KKJ Photo Journal

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting a very special place, Heroes on Horseback.  If you’ve never heard of this, please stop by their website to learn more.  If you really want to open up your learning experience, go see them up close and personal.  You will be amazed.

I first met Ana Maria while working in our church’s nursery.  She wears a backpack that holds her feeding tube which at times bells and whistles would go off rendering a need for finding her mom.  One evening while at Awana I was talking with Ana’s mom and asked her about the need for the feeding tube.  Emmy told me that Ana has an incurable disease from which she will die.  I have never forgotten that conversation.

As you can imagine there are countless visits to doctors and hospitals.  Because it takes a lot of funding to keep their little girl alive, raising money for Ana’s medical needs as well as awareness for the disease she battles has now become a yearly event.  This year, however, Ana has decided that she wants to give back to an organization that has given to her.  Heroes on Horseback will receive the benefits of her fund raising efforts this year.  This year’s event is scheduled May 8 (rain date May 15), 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the High Way 21 Drive In.  I BETTER SEE YOU THERE!

Here are a few pictures of my visit to Heroes on Horseback while Ana and her sister, Isabelle, had their riding lesson.

Welcome to Heroes on Horseback

The stables.

The riding facility.

A horse, of course!

Ana looking for Blue Eyes.

The lesson begins on stick horses.

Heroes folk.

Petting Blue Eyes.

Isabelle on her horse.

Taking a turn.

Fun time.

Ana riding.

It was a rainy day.

More instruction.

Looks like fun to me!

You go Ana!

The riding instructor, Laura.

The smile says it all.

Discussion.

Learning to groom the horse.

Brushing Blue Eyes.

The teacher and her student.

Another horse with another rider.

Heroes has programs for the young at heart: Silver Saddles.

Ana’s other desire for this fund raiser is for you to know about her God.  Now that’s what I call a true heart!

Ana.

Information:

Ana’s Website:  Help Cure Ana Maria

Heroes Website:  Heroes on Horseback

One day you’re in the mountains of North Carolina taking photos of some of the most exquisite views this country has.

And then the next day you’re not.

One day you’re taking pictures of cute little girls getting their bangs trimmed.

And then the next day you’re not.

One day you find yourself touring a quaint little town that beckons you to take pictures until you’ve run out of room on your card.

And then the next day you’re not.

Portrait of him.

My son who will soon need to shave.

Joe with texture.

This week’s photo challenge at I Heart Faces is texture.  So here’s my entry to the challenge.  Joe looking pensive.

You Can’t Tell a Vet Just By Looking

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carrier didn’t run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth whose behavior is outweighed in the cosmic scales by four hours of unparalleled bravery near the 38th Parallel in Korea.

She is the nurse who fought against futility in Da Nang and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years.

He is the POW who left one person and came back another.

He is the drill instructor who has never been in combat, but has saved countless lives by turning no-accounts into Marines.

He is the parade-riding legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the white-haired guy bagging groceries at the supermarket, aggravatingly slow, who helped liberate a Nazi death camp.

A vet is an ordinary and extraordinary human being — someone who offered his life’s vital years in the service of his country.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.  We will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude we owe.

—Author Unknown—

This is the grandson of a close family friend.  Isn’t he cute?!