BROTHERS

These two boys are quite the pair.

Alex and Cameron are 8 1/2 yrs apart but enjoy each other's company. They have similiarities and differences and compliment each other. God blessed us with two wonderful boys. It has been hard not having Alex home with us this summer as he branches off towards a successful future and independence. I don't really want him to leave quite yet, but he is currently doing his internship in Maryland in his IT specialty. Way to go, Alex!

Whenever we are together, the boys have a good time. Here are a couple of those occasions, Christmas day at Fort Huachuca, to spring break in Hawaii.

Junior Ranger Extraordinaire

Cameron is the Junior Park Ranger extreme. He has earned about 45 patches and badges in the past 25 months. Believe me, this has been no easy task! The park rangers don't give up these badges without completing the requirements, so having earned that many in a short period of times is truly extraordinary. But since there are about 390 parks to visit, he has a lot to get to. Over Memorial Day weekend, we visited five different parks, earning 5 more badges/patches. We went to Montezuma's Castle, The Grand Canyon, Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, and the Petrified Forest. On Tues we visited Saguaro National Park, earning yet another badge. We also got the opportunity to see 14 javelinas who had come up next to the visitor's center to take their afternoon siesta. There were all sizes and they did everything from sleep, nurse, fight, make up, banish one from the group, dig a resting place, and potty a lot.

In The Wild Kingdon AKA Arizona

My mom, Cameron, and I had an exciting afternoon. We decided to go and try to find the "Rattlesnake Ranch" near Tombstone. This was not an easy task. I had not been there since Feb, 1990 when my sister came to visit us here and we went in search of this place. So, with a quick internet search that led me to Gleeson Road in Gleeson, a ghost town, we were off. It was over an hour's drive when we turned onto a dirt road--very rough and very way out there. We passed a lone emu--who decided to race the truck as we drove by. When we finally deadended on that road and turned around, we grabbed a few photos of this Arizona Emu (not an Alabama Emu popularized by the John Boy and Billy Radio Show). I digress...

As we drove on the dirt, rough road the other direction, we came across another local. A bull snake was coiled up in the middle of the road, so we grabbed a shot of it (camera shot). Onto our target location, we finally found John's Rattlesnake Ranch. It had moved from it's 1989 location a bit; now it was on an even more primative road. But it was loaded with fun snakeskin items. And we got to meet John himself.

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

This is the first issue of the Miller's Merry Manor.

Tomorrow is 23 May 09, Cameron's 13th birthday! I can't believe that it has been 13 years since he was born at DeWitt Army Hospital at Fort Belvoir, VA. A little guy at 7 lbs, 11 3/4 oz and 20 1/2 inches, he is now 120 lbs, 5'4" and growing everyday.

Tomorrow we will head to Flagstaff for the weekend. The last time we were there (staying at Ft Tuthill Recreation Area) was in Oct, 2004 when we went up for Columbus Day weekend and celebrated Alex's 17th birthday. Coincidence I guess.

Unfortunately, Alex won't be with us. He is working in Columbia, Maryland as an intern for the summer. Job title--Engineer Journeyman. He has an apartment and is getting used to the area. He is enjoying the work and his co-workers. Only one more semester to go at Purdue, with graduation in Dec 2009. Hurray!