Pro-Bono Work

This is my most recent work as the defacto FOB engineer. I draw up the designs and the operations and maintenance folks at the camp do the rest.

I thought of it after watching how many folks liked eating from the Ice Cream Parlor I had designed several months back. I guess I had about ten pounds of added guilt watching everyone enjoy the new dessert digs that I felt a produce stand would help me feel a little better . . . . unfortunately, a lot of space on our new "produce stand" is taken up by cakes and cookies as well. C'est la vie!!

In Him,

Christmas Away From Home

The banners were flying high and plenty in preparation for the big day at the DFAC.

Employees placed sparkling grape juice on ice to make the occasion even more festive and tasty.


Just as at Thanksgiving, the center tables were full of goodies from special cakes to "gingerbread" houses covered in hot dog buns and bread slices.

We enjoyed the Holy day by watching Christmas classics on T.V. and in between meals I worked. Go ahead and scroll down to Rachel's pics of a much more exciting Christmas. God Bless you all!

In Him,

More Christmas Pictures!!!!

Ryan (David's brother-in-law), Pam, my mom, and Sarah, David's sister (Ryan's wife).

More Christmas Pictures!

Christmas

Our Christmas Days were a culmination of remembering the miracle of the little baby God sent for us. The sunday before Christmas Day, I was blessed enough to be able to sing a couple of songs at church. Singing these as Mary humbled me greatly and helped me to really "get" Christmas in a way that sadly doesn't happen for me every year. What about you? When did you last really "get" Christmas? I pray, that even as the day has past, that you take the time to slow down and let Christmas happen in your heart. Trust me, it's a lot better than the hurry- scurry, bustling, trying-to-do-it-all-myself attitude that I tend to carry most of the time!

Well, Christmas fell on December 24th this year, oddly enough, at my parent's home. We all dragged ourselves out of bed while the kids excitedly bopped around, hurrying us through our chores! We had a really lovely morning with my parents, my sister and her husband Ryan, and my brother. We missed David sorely. but probably missed him even more the next day with his family! We had a great time with 2 of the five cousins and 2 of David's five siblings and their families. There were 12 of us total, but that felt small due to the normal 21!

Here are some pictures to share our days with you! The one on the top is my brother Spencer and my new brother-in-law Ryan.

"Fire Night"

The kids call it a "fire night" when we have a fire in the fireplace. Last night we did this in addition to making cookies! They were really thankful, which says volumes to this tired Mommy! We had a great night together! I hope you and your family are working hard to make time for togetherness as well. Even if it's wrapping together, shopping together, or a quick cup of hot chocolate or tea together for a few minutes a day. Merry Christmas!!!

Rachel

Christmas Time is Here

This is the lovely tree that was sent to me by some dear friends in Montgomery. I decorated it and put it in my office much to the delight of my office mates also longing for home.

These mountains are just outside our base and they have been dusted with snow for a couple weeks now - we are slowly seeing the white creep down towards the base and soon we'll be in the thick of it! That building in the middle on top of the shorter hill is an old Russian officer's club with a pool and a lot of marble. It's pretty fun to explore but a little cold to venture out to these days.

Real-world Engineering

One of the perks of this deployment is that I get to actually build stuff! This wall is an example of some of the construction I've been doing over the last nine months. Of course, most of my work was at other locations so I travelled quite a bit. Thankfully, that has waned some and a very large project started at my base, so I finally get to monitor a project from the beginning - it is a good feeling!

The wall required a span that went over a small open culvert so the contractor proposed the shown design for a concrete beam on two piers that had to be approved. And, for the first time in my Air Force career I had to go to the drawing board (literally) and calculate the moments of deflection for the wall and the nominal moment capacity of the designed beam. I also had to determine the force per square foot on each of the piers and the transferred force to the ground to determine what possible settling issues we may face.

I can't lie. It was hard! It took me about five hours to determine everything, going back to Civil Engineering handbooks and the web for equations, coefficients, and standards. But it was actually fun, too. Who said those five years at Tech were a complete waste?

Where to start?!?!? Gifts in the Mail or Tampa?

OK. I will start with the totally awesome care package I received today from my office back in Alabama. Besides an assortment of food goodies specially selected to meet my tastes, my office (and I can take a good guess who specifically) decided it would only be more perfect by plastering half of the items with the face of a personal hero - David Hasslehoff. Yes, the "Hoff" made it all the way across the Atlantic and several continents to bid me a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Does it really get any better?



How about this? We had to take a detour through a portion of Kabul we rarely frequent due to serious traffic issues and lo and behold, there's KFC! That's "Kabul" Fried Chicken, in case you were wonderin'. . . .

Finally, I'll leave you with this shot. The 2008 ACC Player of the Year consoles the 2009 ACC Player of the Year on the sidelines shortly after the clock ran out. The ACC Championship Game in Tampa proved to be a lot more exciting the the SEC Championship Game and brought out the very best in both teams. Thankfully, Tech's best of 39 points was better than Clemson's best of 34 points. How about them Oranges?

Groovy tunes to surf by - Pandora

http://www.pandora.com/

I know that I am a little late in the game with this but I've got to say that Pandora rocks my world! Just put in your favorite artist and it automatically creates a streaming radio station perfectly atuned to the stylings and message of said artist.  Try it out - you'll get hooked!

Ode to Skype

Andrew & Elizabeth crowd the screen while Skyping with dad

Skype, Skype!

Why so much hype?

'Twas suggested by friends

Now the fun never ends!

Chatting with R

would seem so far,

but this app keeps us close

better than most.

Before Skype I found

other programs around.

Windows Live, ICQ,

and DSN to name a few

just do not compare

when checking on the home lair.

A, E, and H. J.

love spending the day

watching dad on the screen

and boy their smiles gleam!

I'm thankful for Skype!

(There's nothing left to type)