I seldom photograph people's pets, it's a really hard business, requires a lot of time and patience, it is almost exactly like photographing toddlers in fact. My girlfriend rescued this horse this year. She has nursed it back to health, groomed and trained for hours, rebuilding a trusting relationship between human and mare that was no doubt completely ruined by the previous owner. Her love for animals is admirable, she has a touch, a way with living creatures, it is her gift. I got home from this afternoon of play and have a handful of great shots of my friend with her horse, but for some reason I keep going back to this one. It's playful, it's magical, it's bright and sunny, I can't explain it but I love it.

Friends of ours live out in the country with land to roam, a fence to keep cars away and kids close, and it's a great place to go and let the children run. It's also a fantastic place to let them learn how to drive! We all laughed as this scene played out, the two of them driving off into the setting sun, but in the back of my head I thought, this exact thing is going to happen for real some day and I will probably be crying.

Ten months already. He can stand, he has figured out that if the music table is on hardwood flooring he can push it around and actually walk from place to place as though it were a walker. He has his favorite kitchen cupboards, cooling racks and cutting boards all over the kitchen floor every evening as I cook supper. He smiles more than anyone I know. He babbles and makes noises with his tongue that make the rest of the family hoot with laughter. He is adorable, and he totally knows that we are all wrapped around his little finger. He isn't a big boy. He's very tall, but lacks the rolls of baby fat his brothers both had. Probably because he eats healthier than all of us combined. He gets mostly homemade baby food and has a voracious appetite, in fact that is the only time you will hear him scream or fuss, if you aren't shoveling dinner fast enough. And then he wants down again, to crawl, and stand, and scoot, and boy is he fast! He is predictable, as though God looked down upon me and thought "she has three, and this one was unexpected, so he will be an absolute joy, an easy baby." For all of this I am grateful.

Nearly a month has passed since I last blogged. Darn that felt good. And, to be honest, it felt right. I took the month of December off to spend some uninterrupted, unrushed, quality time with my family. Goodness knows I was still taking pictures, but I was also building gingerbread houses, decking the halls as creatively as one can with kids helping, and hosting "tea time" in the afternoons where my boys took to calling me "mother" with pretend accents, which I secretly really like. My boys have changed so much in the last three months, and not just The Bundle, who is sprouting teeth and mastering forward motion faster than I can blink away an eyelash! The Boy is about to wave goodbye to his "lady love", a precious preschool friend for whom his heart throbs, as she moves away to Fort Hood, in Texas. My Middle Man has decided that the toilet is a fine invention worth his time, and now we investigate the restroom of every facility we visit, at least twice. Every day leaves me in awe and I find myself thinking that this time, this age where they want my help, are hungry for my hugs and kisses, and happily climb on my lap for a dozen books, is not going to last as long as I'd like it to. I guess I always thought that everything would get easier as they all got older, but in fact no, with three on the move now, I am feeling like something has got to give. So, I've made some decisions, scaling back on work, which will include less frequent blogging, and I'll be saying the word "NO" a lot, to the adults in my life, and not so much to my kiddos.

(For a larger and clearer image, click on the pictures individually.)

Wednesday was a crisp, sunny, winter morning. It was a morning that has been scheduled and cancelled several times, a fact that has been the root of many jokes and speeches in past months. On this very special morning, Fort Huachuca finally bid farewell to a Command Team like no other, Major General John Custer and his wonderful wife Audrey.
I first met Audrey Custer at a spouses coffee hosted at her home just a few short weeks after I arrived at Fort Huachuca, 2009. Knowing I was one of the most junior spouses on the block I made certain to be on time. Knowing I was one of the most junior spouses, I was nervous. I was the first one to arrive... But as Audrey gracefully fluttered around the house with final preparations, her easy nature instantly set me at ease. She was relaxed. She was kind. She was and always has been, in one word- LOVELY. How a woman with a lifetime of experiences under her belt makes everyone in her presence feel an equal, I can only hope to learn and portray myself some day. Words cannot express the impact this woman, this couple, has made on our post. It has been an honor to watch them command, to applaud their success, and to enjoy their company as neighbors and friends.

I set out on Wednesday with camera in hand, not to capture the cliche Change Of Command images that twenty other photographers on the field would certainly cover, but to record the essence of the day: Colors waving beautifully in the wind that whips down Huachuca Canyon, the 36th Army Band drumming out a toe tapping march, the smell of fresh red roses honoring a spouse's hard work and sacrifice, yellow roses as bright and cheerful as the sunshine welcoming Brigadier General Potter's wife into her new role. While most of the cameras were focused around the podium I had the delight of wandering the parade field, my favorite place to be, seeing the sequence of events from the vantage point most are not permitted. It is there that General Custer and General Potter begin "trooping the line" together; why exactly was that final contingent situated 15 feet behind the rest of the formation? Nearly skewering the command party walking by? It will certainly remain a distinct memory from the ceremony, but that is no longer the concern of General Custer as he relinquishes command, retires from the Army, and embarks on a new path, a civilian path, with bride Audrey still steadfast by his side, and a major retirement home renovation on the horizon. The formation on Brown Parade Field, situated in front of historic Quarters 1, the Pershing House, which the Custer's had the privilege to call home during their command at Fort Huachuca, was an amazing send off, and it was a honor to witness every smile and salute!

Happy "Birth" Day to ME! And a very Happy Birthday to my Middle Man! He was my most difficult to bring into this world, in fact, after his birth I proclaimed that there would be no more babies. So why should it be any surprise that he remains my most challenging child to date?! I'm praying that the terrible twos are over with, that the threes are going to be filled with patience, calm, and wonder, or at least many visits from a loving baby sitter and a spa gift certificate. He loves art, music, Star Wars, sweets, and his lovey. He also loves Darth Vader, and is affectionately known around our house as "The Prince Of Darkness" for more than one reason. He loves chicken nuggets, but won't eat real chicken. He hates the mere mention of a toilet, shoelaces that come untied, and food that doesn't resemble plain noodles with butter. As I sat tonight looking for nine of my favorite images, trying to find the faces I see on a daily basis, including the sour ones, I was flooded with love for this amazing tough guy. I was reminded of his sensitive nature, which makes him extremely tender towards others. I was reminded of his incredibly charming habits, his mischievous grin, and the joy he shows when playing Big Brother to our new Bundle. I didn't find so many images of him enjoying the little brother role he plays, insight for Mommy to pay more attention to I guess. He has fears, and great concerns. He wants a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas, and a Backhoe Front loader that beeps and talks. He is a complicated little fellow. He is the spitting image of me, then and now.