Fez

While I was in Iraq, I got the hare-brained scheme to design a distinctive Fez for the Plans Directorate (CJ5) I worked for while assigned to Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I). My co-workers thought I was odd for suggesting this but I kept insisting that the Fez was a distinguished Middle-Eastern symbol of excellence. (I subsequently found out that the Fez actually is Greek in origin but lots of people in the Middle East wore them courtesy of the Ottoman Empire.)

Nevertheless, the idea of sporting distinctive head wear slowly caught on in our office. My boss, a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, found an outfit based out of Orange County that makes custom fezzes, Fez-O-Rama. We then designed a fez based on our directorate's fascination with the movie, Ben Hur, and the famous line spoken by Quintus Arrius on the slave ship, "Now listen to me, all of you. You are all condemned men. We keep you alive to serve this ship. So row well, and live." The phrase, "Row well and live," became our motto due to the insane working hours (and conditions) in the headquarters for MNF-I.

After some design fluctuations, we decided on a Viking Ship concept for the front of the fez and the motto on the back. We had a spirited (and entertaining) email exchange with the Fez Mongers of Fez-O-Rama.com. The process took longer than anyone thought and I ended up completing my tour before they were ready. Just after Christmas, a package arrived from my former boss with two fezzes enclosed. This custom order, the first of its kind, recently was featured on the Fez-O-Rama blog.

Jack likes it, as you can see.

Day-Day's Flashlights

Our neighbor, whom Jack calls, "Day-Day," loves to buy Jack flashlights. He finds them all over but mostly at a weekly flea market (Jack calls it the "free market"). They are very cool. In fact, I took two of them to Iraq with me. One was a small general purpose flashlight that used a series of small LEDs bulbs and the other was a small finger light with a Velcro strap that I attached to my body armor. Both came in very handy in numerous situations.

Lately, after his bath and final episode of The Pink Panther, Jack seems to have this burst of energy every night before actual bed time. The last few weeks, I've given up trying to wind him down and instead let him burn off this final energy of the day. Tonight, he had two of Day-Day's finger lights, one red and one blue, and was dancing around the room. My attractive wife turned off the light to heighten the effect. I thought this would make a good picture...

... but of course the flash on the camera kind of ruined the look I was trying to get. Next, I turned off the flash on the camera and got much better results!

Same maniacal smile but cooler light effects. :-)

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner tonight here at home. Last year, I spent Thanksgiving in Baghdad, Iraq. The Embassy Dining Facility (DFAC) did a wonderful job decorating and serving food nearly continuously from from about 1100 to 2000.

Thanksgiving, Baghdad, Iraq, 2007

Of course, I was thankful at the time to be in a (relatively) safe location, with new friends and good food. But tonight, I am especially thankful to be back in one piece and with my attractive wife, loving son and my parents. At Day Care, Jack made a Thanksgiving Wreath to commemorate the holiday. Such a simple piece of artwork is very touching to me this year. I'm pretty sure Jack has little concept of Thanksgiving this year but I still think it's pretty touching.

Jack's Thanksgiving Wreath, 2008

This year, I invited my friend Mike and his friend Sarah over as they didn't have any special plans. Chasing Jack throughout the house while playing host was fun but it wasn't until all the guests had left, the dishes cleaned up and Jack was asleep in his crib that I began to think about what I was thankful for.

Thanksgiving, Jack with guests Sarah and Mike, 2008

I'm thankful for my families: the one I grew up (my mother, father, and younger sister) and the one I have as an adult (my attractive wife and son, Jack). I am happy to share a bit of both this year at home.

I am thankful for my friends (like Mike, whom I've known for ten years) who supported me with treats, movies and good wishes while I was deployed.

I am thankful for the love I have received from my parents. Their support and common sense approach to raising both my sister and I contributed greatly to the person I am today. I can only hope to pass some of that on to Jack.

I am thankful for my attractive wife, who endured a year long separation from me, in only the fourth year of our marriage, while being a single mother to Jack during his "terrible twos." Sometimes I think I had it bad in Iraq but I thought of how tough it was for her to be working full time and taking care of Jack.

I am thankful Jack has accepted me back into his life. I feel as if I never was away and I am very happy for that.

I am thankful for very good friends. In my youth, I used to think friendship was intensely personal, that it required day to day nurturing in order to endure. I know now friendship takes many forms. I have many friends who I don't see much. My best friend (and best man/god father to Jack) falls in that category but I know we'll be close to our dying days. Other friends, like my co-workers in Iraq, I likely will never see again but we bonded under the most uncommon of circumstances. And we will always have that most uncommon experience to ruminate about.

But mostly, I am thankful to be home. Time to get on with the business of living.

At the Park

This afternoon we went to the park or, as Jack refers to it, the "parky." My attractive wife and my mother also went. Whenever Jack leaves the house, he has to take a motley assortment of toys with him, usually so many that he has to struggle to hold them all. I think holding onto the toys helps him with transitioning from one activity to another. This time, he held tightly to a silver, robotic dog, given to him by our wonderful neighbors, Dewy and Day-Day (Jack's nicknames for them), who function as surrogate grandparents.

When we arrive, I always suggest Jack let me hold on to whatever toy(s) he's brought with him as they invariably get in the way of his climbing over the various play structures. He usually responds with "No, it's mine," or "I'll hold onto to it." It was the same today and he enthusiastically tackled the play structures holding onto his robotic dog.

When he got to the top level adjacent to a slide, he showed his dog to two slightly older girls. He turned the dog on and handed it over to them and they were amazed with it's robotic antics. Jack looked down on me and said, "I'm sharing!"

The girls then went down the slide and Jack followed. They went to another slide and Jack tried to re-engage the girl who was closer to his age. I couldn't help but think he was trying to impress her with the toy and maybe get some conversation. But she had lost interest and quickly ran away. Ah, the great game begins, Jack. Get used to it.

Next, Jack went to one of his favorite slides, an enclosed tube. Getting to it requires climbing several levels of play structure. He did so, still holding his robotic dog. What's funny about this, and other slides at this park, is their plastic construction is quite conducive to static shock. My attractive wife has a particular phobia/dislike of static shocks; I am less affected. Just after I got home from Iraq and when Jack's hair was longer, it would stand up on end as he slid closer to the end of the slide. I would always laugh which, in turn, would cause him to laugh. Today, even with his hair shorter, it still stood up.

Nanni & Pa Visit!

My parents, whom Jack calls "Nanni and Pa," are here to visit for Thanksgiving. It's the first time I've seen them since returning from Iraq at the end of October (I saw them both when I was on leave last May).

We ate a great brunch after picking them up from the airport early this morning. When we got home, they gave Jack a new pair of Lightening McQueen slippers which Jack loves a lot.

Tools

We are in the middle of a big house remodel. My attractive wife project managed most of it while I was away in Iraq and did a great job. The main effort was a complete re-do of our two upstairs bathrooms. They now feature beige colored 12 x 12 Travertine floor tiles, similarly colored 2 x 2 stone tiles in the showers and a brown and white Romanesque design tile mosaic running horizontally two thirds up the way of the shower wall. We had the granite sink counters installed earlier in the week and my contractor, Don, and I have been busy adding plumbing (faucets and toilets). We're in the process of finishing (and restoring functionality to) my attractive wife's bathroom. Until this project started I had never the term, "high performance toilet," before.

Jack has his own set of play tools which look and function quite realistically and he's been imitating all the activity around the house. He even wears eye protection. Jack knows our contractor, who he calls "Friend Don."

E Pluribus Unum

Many years from now, when people ask me, "Where were you when the first African-American president was elected?" I will say, why I was putting Jack to sleep. We had some milkies, read, "Zoo Parade," "Fire Truck," and "Numeros." When we were done, he turned off the light and said, "It's dark because it's nighttime," and I placed him in the crib.

My attractive wife was already in bed and had her Blackberry out and said, "Wow, Obama was elected." When I started Jack's good night routine, I knew Obama was ahead but I didn't think he would be called the winner until much later. Whatever side of the political fence you sit on, this was an historic night.

I tuned into CNN and caught Obama's acceptance speech and was truly impressed. After spending so much time in Iraq worrying about the Iraqi Provincial Election Law and waiting for it to be passed by the Council of Representatives, it was deeply gratifying to see our own election happen and with such a profound outcome.

As John McCain so graciously pointed out in his concession speech, we all are Americans and need to move forward together. It's more than just who was elected. As Joe Waldron wrote in a New York Times OPED, "Presidents come and go. Our nation, and our constitutional form of government, ones hopes, will endure."

E Pluribus Unum -- "From Many, One."

Back to Being a Dad

I'm back at home after spending a year in Baghdad, Iraq with the US Navy (I am a reservist and was called up for a tour of duty). Aside from being generally apprehensive about headed to a combat zone, I was doubly concerned about how being away would affect my son, Jack, and my relationship with him. When I left he was nearly two and now that I have returned he's nearly three. How would he adjust? How would I adjust? Would he even remember me?

I expressed these concerns to my attractive wife who told me I was worrying too much. Still, these concerns continually nagged at me during my deployment.

At the seven month mark -- last May -- I got to take two weeks' leave. My son recognized me at the airport well enough and transitioned well to my presence at home. It made going back when it was over that much harder.

Now I'm back for good and Jack seems very comfortable with me in his life. I'm looking forward to being a dad again.

Coming Soon

Check back in November when I return from Iraq. I'll be writing about raising my three year old son, Jack.