LOVE- DAY 9

After Doug graduated dental school he did an Army residency. We lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado for a year while Doug played Army. It was a really fun year. We'd been in Virginia for four years and except for Doug's sad trip to Utah for his brother's funeral, we hadn't been back to the West the whole time (couldn't afford it). So living in Colorado was just dang fun! We had family come often and visit us, and we traveled to Utah and California to repay the visits. Nick went to Kindergarten, I did Joy School with Sam, Fred grew up. I played Army Captain wife. It really was a very wonderful year.

It was the last year in our married life in what could be considered civilization (or: A Land With Many Stores and Restaurants).

Ft. Carson, Colorado was considered a pretty nice place to be. We'd been pretty lucky to go there for Doug's residency. Then...it was payback time.

This is that part of the military that you have no control over. Actually, there's a lot of those parts. But this particular part can be a deal breaker. It seems that the Powers That Be decided that since we'd had such a prime assignment in Colorado, we now had to experience the opposite. Doug's assignment, for the two years of required service for all the knowledge and experience gained from his one year residency, was to Ft. Irwin, California.

Ah, Ft. Irwin. It has been called "the armpit of the Army." Located in the Mojave Desert, right next to Death Valley. It's where the Army sends its troops to learn desert warfare. It is a desolate and dismal and coyote-ridden place. If you've ever driven from Las Vegas to Los Angeles then you drove by a small sign, just before Barstow, that said "Ft. Irwin" and that would be the exit you'd take. Then you'd drive 30 miles into NOTHING and get to Ft. Irwin.

We lived in Barstow for 8 months before we were able to get housing on post. I was expecting Jake during that time. We lived with most of our stuff in a storage unit and with some necessary furniture and extra boxes in our little two bedroom apartment. This was the year I started homeschooling. That's another story. Our apartment complex was right next to the desert. Sometimes at night we'd hear helicopters flying around and see the huge searchlight scanning the area. Yes, it was a little scary.

Well, now we're getting to the part that I actually wanted to tell about. I don't know if it's still there, but at the time (1992) there was a huge McDonald's right off the freeway in Barstow and it had a train and a big gift store. I think it was sort of an oasis in the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. A destination spot, if you will. McDonald's isn't our favorite place to eat, but remember, at that point we'd left civilization for the rest of our married life and our real options were 45 minutes away in Victorville. So occasionally we gave our 3 boys a great bit of excitement and went to McDonald's for dinner.

One of those times we decided to peruse the gift shop. I know! Like there would really be something in a gift shop connected to a McDonald's in Barstow, California!

And there actually was. And I really bought it. And I still have it. And it says perfectly what I want to acknowledge today:

HAHAHA! Isn't that great?! I have used that tacky key ring thing every since Nov. or Dec. of 1992.

And you know? I really do LOVE my dentist.

I LOVE what a good dentist he is. I LOVE that he has so much concern for his patients. I LOVE that he doesn't mind going in after hours to help people (including me). I LOVE that he'd rather spend time talking to his patients to get to know them better and help them have a positive dental experience, than rush them in and out. I LOVE that the new dental technology interests him and that he spends time to learn about all that stuff. I LOVE that he doesn't mind people asking him dental questions, even when they aren't his patients.

I LOVE that he trusts me not to bite his fingers when he's putting stuff all over my face.

Yes, I LOVE that dentist of mine!

And lest you think that living at Ft. Irwin was ALL bad, it wasn't. It was hard, yes. But we met some really wonderful people. The boys were in kid heaven with lizards and scorpions and other creepy-crawly things. And best of all, my Jake was born there! There were lots of things to LOVE about that time and place.

But I think I've actually said them all...