A Little Christmas Treat

Seeing as it's the holidays and all, we thought we would share a little Christmas poem with you all. So here is a Border Patrol Agent's version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Twas the night before Christmas, when all along the border

Not a creature was stirring, except the guides and the loaders.

The X's were manned and the night scopes were bright,

In hopes that some smugglers would quicken the night.

The ninos were all nestled all snug in their hooches,

With visions of Mickey D's, myspace and dulces.

While Mama carries food and Papa brushes out,

The guide shouts "La Migra!" and they scatter about.

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,

The guides sprang from the lay-up to see what's the matter.

Across from the bushes one climbed up a ledge,

Then slipped and fell down as he tore open his leg.

The moon was a shine on the smoking dust cloud,

Gave the lustre of mid-day to the action around,

When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,

Border Patrol Vehicles and ATV's coming near!

With PA's driving all over the place,

They knew in a moment it wouldn't be safe,

SRT, K-9's, Horses all came,

The guides gathered the group, and called them by name!

"Now Chuy! Now Lencho! Now Pancho and Chico!
Run faster and faster, y no to rajes hijo!

To the top of the fence! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

The guides and the aliens mount to the sky.

So up to the hill-top the people they flew,

With the Agents behind them in heated pursuit.

Dressed all in green, black leather and fit,

Uniform tarnished with brush, dirt and sweat.

A tactical Camelback carried most of his gear,

The guides and the smugglers all cowered in fear.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And caught all the runners, sat them down with a jerk.

And flashing his mag-light around him so bright,

He scoured the bushes and lit up the night!

As he gathered the group, to his team gave a call,

And he watched as the guide shimmied over the wall

And they heard him exclaim, 'ere he ran out of sight,

"Feliz Navidad, see you tomorrow night!"

Hope you get a little chuckle out of this, that's all it's meant to provide. We hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday season! We miss our family and friends that we can't be with this year, but we will see you soon and will be thinking of you on Christmas. (6 weeks from Christmas Day we will be flying in to SLC. YAY!) Lots of love!

Update

I guess since it's been a little while since we've posted anything I should play a little bit of "catch up". We've been busy with work and projects around the house but it seems like I should still have plenty of time for blogging. Especially since this seems to be the only way we document things that are going on in our lives.

So anyways, Andrew had a great birthday. I think he has finally dealt with the fact that he is now 29. :) I keep telling him that he's only as old as he feels and since he's just a kid at heart anyways, 29 aint so bad.

We had a pretty low-key Thanksgiving this year. We invited our friends Paul and Melissa over and since both Andrew and Melissa had to work Wednesday night/Thursday morning and Thursday night/Friday morning, we ate at like 5 and we were done by 7. Oh and this year I made my first turkey! All by myself! Well with some help over the phone from Karyn in UT. It actually turned out pretty well. The timer popped like it was supposed to and it tasted good enough for people to eat. No one got sick and I guess we'll be doing another one next year. And I also got to make some of Andrew's mom's stuffing (thanks to Alana for the directions!) and he LOVED it! I'm still getting appreciation for that! I love it! Oh and we had one of Andrew's buddies from work stop by and eat too. His family is all in North Dakota and he couldn't be with them so he came and hung with us. He's a really nice guy and we're always happy to have other agents over. Man, those boys can eat! :)

Now we are well into December and we haven't even bothered with Christmas decorations. Sorry. Bah humbug or something I guess. Andrew has been super busy getting the inside of the house painted and since that is sucking all the energy out of us, we decided to only get out minimal decorations this year. We bought a new sectional couch and fireplace for Christmas and since there wont' be any presents to open on Christmas morning, we figured we'll make it easy on ourselves. Besides, Christmas isn't defined by the tree or the ornaments or the decorations. It's about the spirit that resides in your heart and in your home. We are making sure to carry those things with us, in spite of the fact that there's no tree.

Speaking of Andrew's painting...he is awesome! When we bought our house the walls were painted just that boring "bone white." It's horrible. We feel like we've been living in an insane asylum for the last year. We finally got paint colors selected and Andrew has been working like crazy to get the place painted. So far he's got most of the living room done and I think the kitchen is up next! It looks so fantastic and I can't wait to put up the before and after pics. I am one lucky lady to have such a good husband. If you're wondering why I'm not helping, it's because I've been forbidden. I am no good at painting and have a way of creating more work for Andrew so I'm allowed to tape and that's pretty much it.

Andrew is staying busy at work. He will be switching shifts in just a few weeks which we both are excited about. He won't feel like such a zombie all the time. Midnight shifts have been tough but I thing swings are still my least favorite. I am so proud of him and appreciate what he does. It's sad to see the lack of respect that the local people have for the agents down here. They get flipped off, spit at, yelled at, etc. just for doing their job and keeping us safe. So I like to take the chance, any chance I get, to let him and his co-workers know how much I appreciate them. Love you Andrew!

One final thing....we are heading to Utah for a little visit February 5-10, 2010. My awesome siblings and parents all pitched in for airfare as a Christmas gift and we are SO excited to go home! We are thinking of doing a big family get-together or something while we are there so keep some time available if you'd like to see us!

Hope these next few weeks are wonderful and filled with the magic of Christmas! Love you all!

Birthday Pics

Birthday dinner at Hana Tokoyo...yummy!

Victorious!

Jam session

Birthday kisses from Tobey

Tobey has discovered the joys of wrapping paper

Oh yeah baby! That's my man rocking out on his fake guitar!! :)

My attempt at creativity and fun...

The Big 29

Today we have been celebrating Andrew's birthday! He's turning 29 and is a little apprehensive about it. He keeps telling me how old he feels but he spent a few hours playing his new Guitar Hero, so I don't think "old age" is a problem for him at all. :)

Anyways, I did take a few pics of the day's events, but for some reason I can't get them onto the computer to share with the few people who read our blog. I guess I will have to describe the details so that you can envision it yourself. :)

Since I had to work today (I know, lame. I couldn't get out of it.) we got up around 6:45. I knew Andrew couldn't wait to open his two presents that have been wrapped and waiting for him in the living room for like a week. But first he had to read his birthday card. This year, instead of a Hallmark-storebought card I made Andrew a candy bar poster. TEE HEE HEE!! I actually had a BLAST doing it and I think it turned out pretty well. (I'll share the candybar poster message further down so that those of you who don't want to read it don't have to.) Andrew seemed to like that so I thought it would be safe enough to proceed with my next gamble. See, here's the thing. I've known Andrew for almost 5 years and I like to think I know him better than anyone. But I never have any clue what to get him, EVER. Shopping for him is like the most exhausting experience for me. He is so detailed and so particular about the things that he likes so if he's not with me, I'm terrified I'm going to get him something he won't like. I know, it's supposed to be the thought that counts, but if you knew how he dreads his birthday, you'd be sweating getting a perfect gift too. :) With that being sad, I was nervous but interested to see his reaction to what I got him. As he opened the larger of the two first and started to smile, I relaxed a little. He realized that I had gotten the Rockband version of Guitar Hero and he seemed to be a little excited! PHEW! Andrew loves his XBOX games, but I wasn't so sure he'd like this one. I figured this would be easy enough for me to play too (I lack eye hand coordination and tend to suck really badly at that kind of thing) but he could also enjoy it on his own. Which is what he proceeded to do. The second smaller box was Guitar Hero 5 and included a second guitar. So all in all we ended up with 2 guitars, 2 games, the drums and a microphone-got the whole band! Andrew busted out the first guitar and put in the game and started learning how to strum and all that. He was already playing songs before I left for work! I think my gift was a hit! Thank goodness!!

We also went to dinner tonight at Hana Tokoyo, which is a yummy Japanese place here in Sierra Vista. Andrew's buddy Paul came with us and we had a great time! Now it's time for that Coldstone Ice Cream cake in the freezer.....

So on this day of Andrew's birth, I'd like to thank those responsible for him. Judy and Mitchial have an amazing son and my life wouldn't be the same without him. Thank you for bringing him into this world and for making him into the man that he is today, the man that I love with my whole heart. He is the funniest, quickest, kindest and most loving person I've known and I'm so glad to be his wife! Thanks for being you, babe! I love you lots and here's to many many more birthdays together!

A Monkey in Dog's Clothing

Tobey finally got his first haircut. We took him to the same nice lady that cuts Baxter's hair and she is fabulous. Before he was just a big hairball, we couldn't even see his sweet face. But now we can see his eyes and he looks like a real dog. He's so stinking cute! But we should have just named him Trouble. Tobey has a sixth sense for mischief and naughtiness. Let's just say that if he was a child, I'd have my tubes tied. :) But on the other hand, Tobey is super sweet and loving. He's always wanting to give loves and kisses. He's learned how to jump on the couch but still falls off the bed. He falls asleep in the strangest of places because he is exhausted from antagonizing Baxter. They spend their days wrestling, chasing each other, wrestling some more, chasing the birds out of the back yard and making us laugh. They don't replace the children we long for, but they are a lot of fun in the meantime. :)

Cookie Time

I was feeling a little domestic last night and decided to make some Halloween sugar cookies. Andrew helped me decorate and his were amazing! I got bored/distracted halfway through so mine are pretty generic. He got really creative though and started doing some really cool stuff with the frosting, besides eatting it. :) I think my "I Love Andrew" cookie wins though.

The Return of Autumn

I LOVE AUTUMN!! It is by far my favorite time of year. I love the weather (it finally cooled down to the high 70's here), I love the smells, the colors, getting to wear jeans and sweaters, football, all of it! I am so happy that there actually seems to be some distinction between summer and autumn in southeastern Arizona. I was really starting to wonder there...

Anyways, we have recovered from our action packed trip to New York. We had so much fun and hope to get back there one day with our own family. What an amazing place!

Right after we got back Andrew started his 3 months of midnight shifts. It's tough on him because he has to try to sleep during the day with both dogs wanting to play with him. I really feel bad but we do get to see each other for like 4 or 5 hours each day so I am pretty happy about that! When he was on swings we never saw each other at all. Andrew is doing very well at his job and I am so proud of him. I can't believe he's been an agent for over a year now! He's more than half way done with his probation and well on his way to becoming the best agent EVER! :) Sorry, I know that was a little cheesy but I can't help how proud I am of him.

The only down side to his job is the bacteria he brings home. I've been not feeling good for about three weeks, but not sick sick. Just sick enough to be bothersome. Well, Thursday it turned into a fever, bodyaches, the chills, and the worst cough I've ever experienced. NOT FUN. I blame the tonks that Andrew apprehends and he blames the dirty money that I handle all day everyday. It's kind of our running joke, who got whom sick and where they got it from. So if he's sick, I infected him from the bank. And if I'm sick, the dirty tonks infected me. It's silly but it's true. We just have fun teasing each other more than anything. Now we are just trying to get us both healthy again so we can avoid the dreaded Swine Flu.

It's been a lot of fun having a house, since we can finally decorate for holidays. I've put up a couple of Halloween decorations and bought the candy and we are excited to see all the neighborhood kids in their costumes. It'll be strange though seeing the kids in costumes without snowsuits on underneath. I can't remember one Halloween in Utah where we weren't bundled up in our warmest coats because it was blizzarding while trick-or-treating. The nights still get chilly here but definitely aren't expecting snow.

Other than the illness hanging around our house there isn't too much going on. Tobey is doing well, he is finished with his puppy shots and is learning to go potty outside. His coordination is improving too, so he and Baxter are spending a lot of time chasing each other around the house and yard. He is still our mischevious little troublemaker and is usually the one in trouble but he is so sweet and loving it's hard to stay mad for too long. His latest naughty trick is to go into the bathrooms, stand up next to the toilet paper roll and knock all the paper off the roll. Then he'll drag it through the bathroom and hallway. Andrew calls it an "art project." I call it time out. Tobey has been a fun asset to our little family and we love having him. Baxter is loving him too and is very protective over him. Gives me a little glimpse of what it'll be like to have kids. Awww...

Happy Anniversary in NYC!!!

So I finally have something to blog about. Well two somethings really. :)

First off, Tuesday September 29th was our third anniversary and I have to let my husband know that I am more in love with him today than I was three years ago. He is my best friend, the person I am ALWAYS excited to see and the true love of my life. I am so lucky to have found him. Thank you Andrew for loving me and for wanting to spend each day with me! You are my Superman!

So this leads me to our trip to New York City. Last year, while I was still working for US Bank, my staff and I all won trips to a destination of our choosing. After careful consideration, Andrew and I decided we would go to NYC. Worked out great because we got to use the trip over our anniversary weekend! Free trip + anniversary weekend = A very happy Andrew and Annalise. They paid for the airfare, hotel stay and also gave us a little bit of spending money. (And I say little because everything in NYC is pretty expensive.)

Since this was our first time flying out of Tucson, and also flying as a Federal Law Enforecement Officer, we weren't really sure what to expect Friday morning when we left. Our flight took off for Atlanta at 6 am and I think by the time we got through the paperwork and security they were already boarding the plane. We will definitely know for next time, leave extra early when flying L.E.O. So anyways, the flight to Atlanta went just fine, had a short layover in ATL and then finally got on the way to our final destination. We landed at La Guardia airport at around 4 Friday afternoon and we were tired (been up since 2 am) but so so excited to see the city.

We took a cab to our hotel, which ended up costing us like $40 but it was totally worth the adventure! We had a female taxicab driver and she was maybe 4 1/2 feet tall! She was sitting on several pillows just to see over the dashboard and had a few behind her back to keep her propped up. And holy cow, the drivers in NYC are INSANE!! We clipped a few pedestrians but I don't think anyone got seriously hurt. It really is a contest between vehicle and pedestrian to see who gets the right of way. There were so many cars and it seemed like they were all trying to go the same direction! Anyways, driver got us to our hotel in one piece but it was an experience getting there.

After we got checked in and all settled, we decided it was time to get out and see the sights. The hotel we stayed at was literally around the corner from Times Square so that's where we went after we ate some Atomic Wings. By this time it was getting dark so the first time we saw Times Square was at night, when all of the signs were lit up. And oh my gosh, what a sight to see! It's as bright as day and so beautiful! It was so much better than the lights on the Vegas strip. I have never seen anything like Times Square in my life. You just have to experience it yourself! So we walked around for a while, found the Hershey's Chocolate store and bought a few treats, wandered a little longer and then headed to bed.

Saturday we got up late and headed over to Times Square to see it in the daylight. It's still pretty cool, but definitely better at night. After eatting gyro's from the street vendors (hands down the best food I've ever had!!) we decided to take the subway down to the World Trade Center Memorial. Now, I gotta say, Andrew is amazing. Not just because I love him and all that, but his sense of direction is uncanny. He had the subway and the streets of New York figured out in like five seconds. He ALWAYS knew right where we were and how to get to where we needed to be, no matter how turned around we got. If I had been in charge of navigating we would have been in big trouble. :) So anyways, we went to see the memorial and there are no words to describe what is there. The feeling in the air down there is almost reverent. And it's right in the middle of the financial district of Manhattan. But it's quiet and there is just a feeling that takes over. Right across the street from where the twin towers once stood, is a church. This church survived the 9/11 attacks and was the headquarters for the search and rescue teams. If those walls could talk....It was a very memorable experience and one you definitely have to have yourself.

Since we were down in the financial district we took a little wak down Wall Street. We found the New York Stock Exchange, Tiffany's, one of the Trump Buildings and Trinity Church. Very cool part of town.

Next we got back on the subway and headed back uptown to the North end of Central Park. Andrew thought it would be a good idea to try to walk the entire length of Central Park. Central Park is quite large, and has lots of winding footpaths so it's easy to get lost in there. He always knew exactly where we were and we didn't get lost once. We stopped to take lots of goregous pictures (Andrew is becoming a very good photographer) so the walk took us several hours. It was goregous though. Everything is so green and just starting to change colors. And we timed it just right so there weren't too many people there either. We walked all around the main reservoir, saw the castle and boathouse and even saw some raccoons. It was such a romantic time. The weather was just perfect, cool enough for jeans but didn't need a jacket. We walked hand in hand, talking and laughing, being silly. It was so great to not have to worry about work or bills or any of lifes stresses. We just enjoyed the moment. We stayed in the park til dark and then finally made our way back to the subway to head home. We ate at an Italian restaraunt that night that we didn't really like. We were still hungry so we grabbed some pizza off the street and called it a night. What a great first day!

Sunday we woke up to rain. We had originally planned to take a boat tour on Sunday but with the rain we decided to try something else. We took the subway back down to the Central Park area, with the intent of seeing a museum. I was put in charge of navigating that day (mostly so Andrew could get a good laugh I think :) ) and we didn't find it. I got frustrated and quit so we sat down to take a little break and realized we were right in front of FAO Schwarz! After a little lunch from the hot dog vendors, we went in. Partially to get out of the rain, but this is also one of the biggest toy stores in the world! They had a Batman made out of Lego's that was almost 7 feet tall! And a Chewbaca! So cool! Andrew was in Lego heaven! They had every kind of stuffed animal you could think of, Barbies as far as the eye could see and all kinds of other cool stuff. I would love to see that place at Christmas.

We still happened to be across the street from Central Park so wandered back over to see some more of it. It was still raining so there weren't a lot of people out, which was perfect! We were able to take all the pictures we wanted and no one was in them! We walked all the way down the Mall (just a long straight walkway lined in trees and benches) to the Bethesda Fountain and didn't see a single person. It was so quiet, calm and peaceful. Not what you would expect to find in the middle of Manhattan. We took some pics at the fountain, played in the puddles and then went home, but only because our feet were so wet that they were squishing and I didn't want us getting sick.

We changed socks and shoes and headed back out to see some more and ended up over at the Empire State Building. Holy cow! What an awesome awesome view! We were 86 stories above New York City! You could see everything! The storm clouds had finally moved out a bit and you could see the Hudson River, the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrystler Building, everything! I was amazed at how tiny everything else looked. We got up there at dusk/twilight so all the city lights were just turning on and the fog was rolling in from the ocean. Breathtaking. Just an awesome experience.

So by now our feet are pretty tired. At least mine were. My shoes were uncomfortable and made my toes bleed so I was pretty ready to get some dinner and call it a day. As we were walking back from the Empire State Building to our hotel, which was just a few blocks away, I was taking some pictures of things that we passed. Like the New York City Liabrary, which is a really cool building. And the Fire Department of New York, the firemen are very handsome. :) So I had the camera wrapped around my wrist and was taking random pictures along the way. Well we stopped to get something to drink and I had to get into my bag to get cash. I put my camera in the pocket of my jeans and did what I needed to do. It wasn't until we were half way down the block that I realized that I was missing something. I stopped Andrew and asked him if he had the camera. He said no, he didn't. Sometimes Andrew likes to tease me and I thought maybe this was one of those times, because I couldn't find it. It wasn't in my pocket, wasn't in my bag, wasn't in my jacket. I think my face went white because Andrew's went red. He went running back to where we had stopped to buy the drink and started looking for our camera. We weren't so much concerned about the camera as we were about the pictures. We had just lost two days worth of priceless pictures, detailing all of our adventures in NYC! Actually, I had been pickpocketed. We spent the next hour or so combing the streets looking for the camera and asking everyone that walked by, but we knew it was a lost cause. We were both pretty upset about the situation, totally bummed out that we had just lost all of those awesome pictures and memories. We were able to find an electronics store that was still open at 10 pm on a Sunday night and the salesman was so nice! I was crying and upset and he kept reassuring me that he would "give us a good deal" and even gave me a free I heart NY keychain to try to cheer me up! We were so sad to lose almost 300 pictures but tried to make the best of things anyways. We went right over to Times Square, took some pics at night and decided to get up early Monday and head out to snap some more. This is why there aren't any pictures of the Empire State Building or our earlier trips to the park. Or anything else. (Moral of the story: download your pics at the end of every night. That way if you lose your camera, at least you haven't lost all your pics. Only the ones from that day.)

Monday, our last day, we got up and took our 3 hour boat tour of Manhattan Island. It took us to see so many things we wouldn't have been able to see otherwise. We got to see the WTC from a different angle, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Gracie Mansion, the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, the United Nations (which was in session so LOTS of extra security) but didn't get to see Yankee Stadium. There was an accident on one of the bridges that we would have to go under to get to it and the river was closed. Too bad. The tour guide was hilarious and we met a very nice lady from Denmark. She was traveling alone so we agreed to take pictures for each other and it worked out great. And since the weather was so beautiful, we even got a little sunburn on our faces and arms. It was really nice and relaxing.

After the boat tour, we grabbed some pizza and then headed back to Central Park, again. In hopes of getting some great shots like the ones we lost. It was kind of a bust. The park was packed. Every nanny in NY was probably there. So many baby carriages and screaming kids. We managed to get some more pictures but it just wasn't the same. We still had a great time but we were so tired we just did a few pics and headed home. Central Park was incredible though! It's so massive, right in the middle of the city and so well taken care of. The trees were huge and beautiful and the lawns were perfect. There were so many goregous places to take pictures. You could be lost in there for days. It was definitely my favorite part of our trip.

As an extra special anniversary gift, my husband bought us tickets to the Phantom of the Opera for Monday night! Oh my goodness, what an experience that was! The music, the costumes, all of it was breathtaking! Still gives me goosebumps. It was so wonderful! I cried, of course, and was sad to see it end. It was the perfect way to end our trip.

I'm realizing that this post is extra long, but I figure if I don't get it down now, it probably won't happen. So one last little story about our trip and then I'll be done. We were at La Guardia on Tuesday morning, just getting through security when Andrew's phone rang. He didn't recognize the number but decided to answer it anyways. Turns out, it was a neighbor of ours, calling us to let us know that she had our puppy Tobey! We had left our dogs with our friend Fermin, who was supposed to be watching both of them at our house. Well, this phone call upset us both and we immediately tried to call our friend and could not get a hold of him. We were really starting to panic because the neighbor said she only had Tobey, Baxter was still missing. We called some of our other friends to see if they could go get Tobey and start looking for Baxter. There is nothing worse than being 8 or 9 hours away and not being able to help. We finally heard back from Fermin, who had Baxter, and he was out looking for Tobey. Turns out the two little troublemakers busted out of Fermin's backyard and went for a little adventure of their own. Baxter got smart and went back to Fermin's house but Tobey was a little more mischevious and followed our neighbor home. She lives a few blcoks from us but saw our phone number on his name tag and gave us a call. Thank goodness she was a good person and called us! Fermin of course was freaking out, wondering how to tell us he'd lost our dogs and it turns out they were both fine in the end. Gave us a good little scare though.

In ending the longest blog ever written, our anniversary trip to New York was awesome! There were a lot of adventures and memories made, some learning experiences too. We fell in love with the city. The lights, the sounds, even the smells. It wasn't as dirty or grimy as I thought it might be. New Yorkers actually take pride in their city and there wasn't any trash anywhere. I would go back for another visit anytime. What a great way to celebrate three wonderful years together! I love you Andrew. Here's to many more adventures with you!

P.S. Last thing I promise! There are a lot more pictures. I will try to put them into a slideshow so that it's easier to look at them. Just wanted to post a couple.

Surviving the Streets

Surviving the Streets with Lt. Jim Glennon
No respect: Borders and Border Patrol
During the past two years I’ve had the absolute privilege of working many times with members of our nation’s Border Patrol as well as other Agencies within the Homeland Security umbrella (ICE, Customs, OIG, etc.). As an instructor I have been in the Border Patrol Sectors of El Centro and San Diego California, as well as Del Rio, Texas. I’ve been with ICE in Los Angeles and at an OIG Conference in Dallas.

Prior to my involvement I was totally ignorant to the following:
• who these people actually were • what their respective agencies were responsible for • how bad the illegal immigrant problem is • how incredibly violent many of these illegals are • the massive amounts of narcotics seized by Border Agents annually • the emergence of Mexican terrorist “hit squads” murdering thousands along the border • that Phoenix, Arizona (yes right here in the U.S.) is second only to Mexico City for the most kidnappings for ransom in the entire world (!) • and finally, how incredibly ignorant the rest of this country — especially our objective and “unbiased” media — is to the reality of this dire national security threat
What seems to get lost in the mix is that these Border Patrol Agents are out there, in the desert, with little back-up, always outnumbered (sometimes 100-1), often outgunned, facing sociopathic killers who are trafficking in either humans or narcotics, and most of the time they are facing these opponents in the dark! I’ve looked into the faces of hundreds of these brave young men and women — some as young as 21 years old — and you know what? They have only one goal and mission in mind: protect our borders.

It seems like 99.9 percent of the time, the media line is that 99.9 percent of the people crossing our southern border are just poor innocents looking for work and a meager wage. Evaluated in the most simplistic terms, this is of course, partly true.

But the more complex reality isn’t that simple or sanitary. Many, many of these people become victims themselves. Most pay a ridiculous sum to unscrupulous people who lie to them about where they will go, how they will get there, and what riches await. Thousands are robbed by human traffickers or “border bandits” who take everything of value away from these defenseless people as they wait to cross into the United States. Often they are forced to transport narcotics or at least ride in a truck loaded with illegal drugs. Many wind up as victims of sexual assault.

In recent years, the violence has escalated to heights never experienced before on either side of the border. In Mexico there were approximately 3,000 murders in 2007. That number doubled in one year. In January 2009, Mexico recorded more 1,000 murders, most of which were attributed to the drug trade, gang violence, and Cartel hit squads. On June 6th just outside of a popular Acapulco Resort, 17 people were killed in a five hour gun battle between at least two rival drug gangs, police, and Mexican Army personnel. The gangs threw approximately 50 hand grenades and used assault rifles indiscriminately as civilians and tourist dove for cover.
Jennifer L. Hesterman wrote an exceptional article in The Counter Terrorist titled “The Mexican Drug War Spills Over United States Border.” In it she chronicles the emergence of one particular violent paramilitary group. “Imagine, for a moment,” she writes, “that one of America’s elite special operations units goes “rogue” and starts using its specialized skills, equipment, and training against the U.S. government. The members of the unit participate in illegal activities such as drug trafficking, gun running, and human smuggling. They also serve as hit squads, willing to murder innocent victims in return for cash. The unit does not fear, hide, or run from law enforcement; rather, it engages. Meet the Los Zetas organization.”
This is who our, and I do mean our, brother and sisters in the Border Patrol, out there alone in the desert, are in a position to face.

The United States Border Patrol realizes what a daunting task they face both internally and externally. The training directors I’ve met and befriended — John Ramos, Emily Bowling, and Mike Hanson — care deeply about preparing their agents to do their jobs and go home safely to their families at the end of their shifts. They concentrate on Street Survival, Communications, Ethics, and Leadership training. They know all too well the reality of who it is they are facing along that border.

Typically when any law enforcement officer makes a mistake, commits a crime, uses lethal force; the media jumps. Story after story about police wrongdoing — or even the POSSIBILITY of police doing wrong — is written about and reported Ad nauseam. But what about the day-to-day reality of what our Agents are facing? Why aren’t the videos of border penetration and insurgencies shown on the nightly newscasts? Wanna see one? Click here and watch hundreds of illegal immigrants moving across our desert. Notice how many Border Agents there are trying to stop them and protect us?

Before you continue reading, go on back to BLUtube and watch a radical Islamic terrorist (with a smug smile on his face) talk about assigning someone to carry anthrax across the Mexico / U.S. border with the intent to kill more than 300,000 of our citizens.
Then check out the statistics and see how many of our Border Patrol Agents have been killed in the line of duty over the past 20+ years: car accidents, pursuit fatalities, heat stroke, heart attacks, drowning, vehicular homicide, and murder.

Where the hell is the outcry among our citizens? Why aren’t we screaming at our respective representatives about this clear and present danger? I know I sometimes rant, but in this case I do it unapologetically. I know these people — our Border Agents. I know many of them by name and consider some to be true friends. I see their frustration. But let me assure you, their frustration is dwarfed by their very real desire to accomplish their mission, which is simply to protect the rest of us. And we as a society don’t even know they are there. We don’t realize that as we sleep these people are out there, standing guard, in the dark, all alone, in the desert. Most of us can’t even fathom being in that position. I spent 30 years as a cop and I wouldn’t do it; I’m a coward compared to these people.
I think it is high time that we get on their side and realize that there is a terrifying real threat to our borders, our way of life, and our border Agents. It is time to let them know that we appreciate them. I think at least it is time to let them know that in fact we do realize — they are out there.

Lt. Jim Glennon, the third generation in a family of law enforcement officers, has been with the Lombard, Ill., Police Department since 1980. Lt. Glennon has been an instructor in both the law enforcement field and private industry for more than 17 years. He teaches courses in the fields of interview and interrogations, communication skills, and leadership methods for police supervisors. Lt. Glennon is currently the lead instructor for the Calibre Press Street Survival Seminar. He has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Law Enforcement Justice Administration.

Puppy Love

These two have become best buddies over the last week. Tobey cries if he doesn't know where Baxter is and Baxter watches over Tobey like a good big brother. They play together ALL the time, which is so fun to watch. They wrestle and chase each other and then crash next to each other for naps. I have taken them on walks together and Tobey's little legs keep up with Baxter's longer ones and they walk side by side. It has been a long week, with very little sleep. But it has been totally worth it. Tobey has had a few accidents in the house, it's to be expected. For the most part though he's doing really well with his potty training. He just follows Baxter wherever he goes and wants to do everything Baxter does. It's a lot of fun to see them become friends and love each other. They are sharing their toys and food (not doing so well with sharing treats) but we can tell these two are going to be the best of friends. We love them both and are looking forward to many more adventures with our family!

A New Friend

I have been begging Andrew for months and months to please get another dog! I finally won! :) No, in all seriousness, we've been talking about it for a while. Baxter gets a little lonely and we figured he would enjoy having someone like him to play with and teach naughty things to. So far so good! It was adventure finding Tobey's home last night (it took us 2 1/2 hours to get there) and when we finally did, it looked like something from the movie "Deliverance." Fortunately things are not always as they seem, although Andrew had his weapon ready, and the family that was raising these puppies were very kind and friendly. When they brought the two males out, we fell in love with Tobey on the spot! He was the larger of the two but more reserved and shy. He came right over to us, starting giving us kisses and we were hooked! There was no possible way we were leaving that house without him. The breeder told us that every time someone came over to see the puppies, he would always hide in the corner or go do his own thing, but was amazed when he just made himself comfy in our arms. It was just meant to be I guess! Anyways, we love him TONS already and Baxter is...well, Baxter is getting used to him. He's doing really well sharing his food, his toys and his people with Tobey. They wrestled this morning for like 15 minutes, afterwards they both crashed for a good hour nap. So they are becoming fast friends, but I just think Baxter wonders if Tobey is staying for good. :) Tobey is nine weeks old, is solid black (except for one little patch of white right under his chin) and is sweet as can be. Very mellow and good tempered. He lets Baxter be the dominant one and seems to like to eat the grass. There will be more pictures coming I'm sure!

Weapons Training Day

So I recently got a new personal defense weapon/toy. Annalise and I finally have a weekend off together, its been like 4 months since that has happened, and I convinced her to go out shooting with me. I am trying to get her comfortable shooting so we both feel better about me working the upcoming "Mids" shifts and having her be alone at the house all the time at night. I got a new Romanian built AK-47 and boy is it fun to shoot. I will post some pics and videos for your vewing pleasure.

The Hard Part

In this world of ours we are constantly being assaulted by change. Its a fast paced setting all about "the next big thing" and how to get a step ahead of the next person. I must have missed the part of the Bible that explained that life is a race. A race to accumulate the most wealth, have kids early to get on to retirement early, finish school first. . . etc etc. It's amazing to me what a difference little routines make in my life, saving me from the constant, tumultuous changes of everyday life. These little routines I create and cherish save me from being swept away in the confusion. And I admit, on some of them I might border OCD status.

So every morning I get ready in the exact same manner. Shower, brush my teeth, shave, pants, body armor, socks, boots, shirt, check my gun, gun belt, equipment bag. etc etc. Being sure not to forget anything. This allows me to kinda run on auto pilot for a bit while my mind catches up to the fact my body is up and about. It's a long routine and I will spare you the boringness of it all. Fact is I like my little routines since in my job you never know what it is you will be doing for the day.

So last week as I arrive to work and meander on into the muster room I head for my usual spot, 3rd row from the front, 3rd seat from the aisle. Wow, wait, somebody apparently didn't notice in the last 6 months that such said seat previously mentioned was always occupied by me. They have taken the liberty of plopping their somewhat overweight mass down in my spot. Well, there goes one of my little routines out the door. Not a good way to start muster in my mind. But oh well, life goes on, as I make a mental note to arrive a couple minutes earlier tomorrow to secure my seat. I told you on some of my routines it borders craziness I am sure. Luckily I don't have too many of those.

There is a slight buzz in the room as more and more agents enter. All of them chatting about the previous days work and what they plan to do for the weekend. I take a seat, not my seat mind you, but one that happens to be next to a buddy of mine so its alright. A hush comes over the room sweeping its way out from nearest the doors out to the corners. In comes the "Brass." Field Operation Supervisors, Supervisors, and even the Patrol Agent in Charge. All here to make corny jokes, brag about themselves if given the chance, and to deal out our assignments for the evening. We are told about certain "breaking news" and things or people to be on the lookout for. I only slightly register the first few names read off the list and their assignments. Making a mental note of where they will be in case I need to help them or vice-versa. A few I make notes of where they are at so that I can avoid them at all costs. As is life. I know vaguely where my sub-unit will be working for the week so I can focus more on that areas assignments. As I wait for my name I realize that he has already moved on past those assignments and has already read the names of everyone else in my sub-unit. Not good. Special assignments are either really cool, or really boring. Usually the latter.
"Lange"
"Here sir" I reply.
"Hospital watch, Copper Queen, room 115"
Great. Just what I wanted. To sit outside a hospital room for 8 or 9 hours. Guarding somebody who obviously isn't going anywhere, not dressed in one of those embarrassing robes they give you. Stewing over the fact that I know who is paying for all these tests and delicious food given the alien, along with the $1200 trip back to their country, me and my taxes.

I arrive at the hospital in quick time, no need to make the other guy I am to relieve wait longer than he needs to. I find room 115, poke my head in to make sure my charge is safe and secure in their adjustable bed. I cringe as I lean past the door, blaring next to my ear is the TV, of course tuned to Univision playing some novela, loud enough that I can probably hear it from the end of the hall. She seems asleep. And very small, the other agent said she wasn't a juvey, yet she looks to be 14 or 15. I turn the TV off and sit down outside the room. Within seconds the TV is back on and Corazones Ardientes echoes out and down the hall. I pull out my book I brought and settle down for a long, long night.

About an hour later the doctor arrives and asks me if I could translate for him. Sure, no prob. I walk in and explain to the girl, she doesn't seem a grown woman to me, what the doctor is doing etc. He is only going to check her sugar levels at this time and a gives her the result of a couple other tests he has run. He finishes and quickly ducks out thanking me for my help. I move to follow but a hand reaches out and grabs my sleeve. "Oficial, cuando me voy?" The number one question they all ask. When am I leaving. I ask her why she is in such a hurry, she wanted to be here, live it up, soak it in, you are in America. This comment usually lightens the mood and the fact that I get to explain to them it could be weeks before they get sent home. Home for her being Ecuador. I look down on her and see her eyes glistening with tears. "I just want to go home" she says. "Please, can't I go?" I tell her that she can go when the doctors release her. We want to make sure she is healthy before we send her back. She was up in the mountains for 4 days before we found her. She had little food and no water. The guides that bring them across lie to them and tell them its a short trip, couple hours. Not days. They come ill prepared. I see it everyday. I hate the guides for it. These people deserve better. She starts crying and tells me she wants to see her baby. Her baby. She is a baby herself I think. She tells me about how her boyfriend left her when he found out she was pregnant. She got another boyfriend after, but he was shot and killed. Her mother kicked her out of the house and she left her 5 month old baby with her aunt. She made it to Mexico and had to be operated on there, a breast infection. Days after being released she is crossing the border. Two of the guides tried to rape her. She and others ran. The guides ditch them and they find themselves lost, without food or water. My heart aches but I feel no tears. This isn't the first story like this I have heard. You harden yourself to these stories, because they don't make your job easier. I still have a job to do. But its too late, I have heard her story and like all the others they stick. They bounce around in your head and eventually can't be ignored. But you steel yourself while on duty, emotions make for mistakes. You can't get mad, or sad. You do your job.
I talk to her and calm her down. Telling her she is safe and will be able to see her son again. Soon. I walk out feeling cold.
I am fine. I do my job, wait for my replacement and head back to the station. On my way home it hits, it usually does sooner or later. That girl, in a different world, could be my sister, my niece, a cousin, someone I know and love. My eyes glisten. This, this is the hard part of my job. Other days I deal with the Drug Dealer, Rapist, Car jacker, Pedophile. They throw rocks at you, shoot at you, try to run you over. You track them and chase them for hours, in grueling territory. But that isn't the hard part. This is. The stories like Veronica from Ecuador. That is the hard part. And there is nothing you can do about it.

What is important?

On Thursday, July 23, 2009, Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was killed in cold blood by Mexican drug or human traffickers. Agent Rosas was a husband and father of a 2 year old son and 11 month old daughter; it was also noted that he served as a Border Patrol Agent for the last three years and is the first Agent to be killed by gun fire in a decade. January 2008, Border Patrol Agent, Luis Aguilar, was intentionally run over by a fleeing drug dealer driving a drug- laden Hummer.
You would think, this would of got a word or two from the White House, but no, not a word about it from President Obama. Is this how important the security of our borders is to him?

Nothing at his Health Care Reform Town Hall meeting or the fundraiser in Chicago, no time to even offer condolences to the family. No press release, no statement.
Agent Rosas spent the last three years of his life protecting our borders, trying to keep the United States safe, he dies alone on an off beat path, shot in the head, with multi shots in his body and the President has nothing to say.We were glad to hear from DHS Secretary Napolitano who said; "My thoughts and condolences are with Agent Rosas' family and his fellow agents at this difficult time," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement.

"His death is a vivid reminder that we are engaged in a serious effort to secure our border and that thousands of Border Patrol agents and other DHS employees risk their lives every single day to protect and defend our nation."The only other comment we heard was from the Mexican Ambassador, Arturo Sarukhan:“This is a tragic example of the violence we keep facing at our common border as President (Felipe) Calderon continues to roll back transnational organized crime, and underscores the need for both our countries to keep working as full partners to guarantee the safety and security of those living on both sides of our border communities,” Sarukhan said in a written statement Saturday.It took him till Saturday to say something about it but still not a single word of condolences from him.

Well, this American and every other American that this hit a anger nerve with, would like to extend our condolences to the family and say Thank You for your sacrifice and we will look at Agent Rosas as one of our many Hero’s. Because just as our brave men and women fight and keep safe the borders of foreign lands; Agent Rosas fought and kept safe the United States borders. We are sorry that his cold blooded murder was not worth the time of day to President Obama.

-from Examiner.com

Family

Andrew and I have been working on a particular project for quite some time, disappointingly with no results. As we have been working on it together, we've had a few discussions about the way we'd like to raise our family and how we hope that our children will be good and happy people, who love and respect each other. Seeing as we haven't had the best examples of how this should go, we've realized that it's going to be much harder said than done.

I know that growing up in my family, we had a lot of really wonderful and happy times. We had a lot of stressful and difficult times as well, but somehow the five of us kids managed to become very good friends with each other, despite all the petty childhood arguments, disagreements and misunderstandings. In fact, I was talking with a co-worker today about her two daughters who are 19 and 17 who happen to remind me a lot of me and my younger sister. We fought like cats and dogs, said the meanest things, and pretty much made life miserable for each other. But at the end of it all, we've become pretty good friends and I absolutely consider my baby sister one of the most important people in my life. There's nothing I wouldn't do for any of my siblings, because I KNOW that they would do it for me.

The thing I find interesting is that even in a family, where there should be love, respect, happiness and trust, there is so much contention, betrayal and jealousy. Your family should be the one place in the world where you can escape all the bad stuff and find comfort and peace. Even as adults, we should be able to turn to our siblings and have them celebrate the successes with us and also be a shoulder to lean on when times are tough. It is very disappointing to me that this isn't the situation that we find ourselves in with certain family members.

It has been brought to our attention, several times, over the last few years that Andrew and I are not only outcasts, but we are actually mocked and betrayed at every opportunity. I do not wish to name names, I think the guilty parties know who they are. I am not saying that Andrew and I are perfect, but I feel as though we have done what we can to encourage a strong family bond and relationship. Unfortunately this hasn't been reciprocated. And all I can say to that is, too bad for you. Our lives will go on, much happier, without you in it. YOU will be the ones to miss out on our children, on our adventures and our successes. It is too bad for you.


Andrew and I are very hurt about some of the things that have been said in our absence. To disrespect what he has worked so hard for, what he does everyday, is unacceptable. Andrew puts his life on the line every single day, for YOUR freedom, to keep your children safe and you call him G.I. Joe? As if he is a cartoon or an action figure? As if he is some kind of a joke? Andrew deserves so much more than that, especially from his family! He apprehends drug dealers, pedophiles, all types of violent criminals everyday to keep them from hurting anyone any further. We are lucky to have people like Andrew, who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to protect a total stranger. Did you know he's been in several altercations already where his life has flashed before his eyes? Did you know that I lay awake at night, waiting for someone to knock on the door, telling me my husband was killed on duty? Do you even care to know? Or are you too happy sitting at home, blissfully unaware and too busy making fun of him? I can not think of a more selfish or disrespectful attitude to have towards someone who has worked his ass off for something that he is truly passionate about. He had a goal, he accomplished it and he is awesome at it. You should be happy for him, you should be grateful to him, you should be thanking him. Instead, all we hear is how arrogant and full of himself he is. If you only knew...you would be ashamed of yourself. There are not many people in this world who can do what Andrew does. Not only being a BP agent, but also in the way that he knows what he wants to do and he does it. He has never given up, not once. He hasn't settled for anything. When he feels discouraged, he tries that much harder. His heart is kind and pure and he loves completely. Andrew is hands down, the MOST amazing person I have ever met. He deserves more than what his family has given him. He deserves to be loved, respected and treated like a brother. The behavior that has been displayed over the years is cruel and won't be tolerated any longer. It has hurt him more than anyone will ever know. And what hurts him, hurts me too. I know I have been the subject of many conversations, but I figure if you are that bored, go ahead. You don't have to love me, hell, you don't even like me. But I won't stand for family to belittle and put Andrew down any more. He doesn't deserve that. He's done nothing but follow his heart. And that heart is a good heart. It's too bad that you people just don't see it.

To say that we have been withdrawing ourselves from the family is a ludicrous statement. We have been shoved out. It was gently at first, but it has become stronger. I will not allow any of my family, whether it's Andrew or my children or myself, to be around this any longer. It has reached the point where it's unforgivable. You go to church each week and learn about how to be an eternal family, about Christ and His love for his brothers. And this is how you treat your brother???? You might as well stop going to church, because you aren't learning anything. You mostly go to keep up appearances (what would the ward think???!!!) but you know that it's what you do everyday that counts. Not how many times you speak in Sacrament Meeting, or how many high ranking callings you hold. It's all about how you have treated your brothers and sisters. And not just the ones that you are blood related to.

As a result of some of the things that have come to our attention recently, we will be taking our blog private. If you wish to be a part of our lives, please leave your email address in the comments section. If you are hurt by what I have said, please know that I, Annalise Lange, am solely responsible for the contents of this blog. If you have a problem with anything that I have said, direct your remarks toward me. Andrew is far too good of a person to lower himself to the level that I have managed to stoop to today. This is a one time deal. I will never mention any of these things again. The only reason I did today is because I have had enough. But never again will I stoop to the level of these people. GROW UP!!!

Best Husband Ever

I just wanted to tell Andrew how much I love him and all the hard work he puts in. He worked 9 days straight and has been working on a bunch of projects all around the house on his days off. I have kept him really busy, when he should be relaxing and I just wanted him to know that his hard work is appreciated. Just so you know, he put in a new light fixture in the great room, hung the chandelier in the dining room, hung his new artwork in the dining room and some art in the bedroom and is now at Lowe's buying some stuff so he can hang my bathroom shelf. He also mowed the lawn, ran to Costco with me (which is like a 4 hour trip) and still has the energy left to play with Baxter. Andrew is the best husband I could ask for! I love you honey!

The Joys of Summer

Right after playing in the rain




This is our new roommate in the garage....


First and foremost, I gotta say that the summer brings out some interesting wildlife in Arizona. I found one of these in the garage the other day when I moved a box. It was all I could do to keep from screaming bloody murder! I know that the monsoons bring tarantulas out but I hadn't seen one at all til it was right underfoot and I almost stepped on it! By the way, Andrew was at work when this happened and he made me sweep it out all by myself. If you know me very well then you'll know how spiders terrify me! I did not want to even go back out there. I still have fears that it's going to be sitting in the drivers seat of my car, waiting to get me. (I know I'm being dramatic, but it really did scare me!)

Speaking of monsoons, who knew that summers in Arizona would be so humid? I definitely didn't. It hasn't really rained too hard for a couple of weeks now, but man, when it does it's like the clouds open and everything just pours out. We took some video of the flooding in the backyard creekbed (Andrew is very proud of the creekbed and of the rain gutter he hung. He is the best!) and it just doesn't do it justice. The temperature drops like 25 degrees and the wind is blowing, so the water is just everywhere. It now makes sense why there are so many washes and flash flood zones. I thought the neighbors were just talking crazy when they warned us about the summer weather. The thing is that it's so so hot (100+ days recently) and you just pray that it will rain so that it's not so humid anymore. Everything just sticks to you. I feel bad for Andrew, having to work out there with his body armor on, and that probably adds like 15 degrees or more to his temperature. Anyways, the summer storms are beautiful, with all the lightening and thunder. Really nothing like it.

And last, but not least, we had a great 4th of July. We were lucky enough to celebrate the whole day together, Andrew didn't have to work, and so we made the 35 minute drive to Bisbee to have a true American lunch. Jimmy's Hot Dogs is one of our favorite places to eat and what could be better on the 4th of July? If you ever come down to visit, this place is a must. Don't worry, it's not all hot dogs, they have awesome sandwiches too. :) After Jimmy's we headed back up to Sierra Vista to check out the festivities at Veteran's Memorial Park. We made it in time to see the Patriotic Presentation, where they presented all the flags of the different branches of the military. It was really touching, especially in a community that is so influenced by the military. Fort Huachuca is the main employer here in town and we are very grateful to these men and women who do what others can't or won't. I am amazed at their courage and strength. They also put on a little fireworks display which was pretty good. We were able to sit in our neighborhood park and watch it and it was great! Byron Days fireworks are still #1, but Sierra Vista did a good job. All in all, a pretty good day.

Other than that, we've both been working long days (and nights for Andrew) and trying to find time to spend together. We love our lives here, but miss our families and friends very much. We'd love to see you all soon!

Epale vale!

Ok, it has been awhile since I last posted, I apologize. Things have been busy. As you saw in my wife's last post being busy isn't just about work, sometimes you gotta get away too. That was my first trip ever to Lake Powell and I loved it. Looking forward to going again next year too. If anyone that didn't go this year is interested shoot me an email. I will then decide if I feel like you are worthy enough and if I want to see you, then will invite you accordingly. Just kidding.

When I started blogging it was pretty much just to keep the boredom to a minimum while at work on training days. I had told myself that I wouldn't get all preachy or anything about my work and what it is we do, but it is a part of my life, a huge part. I will still try to avoid being preachy but I will start to share a little more about how it is a part of my life. Below I am posting a small part of a statsheet, remember this is only for our Tucson sector, only a part of the big picture of what is going down on the border. The stats are for both last year and what we have done this year so far.

TCA/QuickStat

FY08----FY09

Apprehensions-----252,405-----177,382

OTMs-----6,897-----7,449

Marijuana Qty-----646,467.73lbs-----928,133.35lbs

Marijuana Val-----$517,180,131.35-----$5,641,080,455.79

Assualts-----197-----160

Bandits-----190-----257

Rescues-----310-----261

Deaths-----98-----112

Lake Powell 2009

The Family

We beat the Tube!

Look at my man!

What a great way to kick off summer! We just got home from Lake Powell and we had a BLAST! We were able to meet my (Annalise) family in Wahweap (which conveniently borders Utah and Arizona) and spent the next 4 1/2 days skiing, tubing and swimming.

This was the first trip to Lake Powell since 2000 (we'd gone every year since 1985 as a family) and the first time I've seen my dad and step-mom since they returned home from their mission in Germany. So it was really great to be reunited at a place that has so many special memories for me. And it was even better that I got to create so many new fantastic memories with my own little family. We missed my big brother, Erik and my younger sister Krista and her husband, Steve, had to leave early but we still had lots of fun. Karyn and her kids, Madeleine, Kelson and Lara were there, so was David (my other brother) and his girlfriend Kristina. Dad and Joy were there too of course and we (Andrew, Annalise and Baxter) rounded out the group. We camped on the sandy beaches at Lone Rock, where the water was rising so quickly we had to move tents 4 times! We even lost a firepit to the water.

Anyways, the little kids (which included ALL of us) loved riding on the three person tube. I think everyone got on at least once, including Dad! Maddie and Kelson loved to ride with Andrew, because "he likes the big bumps" and would bounce them all over the place. I rode a couple of times with Kristina, Dave's girlfriend, and somehow between the crazy way that Dad was driving and the crazy size of the waves, we managed to break the rope off of the tube! It popped right off! We decided ourselves to be the unbeaten champions of the tube after that. That tube really was a lot of fun...even though I was the only one to get dunked by it. Good times! :)

Andrew also tried waterskiing for the first time, got up on his first try (no big surprise there) and was cutting both wakes with ease. He even caught some air a few times and landed a couple too. That husband of mine is pretty amazing. He's always good at whatever he tries. Seriously, this guy can do anything!

Baxter had a great time on the boat and the beach, but didn't really care for the water too much. Unless he was chasing the ducks off our beach. He'd chase them into the water and bark at them till they swam away. The ducks would just come back a few minutes later, so we would get to watch the whole thing again. Baxter had so much fun at Lake Powell that he's been sleeping since we left on Wednesday. What a great little dog!

I am so happy that we were able to go and spend some time with family at Powell. It really was such a great trip and we are already looking forward to next year.

P.S. Check out the slide show at the bottom. There are a lot more pics there!