Our trip to Fort Bliss

I have just posted over 60 pictures of our trip to El Paso. Ideally, you would never want to do an entire trip in one post -- but I wanted it to be how I wanted it to be, so I waited until I could do this at home in the quiet of my very warm, humid office!

I begin telling you about our trip with a picture of Jesse and I taken over 15 years ago in the doctor's office where I work. The boys used to come into the office with me while I did my filing (I mainly worked out of my apartment). I love this picture of Jesse. I just love his smile and the sweetness of his face. How could this young boy be all grown up and going off to war?

Me and Jesse (1991?)
July 28, 2007 at the El Paso International Airport

I know! I look like a zombie ... but we had gotten up at 3:00 a.m.
for an early morning flight from Grand Rapids
to Houston and then El Paso!
A Continental flight @ Houston
we were in an almost exact same plane next to it, waiting to taxi down the runway

The El Paso skyline

(No! I didn't take this picture ...

I stole it off the internet)

El Paso has a population of about 750,000

the Rio Grande separates it from Juarez, Mexico

but the combined population is 2.5 million people

The Franklin Mountains

These mountains dominate the skyline of El Paso.

The range begins within the El Paso city limits

and extend northward across the N Mexico border

for a distance of about 15 miles.

The highest elevation recorded in the range

is at North Franklin Mountain (7192 ft)

which is also the highest structural point in Texas.

"Come let us sing to the LORD!

Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come before him with thanksgiving.

Let us sing him psalms of praise.

For the LORD is a great God,

the great King above all gods.

He owns the depths of the earth,

and even the mightiest mountains are his.

The sea belongs to him, for he made it.

His hands formed the dry land, too." PSA 95:1-5

The Franklins are the southernmost extension of an almost

continuous series of north-south ranges that extend over 99 miles.

The ranges include (from N to S): The San Andres,

San Augustine, Organ, N Franklin and Franklin ranges.

Jesse picked Don and I up at the airport

and gave us a short tour around El Paso

up and over the mountains

so that we could see all over the place!

And then we arrived at Fort Bliss ...

One of the gates in and out of the base

Fort Bliss is named for Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss (!)

who was a son-in-law of President Zachary Taylor

Boppa and I couldn't wait to see the grandkids!

We came bearing some small gifts ...

a few small cars/trucks, crayons, sticker books,

and a soft animal refrigerator magnet for each!

Matthew, wearing a T-shirt we had brought home

from Israel several years ago ...

Jesse showing us his bullet-proof vest

Look at Diana in her very cute Army fatigue top!

We played for awhile outside in front of the house

Emma, Chris and Matthew all rode their

bikes over to the mailbox with their mom ...

We got out our crayons and drew pictures for awhile.

Oh! And I forgot -- I also brought with me my paper airplane kit,

so we made some planes and decorated them with pretty stickers!

We decided that since everyone was tired,

we would go out to dinner -- so we loaded everyone up

and drove into town to the Golden Corral.

On the way, Jesse showed us a little bit around the base.

Jesse lives at Fort Bliss, but he works over at

Biggs Army Airfield.

This airfield is adjacent to the El Paso International Airport

and it has more miles of runway than any other Army airfield in the world.

It provides the largest contiguous tract of virtually unrestricted airspace

in the Continental US (1500 square miles).

This is an HET

(Heavy Equipment Transport)

This is the truck that Jesse drives!

I couldn't get a good picture of it through the fence,

so I got this one from the Internet ...

It is the largest and heaviest vehicle the Army has ever made!

Because of the heavy-duty and extra-long runway,

Biggs occasionally accommodates a specially equipped Boeing 747

as it carries the space shuttle to Kennedy Space Center in FL

from Edwards Air Force Base in CA

We had a lot of fun eating at the buffet ...

There was enough food for, well, an Army!

Christopher put away several plates-full

and so did Emma -- she even ate shrimp cocktail like it was candy!

After our meal, Boppa and I decided to call it a day

and get some sleep.

We had wanted to stay at the Lodge on base,

but it was not available for all of the nights we needed ...

so we were able to check in at the Annex.

Jesse says this is a refurbished barracks --

I had my doubts when I first heard about it;

but it was clean, it did not smell,

there were no bugs (very important!)

and we were very comfortable!

The Annex was actually several buildings --

our Continental breakfast was a few buildings away from us

but we enjoyed eating with various service folk each morning.

The first morning, we ate with three Iraqi soldiers.

Jesse told us that Fort Bliss is where soldiers come from all over the world

to be trained as officers.

We met an officer from Jordan the next morning

and enjoyed telling him we had been to his country in 1999!

The beautiful view of the mountains --

this is what we saw each morning as we

walked to and from breakfast!

I told Emma that I really liked "her mountains"

but she informed me that they were not "hers", they were "everybodies!"

Another view of the Annex

Very beautiful, don't you think?

Some of the beautiful plants and flowers on the base

Diana and Emma picked Boppa and I up our first morning.

They were on their way to the PX and to the Commissary to do some shopping.

Did we want to come?

Emma really wanted to see inside our room,

so she was really glad to come shopping.

See how glad we are to see each other?

Such happiness!

Emma Joy, you have stolen my heart ...

Off we went to the PX

and then the Commissary -- they are huge places!

Everything you could possibly need is right on base.

Grandpa Jones had fun checking out and comparing prices!

(You knew he would!)

Then we went back to the house ...

Matthew thinking about finishing his cereal ...

Christopher acting like a tough guy ...

but look at that little face!

Matthew has such a beautiful smile ...

Grandpa and I invited

Emma and Chris over to the Annex

for an afternoon of popcorn and playing ...

(Matthew needed to stay home and take a nap)

And Diana was busy getting the house ready

for a neighborhood BBQ she was hosting in honor of Jesse ...

So Emma decided to pack up her backpack

with things that she would need!

Oh my!

She took so much stuff from her room!

She was determined to bring every stuffed animal

on her bed, but we finally talked her into just taking a few ...

Emma was very seriously working on her letters

making pictures

and working on sticker books ...

She really enjoyed herself, and I just had fun watching her!

Chris brought many cars with him.

He had a road on the coffee table

and a garage underneath.

Grandpa was busy putting together an airplane from our kit.

See the sticker on Emma's face?

She had pulled the wrong one off the sticker page,

so she just stuck it to her face until she could find out where in the book to put it!

See the popcorn on the tray?

We had a fun afternoon playing like this ...

This is the view from the back yard

of Jesse and Diana's house ...

Jesse's prize VW Schirocco (misspelled most likely)

He and his friend, DJ, are preparing the grill.

They made an absolutely HUGE fire!

The mountains change in appearance all throughout the day.

I never got tired looking at them ...

The next day I remembered to give Emma the Hula skirt

I had bought for her in Hawaii.

She took a quick glance at the "dance instruction" sheet

and went dancing all over the house!

Christopher was a little bit annoyed at not having a costume

to change into ... but he joined in on the dancing anyway!

(and I accidently just deleted that very cute picture -- RATS!)

Grandpa Jones was kind

helpful

fun

and wonderful to be with ...

See the rain?

It seems that everywhere we go, we bring rain with us!

It turns out that this is actually and literally

Monsoon season in El Paso!

We had wanted to go to one of the many

pools on base and swim with the kiddos,

but each time we thought we could get everyone ready,

a thunderstorm popped up and wrecked it for us!

In and Around Fort Bliss The Wall used for training
Jesse trained right here!Officer's housing (very nice)This is where the flag is raised to the sound of the bugle ... I am proud of you, Jesse!

Did you know that Fort Bliss is comprised of approximately 1.4 million acres
of land which extend across Texas and N Mexico,
which makes Fort Bliss comparable in size to the state of Rhode Island?

Our Last Day

We only had a few hours in the morning to play

with the little ones

but we made the most of it!

The little ones gathered around me

and we had fun reading Dr. Seuss.

We read, "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish"

and "Green Eggs and Ham."

I used as many funny voices as I could muster

for all of the strange characters Dr. Seuss invented!

Is there anything in the world

more rewarding than this?

We did more stickers and more pictures ...
and then it was time to say good-bye.

We are not going to even try to describe how sad that was.

Wee Matthew, Grandma and Grandpa love you!

Jesse offered to take us to the airport,
so we took him out to lunch on the way.

He decided Ci-Ci's, a pizza buffet, would be just right for us!
They even had dessert pizza -- YUM!

Jesse got special clearance to go up to our gate

and wait for our plane to arrive.
Doesn't he look strong and brave and good?

We said tearful goodbyes.

Jesse told me everything was going to be alright.
Yes, son, I do believe that.

PSALM 91:14

The LORD says: "I will rescue those who love me.

I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me I will answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue them and honor them ..."

This is the picture I am going to remember

when I think of you, Jesse.

I am sorry there are not more pictures here of Diana.

She is a beautiful girl.

Some of the pictures I had taken of her just were not good!

So in respect to her, I didn't want to post them.

I do want to say, though, that she was a kind

and gracious hostess. We enjoyed being with her very much.

Here are a couple of pictures I took from the air --

PSALM 104:3

"You make the clouds your chariots;

you ride upon the wings of the wind."

The very same LORD who spoke this beauty into existence

is the One who came to save us ...

He is the One who paid the very costly price

to make us His very own.

I will pray every day, Jesse, that you remember this

and that you will live your life for Him.
And then no matter what, you will be safe from all harm.

I love you Jesse.