Just pondering . . . .

I made a choice last night. Nothing grand, no drama, just a forward motion.

I picked up where I left off on my mom's quilt I so hastily put away last November.

Today marks the beginning of a week from 2009 forever frozen in time for me. The week my mom finally went to the hospital, David left for Las Vegas, the week of so many phone calls!

Looking back, I see so clearly the Lord's Hands at work.

David was able to see my mom (albeit just briefly).

Most important to me, I had the best support system in paradise anyone could ask for.

The Mountain

More than a few friends have asked, "What is this mountain you keep referring to?"

I guess I've taken for granted that most folks have seen Stargate. (Or maybe that's just my nephew and nieces that are science fiction crazed.)

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is the official name. And just as the name says - it is one complex location!

Trying not to use MilSpeak, let me give you a very brief overview. (When you have ample time, Dave would LOVE to give you every detail.)

The design of this facility makes it one of the most unusual installations in the world. Apart from the fact that it is housed 2,000 feet (600 m) inside the granite mountain, the interior was actually designed by the US Navy. It is also notable in that it houses a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.

Highlights:

*25 ton blast doors.

*4.5 acre of excavated chambers & tunnels

*15 buildings. 12 of those buildings are 3 stories tall. All of them freestanding, without contact to the mountain itself.

How, you ask?

All of the buildings are mounted on 1,319 steel springs, each weighing approximately 1,000 pounds. The springs allow the complex to move 12 inches in any one direction.

*To make the complex self-sufficient, adequate space in the complex is devoted to support functions. A dining facility, medical facility with dental office, pharmacy and a two-bed ward; two physical fitness centers with exercise equipment and sauna; a small base exchange, chapel, and barber shop are all located within the complex.

We like to sum it up by likening it to an aircraft carrier built inside the mountain.

Time.com has a great photo tour. Giving some pretty cool glimpses into what most of us will never actually see. Click here to take a gander.

Want even better photos of inside?

Cnet had the best photo tour I could find. Don't miss their descriptions that accompany each photo on the right hand side. It's like taking a quickie engineering class for dumbies.

Seriously, go look at them!

A trip to the complex doesn't happen for Dave daily. In fact, it's rather rare. And thank goodness! The process of just getting inside to a work station is quite cumbersome.

However, we can't help be get excited at one project associated with NORAD. Tracking Santa! Having been such active participants in this tradition since the kids were just little, we're excited to be on the operating end of it this year.

To read the story of how NORAD Tracks Santa all began, click here.

*photos courtesy of norad.mil

The Poppy Campaign

Dave's been off playing War Games locked inside a mountain all week. I've barely seen him. But when I do, I can't help but notice his bright red poppy.

It was given to him by one of his Canadian Military counterparts that works alongside him in the surgeons office.

When he can't wear the poppy on his uniform, I've seen it on his work bag.

I can tell he respects this tradition and obviously what this poppy represents. So of course, I want explanations.

Not having much time for conversation lately - he summed up by telling me to google "In Flanders Fields" . . . . .

So you don't have to google yourselves, I'll share what I learned:

The use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance comes from a poem written by John McCrae, a Canadian doctor serving in the military. The poem is called In Flanders Fields and describes the poppies growing in the Flemish graveyards where soldiers were buried.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Each November, Poppies blossom on the lapels and collars of over half of Canada’s entire population. Since 1921, the Poppy has stood as a symbol of Remembrance, our visual pledge to never forget all those Canadians who have fallen in war and military operations. The Poppy also stands internationally as a “symbol of collective reminiscence”, as other countries have also adopted its image to honour those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The official start of the Poppy Campaign is the last Friday in October and runs until November 11.