FOR UNTO US

FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN

Adri and Jared gave us a new granddaughter a few minutes ago. Our Christmas granddaughter does not have a name yet. She joins her two year old sister Elena. We are anxious to get acquainted with her, learn her name, and get some pictures to share. Jared and Adri have a blog, which is available in the right column of our blog. Eventually they will be sharing more information about their growing family.

Jared will deploy on February 2nd. Kevin and I are planning to visit them in January.

Christmas with Perry in Las Vegas

Perry is flying the Predator on a simulated mission. He has found an enemy tank (the orange object in the middle of the upper screen). Note that his left hand is on the throttle control that will fire the Hellfire Missile. 

Mission Accomplished!

    Kevin is quite tickled with himself. Together, he and Perry have just popped the top off of the enemy tank. On the Predator simulator, Kevin controlled the cameras and pinpointed where the Hellfire Missile should penetrate the tank. Perry, the pilot, actually fired the missile.

OOPS!

     This is the throttle control for the Predator.  The first button kills the engine. The second button next to it fires the Hellfire Missile. In the stress of combat, this has caused confusion. 

Sharon gets a kick out of trying the controls Perry uses to fly the Predator.

Military Interior Design

This is the drapery in Perry's office. It is a safety drape that will protect from glass shards in case of an attack.

We get to see Perry's plane

Perry is showing us the Predator he flies to defend our country.         Thank you, Perry!

Christmas with Perry

Kevin and I are enjoying a tour in a Predator hangar.

Hellfire Missile

   The Predator has a Hellfire Missile on each wing. The Predator wing was lengthened about 36" to accommodate this extra weight.

    When you read in the news about a terrorist being taken out by a Predator, this is the weapon used.

$2,000,000 camera

     This is the set of cameras the Predator uses for reconnaissance. This is a key reason the Predator is in such high demand in Iraq and Afghanistan.

      In January, the Predator will begin to monitor the Canadian/US border, as it has done for years on the Mexican/US border.

      The danger sign on the camera is due to the laser.

     Perry has just shown Kevin the cameras on the Predator.

     Kevin loves this picture. It reminds him of the picture of Perry and him in front of his C5 Galaxy cargo plane 4 years ago.

At the end of our two mile walk up the strip in Las Vegas, we ended at the Encore complex that was opening the same day. Very swanky - we laughed at how out of place we felt!

Sharon outside the Luxor

The Luxor hotel in Las Vegas is shaped like a pyramid. Rumor has it that the light on top of it can be seen from space.  This picture of me by the palm tree shows the Luxor going up to a single peak. Really balmy after leaving subzero temperatures in South Dakota.

Buffet Lunch at the Luxor

Kevin and Sharon are enjoying a fancy buffet meal at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. We chose this place because Perry stayed here one time when his C5 cargo plane broke down. Kevin loved the Chili Releno and I loved the Cheesecake.

Great Plains Blizzard

     We are experiencing a December blizzard today. The winds are gusting at 51 mph. It is -9 degrees with a wind chill of -39.  We will not be able to get out through our garage. 

      Church/Sunday School Christmas Program and Pastor Paul & Nancy's Open House were postponed until next Sunday.
     Great day for hot chocolate and a cozy home.

First Christmas

Kristin and Michael David examine Michael's first Christmas tree. They live in Kaisterslautern, Germany.

Father and Son

     Ryan and Michael David are playing with sound.

      During our stay in Germany, Michael changed in several ways. He started eating some grown up food, including meat. He also learned to walk, just before he turned 10 month old.

A Time to Celebrate!

     Ryan and Kristin are going out for their third wedding anniversary. Nana and Bompa (Sharon & Kevin) get to watch their 10 month old Michael David.

You've got to be kidding!

Surely the German's don't pronounce "hamburger" as "hack flesh"!

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Is this a pig filet? Available to you from Aldi's grocery store in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

German bratwurst

At Aldi's grocery store, the bratwurst grob looked appetizing in spite of the name.

German Bakery

     Kristin and I enjoyed walking downtown in Kaiserslautern, Germany.  We would enjoy a "light" lunch at one of Germany's Barbarosa bakeries.  Pictured is Kristin's favorite pastry. Barbarosa's creamy cheesecake provided a well-balanced meal for my palate.

How can this blah picture explain Germany?

     This is a picture of the wardrobe in Ryan and Kristin's bedroom. In Germany, taxes increase by the number of closets in your home.  Two of their 3 bedrooms do not have closets.

     So the Air Force gave them 2 wardrobes to use as bedroom closets. 

     Also, the electricity is 230 voltage.  The Air Force gave Ryan and Kristin 2 transformers, so they could use a few of their American appliances.

German Culture - what's the connection?

      This is a view of the side of a typical interior door in Ryan and Kristin's German home. Note that it has a "lip" on the edge of the door, unlike our flat edged doors.    

      The Germans highly value their privacy. Not only do they have secure, locked exterior doors, but they also have numerous, lockable interior doors between each living area. The lip on the door also promotes visual and auditory privacy. 

      Ryan and Kristin removed the door between their kitchen and living area, but now are thinking about putting it back in service, now that Michael David is a mobile babe.

What is "missing"?

    A German radiator _ how exciting! 

Well, how interesting what Ryan and Kristin's German home does NOT have. They do NOT have a thermostat to regulate their temperature. Instead, they open and close windows to make quick changes in the temperature of their masonry home,

     They also have heat in their floors - great on the feet in the early morning.