Lagniappe

Jolene and Natalie Getting Dress for Beth's Party...waiting and waiting and waiting for...
L.A. and his Darth Maul masterpiece (that took FOREVER to do)
This is our Star Trek year...heading to New Orleans

Baby Kahlua
Baby Oreo
Baby Zeus
Our ROTC detachment went to an Air Show in Lake Charles that featured the Thunderbirds. We had a one on one with the pilots after the show. This is L.A. with the pilot's helmet on.
And this is Natalie with the helmet on...
I thought since most of you were not able to come for my commissioning I would share some photos. Here Capt Brown is saying something nice about me.
Captain Brown giving me the Oath of Office

Signing my life away...

Posing with the Commissioning Certificate
This is a collage of pictures from my promotion to 1st Lt.

Time Warp

I found a "lost" box of pictures last night and thought I'd share a few of my favorites:

All of these are from sometime in 1999.
LSU Bell Tower at Dusk
L.A. at the waterfall in Shreveport. He was taking some pictures of me for a photography class and after a couple of rolls I turned the tables on him.
Natalie and L.A. in the Ball Room at LSU.

Working Spring Testing (judging by the folders) - Tami, Ashley and Natalie These pictures are from a base visit trip that we took with ROTC to Washington DC. We are standing in Arlington Cemetery. You can see the Washington Monument behind us. --Chris, Brad, Natalie, L.A.
Here we are at the Lincoln Memorial. You can see the Washington Monument again. They were doing reconstruction on it. --Chris, Natalie, L.A., Brad
Every Spring we had Military Ball. This is a picture from the 1999 MilBall. --Brad, Natalie, L.A.
Same MilBall. The girls are Angel Flight, a service organization affiliated with Air Force ROTC.

And I saved the best for last!!! Proof that L.A. can smile in a picture! And he likes it because he was buff. This is a picture from his last day at Field Training.

Nationals Game

After the White House we took in a Nationals' game. This is their inaugural season in the new ballpark. In fact it was only their second home game.

The Clydesdales were there.

These were some big boys too!
L.A. representing for LSU...also known as Love Shaq University...CAN - YOU - DIG - IT...


Check out the view from the seats. I think this is the closest I've sat at a professional baseball game. The Nats' didn't do too well but we really had a good time!

It's really a nice new stadium.

I think it's neat that we got to go to a ballgame in the last season at RFK and the first season at the new park!

BTW...if you are confused by my LSU comment check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF482Y4QSf0&feature=related
While you're at it watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWqPnEGzfK8&feature=related
Gotta love Shaq!!

Tigers at the White House

We were lucky enough to score an invitation to the White House for LSU's recognition for winning the National Championship. Here are some of the pictures from the day.

Most of you know that we ended up on the front row. My only explanation is sheer dumb luck. We were wondering around looking for the entrance to the White House and happened to see a large group across the street. We decided to head toward the group. We were stopped on the way there because the team's buses had to unload. Come to find out the large group we saw was pushed across the street (see picture below). When the Secret Service guy holding us up let us go he made sure we got in front of the group. We were the first in line!

L.A. actually took this picture because of the guy in the bright purple jacket.
A view of the Washington Monument from inside the White House. The gardens were beautiful!
A view of the White House from our seats...did I mention we were on the front row! Right next to Mrs. Miles.
Beautiful Tulips!

Chillin'...on the front row...

The lady sitting next to Dad is Dydia DeLyser. She is a professor in the Department of Geography and Anthropology at LSU.

Our feet on the White House grass...

It's the boys!

Looking handsome...they clean up nice don't they!

George and Les
George making a joke about this being the first time Les has been seen in public without a hat.

Jacob presenting Bush with a gold LSU football.

Bush with his LSU jersey.

Herman meet Trindon. Trindon meet Herman. Our largest and smallest players.

This is me with Mrs. Miles and a new friend Betsy. We ran into her while trying to find the gate.

Craig Steltz #16 Safety. He's signing my hat.

Shawn Jordan #40 Full Back. He was a sweetie! And much cuter in person than his scary LSU roster picture! http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=174226&Q_SEASON=2007

It's me and Matt again. He's signing my hat. I didn't do so good taking this picture.

Marlon Favorite #99 Defensive Tackle. He was a really sweetie too!

He even posed with L.A. L.A. was feeling left out. He said he felt like my personal photographer...he hasn't figure that out yet. :-)

Ali Highsmith #7 Linebacker. L.A. asked me if Ali was playing with my hair. (He wasn't) We were laughing because I told him that I was more excited than on my wedding day. L.A. pretended to be upset. But he knew I was just joking...really I was.

Ricky Jean-Francois #90 Defensive End. Man this dude was huge! But not quite as big as...

Herman Johnson #79 Offensive Line. He is the largest baby ever born in La. 15 pounds!Demetrius Byrd # 2 Wide ReceiverJosh McManus #23 Wide Receiver. Showing off the rings.

Here is Dad up on the White House balcony. We're not sure exactly how he got up there. He kept motioning for me to come up. I started up the stairs and was stopped by a Marine Major who was supposed to keep the fans down in the grounds. He asked me if I was with the team. I said "no I was just going up to meet my dad". He looked up and motioned to Dad to ask if he knew me. Dad gave him the thumbs up and he said OK and let me up.These are our friends the Brigmans: Susan, Katie, Ella and Bill. He was one of our ROTC instructors at LSU.

It's time to say good bye. But I've got to tell you the funniest story of the day. Several people walked up to shake L.A.'s hand and congratulate him. A few even asked for his autograph! One of my coworkers said he should have been flattered that they thought he had the physique to be mistaken for a football player. My friend Robert said he should have signed them "Herman Johnson"...No he didn't sign any. We figure that he was the only young black guy there not with the team.

Here's the link for the White House Press Release. If you look real close at the front row on the left you can see us sitting there. I'm third from the middle aisle.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/20080407-11.html