to arrive they would take turns learning how to do tricks in the wheelchairs.



This is Shane inside an MRAP (which stands for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle). An MRAP is like a tank, only better and stronger. They are designed to withstand IED attacks and ambushes. The photo below is Shane standing on top of an MRAP.

More Pictures from Afghanistan

This is what was right outside Bagram Air Base where Shane was based. I think it is so interesting to contrast the modern American military hospital that is inside the fence with the primitive conditions that exist outside it. For obvious security reasons, Shane was never allowed outside the base during his time there.

One of the highlights of Shane's time in Afghanistan was meeting Afghani President Hamid Karzai when Karzai came into the hospital for a check-up.

Here Shane is standing on top of the hospital and you can see a view of the mountains in the background as well as part of the base.

The picture above shows Shane as he is flying into Afghanistan for the first time. He is flying in a C-17. The picture below shows the sign outside the hospital where Shane worked. Check out the weapon that he has strapped to his leg. He had to have his gun with him and loaded at all times.

One of Shane's main duties was to fly medical evacuation missions from Afghanistan to Germany. What this means is that the patients that were too wounded or too sick to be treated in Afghanistan would be flown on special medically equipped planes to an American military hospital in Germany where they could receive more extensive treatment. Shane's job was to fly with them and keep them alive and safe until they reached Germany. This picture to the left shows a C-17 that was set up with bunks for the patients.

This is a picture of a KC-135 plane that had been configured to accomodate medical patients. KC-135s are normally used for refueling and they are much smaller than the C-17s.

This shows a view inside a C-17

Life's a Beach!

For us, here on Okinawa, life really is a beach! We recently took a little trip -to celebrate the end of the school year, yay! -to Okuma, which is a beautiful beach resort on the northwest side of the island on the East China Sea. It is very family friendly, with water sports of all kinds, parasailing, bikes to rent, mini golf, tennis, and lots of soft sand and warm, turquoise water. The kids kept busy with all the fun things to do, and I had a fabulous time sitting on a beach chair under an umbrella reading for days on end. Truly, my favorite thing to do!

Raingutter Regatta

Last weekend was the Cub Scout Raingutter Regatta. It was held on the beach (you gotta love Okinawa!). The boys had fun, and Dylan ended up winning third place.

Piano Recital

Dylan, Logan and Savannah played in a piano recital this weekend.

Our Very Own Karate Kid

We were at the beach the other day and Brandon saw this post. He couldn't resist channeling the Karate Kid!

Who let the dogs out? Seriously, where did this dog come from?!

I can't believe it, but Shane has done it again: He has talked me into yet another pet! This time, it is a huge (as in FAT) lab/retriever mix named Laney. Her owners were moving back to the States and couldn't take her with them, so Shane and his bleeding heart decided that we should take her in. The kids are delighted, especially Savannah, who has never really forgiven us for leaving our dog, Miel, back in the States. Even though I am no dog lover, I must admit that all things considered, I like Laney's personality. She is very mellow- almost too mellow. She is so overweight that she can't run around and she certainly can't jump up on people (thank heavens!). In fact, so far she pretty much just lays around and sleeps.