Merry Christmas!

I am sitting here anxiously awaiting the arrival of my family!! It's starting to feel more like Christmas. Just one more day of work, and then the weekend starts! This year, the biggest gift is being with my family...wish Dad could be here too, but someday soon that wish will come true.

I wanted to share this poem with you. It was written by one of the flight docs. My mom got it in an email from the base, and I love it because it is about my dad. Well, okay so it never mentions him, but its about his job so it makes me think of him. Oh yeah, and the photo card that was with it is the Christmas card that my dad's crew sent out all over the world. :) Enjoy.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Base Ops
the flightline was stirring, preparing their drops;
The loads were all placed on the plane with great care
For the Christmas supplies to deliver by air.
Soldiers on ground were all snug in their beds
While visions of flying hercs danced in their heads.
The first shirt stood ready to see the plane off
It will skim over peaks and fly over troughs.
Now out on the base the excitement did soar,
As soldiers anticipate goodies galore.
They stood at the windows, a peak they did sneak.
They cracked open the doors hoping that they don’t squeak.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But a big C-130, and it was perfectly clear,
That the wily old pilot and all of his crew,
Knew how to deliver… they knew what to do.
More rapid than choppers the coursers they came,
The target was lit by infrared flame;
"Now, loadmasters prepare to deliver the drop!
We are time on target, the delivery won’t stop!
To the end of the valley, our plane will not stall
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As parachutes opened and delivered the goods,
they hit time on target where the chaplain he stood,
Then up to the cargo the chaplain did stride,
to open the goods he’ll distribute inside.
And then, in a twinkling, soldiers heard at their door
That the load had arrived and there was something more.
They went to the DFAC to receive all their presents,
That would lighten their hearts and warm up their tents.
The chaplain was dressed in a Santa Claus suit,
And his clothes they were tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of gifts he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler as he opened his pack.
His eyes – they were twinkling! his actions so merry!
His cheeks, were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His grin had his mouth all drawn up like a bow,
And his fresh-shaven face was as white as the snow;
The stump of a candy cane held tight in his teeth,
And the DFAC’s décor including a wreath
Gave the holiday evening the joy that it needed
The wishes of soldiers had not gone unheeded.
The chaplain’s broad face and the bit of a belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
Made him look like a chubby, right jolly old elf,
Soldiers laughed when they saw him, in spite of themself
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave soldiers to know they had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Handing out gifts like a quick postal clerk.
Then laying his finger aside of his nose
He surveyed the soldiers and began to speak prose

The maintainers, God bless them! They keep the planes ready
watching over our needs they keep the planes steady;
God bless the aircrew, they are doing their job
But they know what this means to the outlying FOB,
In the distance the plane flew away like a kite
Soldiers heard them exclaim, ere they flew out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

~Capt. Janice Weixelman, Flight Surgeon, ANG.

my dad is the second head from the right, in the back