Reconnecting With Friends & Family in Colorado

Ed, Pam Peterson, Michelle Alfano, Joy, Pete Peterson,
Sal Alfano

Mark & Vickie Gehri, Sal & Michelle Alfano

The "Bobbsey Twins" Ed w/Jim Van Housen

Katy, Jaycee & Jim Van Housen

Aunt Alice, Uncle Buddy, & Cousin Cindy

Colorado Springs, CO (June 30 - July 11, 2010) Like I said in my last blog, if Colorado had an ocean I could almost be persuaded to live there! It is a beautiful place and we enjoyed our time there. After our 13 mile hike we did a 16 mile bike ride and saw a snake! (What is it about everywhere we go there are snakes!!!) Ed gave me a break after that and we did some socializing instead. We were able to visit 4 couples that had meant a lot to us in our military years: Pete and Pam Peterson (whom we had just seen in Texas and were here for another reunion), Sal and Michelle Alfano, Mark and Vicki Gehri, and Jim and Katy VanHousen.

Dinner with Pete, Pam, Sal & Michelle was also a 30 year reunion of a Navigator's Bible Study at McChord AFB, Tacoma WA. McChord was our first duty assignment and this group of believers really helped us make the transition from civilian to military life and helped us see that you can live for Christ in the middle of the military environment.

We also met Mark & Vickie at McChord. Mark and Ed were also on the Joint Staff together from 1999 - 2001. We took a tour of Compassion International where Mark and Vicki minister and got to hear their amazing story of how God led them to that ministry. Sal and Michelle kindly opened their home to us while we were having some work done on the RV and it was good to spend some extra time with them.

Jim and Katy just moved back to Colorado with the AF Reserve, after being away for 22 years. Jim and Ed's Reserve career's tracked closely from the time they were Captains. They favor a resemblance to each other and for awhile were known as the "Bobbsey Twins". Ed and Jim worked together in GA and we lived near each other. We also got to see their youngest daughter Jaycee whom we had not seen since she was a baby. It was really good to catch up with them after all these years.

Our last stop before leaving Colorado was to have breakfast with Ed's Uncle Bud and Aunt Alice and cousin Cindy just north of Denver. We hadn't seen Alice and Bud since Erin and John's wedding so it was good to see them and get a visit in even if it was a short one.

All in all I think we took advantage of all there is to do in Colorado. But, I'm sure we could find several reasons to come back for another visit.