Staff Sgt Jason Ross - Marine

Today was a wonderful day for us. We have been riding a bit of an emotional roller coaster, so we needed a good level day to get our feet back on the ground. The girls got up this morning with Linda's encouragement and I was in the kitchen fixing breakfast and their lunches. Despite the fact that they didn't want to get out of bed, it felt good to be back in that routine. They came out and ate breakfast and then we were off to school. Even Jason, who typically says good-bye from his bed, came out and gave them hugs, and we were off. The rest of the day was very much like that - I decided I wanted to get out for a bike ride, after helping Jason with his shower (normally he takes a shower later in the day, but due to a rough night, the previous night, he was very tired last night and fell asleep and thus, didn't get his normal shower in). I had some other things to do so I also knew I was going to have to make it a short ride, and I did - 12 miles. I was out and back in le...

We are home now and dealing with some sad news. While we were driving back down here, actually to a stop in Los Angeles, we received news that a good friend of ours took his life. Marine LCpl Artem Lazukin was a great guy and a friend to Jason. He was a double amputee who had been able to get through some very rough patches in his life, and we all felt that he was going to be one of the true survivors. He and Jason would go shooting with Anthony Netto, and the three of them had a great time, just doing what those guys liked to do - shoot their guns and see how accurate they could be. He will be missed by many of us. The reason for the trip up to Livermore, this time, was to visit with our sons, George III and Sean. George turned 38 on March 21, and this was the first chance we had to get up to see him. He is still doing great, and we suspect that he will continue doing great, as he has such a great positive attitude and really loves the area where he lives as well as the job he has. ...

Wow! So what has happened to Jason and his family? Let me begin with a trip up to Fallbrook, to check on the progress of his house. We met with the builder and cabinet people and went over a bunch of layout questions, as well as the typical "Form - Fit - Function" issues that come up with any build project. Some of the issues were very spot-on, in wanting to know if the work areas (be it kitchen or in one of the other rooms) were going to work for Jason, especially since he is always going to be in a wheelchair. As it turned out, there were a couple of changes needed, and it also gave Jason a much better idea of what he should expect. There were also a couple of simpler questions on our end of the house, and those were taken care of, or ... we need to get some information back to them soon after we return to San Diego (yeah, we're still up in Livermore right now). Since I brought up Livermore - We have been enjoying the hospitality of Debbie V., a friend of ours who has...

Yesterday was a busy day, and we had a great time with all of it.  It began with a normal activity of getting the girls up and ready for school, and then I went for a short bike ride. Once that was done I came home and fixed a lunch for Jason and I, while Linda took care of some other chores and some running around that needed to be done - I got to be the luckiest guy to have a wife who really enjoys getting out and taking care of that kind of stuff, because I REALLY don't like it. Anyway, once she was back at home, a little after noon, it gave me a chance to take a short nap, because we were going to be going to dinner, up in Newport Beach. Last year, at the Carrington event there was an auction, and at that auction one of the items offered was a complete dinner by Chef Alessandro Pirozzi and it was purchased by John and Kristie. Fast forward to about a week ago and we receive an email, inviting us to join them, along with a few other people. Our first reaction is, Wow...

What a wonderfully quite and relaxed weekend. Jason did get out to doing some shooting of his "new" Colt 45 revolver (1917 original Peacmaker), and found out that there was some issues with how the mechanism needs some adjustments (he only got off 5 shots and then it jammed). It was also the 38th birthday for George, our oldest son (Jason's oldest brother). We will be going up to see him next week, along with Sean, our other son who lives in San Francisco. Other than that there really wasn't much done this past weekend, other than some normal daily living activities, like shopping and cleaning, and one other unusual activity, and that was getting some pictures taken of the girls for a special project that Linda plans to work on. We took the girls to the Picture People, and they took a bunch of photos of the girls in different outfits. It was actually a lot of fun and the girls had a great time. I was totally involved in watching and carrying things, while Linda had ...

Today began with a normal getting up in the morning, with girls getting their breakfast and then off to school. Jason and I had oatmeal and Linda made herself a little breakfast, too. A little while after breakfast I went out and rode my bike for a nice 30 mile ride, and discovered a new 5 mile loop (actually it is just a little under 5 miles) around Fiesta Island, out in Mission Bay. Funny thing is I have ridden past the entrance to the loop dozens of times, today I just decided to check it out. It is a very nice easy way around, and you're almost constantly next to the water, with little other traffic. Linda took care of a few things at the house and then took off to take care of some errands and that left Jason at the house, on his own for a couple of hours. It isn't the first time that he has been left by himself, and I think he enjoys not having anyone around, every now and then. Heck, I enjoy a little solitude once in a while, too. As it was, I was back at the house at ...

Another exciting day, and also a busy one. We got the girls off to school with a little time to spare, and then came home and had breakfast. Frequently we end up having breakfast after the girls have been taken to school, as there just isn't enough time to sit down and eat breakfast with them. Once we had our breakfast eaten I went and spoke with Jason about Linda and I going up to Fallbrook, to check on the house - this was also a final check to see if he might want to go with us. As it turned out he did want to go; we just needed to get his truck over to the Ability Center for another adjustment on the lift, and then we could just leave from there... and that's what we did. The drive up to the property was uneventful, and I guess that's the way we generally like it to happen. I have posted some of the pictures from this visit, so you can see that there has been some progress, as well, we enjoyed the chance to speak with the builder about some of the details of what was ...

Last night we were notified that we were going to be taking care of the girls for the next week, which means they will be with us for nine days in a row. This isn't the first time this has happened, but it is the shortest notice we've received. We enjoy having the girls with us, and we really do feel they benefit from more time spent with us, just that it would be so much nicer if we knew more in advance, so that we didn't have to suddenly modify plans. I guess it is just the way it is for now, and we will continue to do our best to keep a happy and strong environment for the girls. When we got up this morning another change was that I wasn't too involved with getting the girls up and ready for school. Linda was doing just about everything while I got ready for a job interview. As many of you know I have been doing some looking for employment, over these past couple of years, and not much has happened, other than a couple of interviews. Today was a little different, a...

Yesterday was a very good day for us, though it got started a little later than we originally planned. I managed to get in a bike ride, a short one of about 10 miles, though we didn't make it to church. I only went for the short ride because I wasn't feeling right, not really sick, just not feeling like I was 100%. When I got back home I just sat back and relaxed a little and then showered. Afterward I was feeling a little better yet my energy level was really low. Funny thing is, that Linda wasn't feeling all that great either so we decided that potentially it was better that we stay home, just in case we were coming down with something. We did work on picking some of the interior items for Jason's new house, and that took up a few hours, and then Jason came out and the three of us started working on all the different areas and now I think we have a pretty good idea of what we want and where. AND it is all going to look pretty good once it is completed. By this time ...

Jason and I went to a gun show today, while Linda went to a Blue Star Mother's meeting. Both events were rewarding for us, and we had a good time. Jason and I left at about the same time that Linda left, only we got back before she did. To give a more full picture, Linda also went to a thrift store, or two, and that could account for the extra time she took. While at the show we both picked up ear plugs, custom-made-on-the-spot ear plugs that were then given to us, as a gift from the owner. He told Jason that he appreciated his service and that he felt it was the least he could do. They seem to work well, and the next time we go shooting we will take advantage of them - mine were blue and his were red, just to be sure we don't get them mixed up. The way it worked was that we went to their booth, where they created the plugs, and then told us we needed to come back in about an hour. That meant we could walk around the hall and check out more things. It was a pretty big show so...

Kind of a busy day today, though it did get off to a slower than usual start. I didn't wake up until after 07:00, and that was a little on the unusual side, and I have to admit I was pretty happy about it. Actually, I don't think I would have moved, to get anybody going if it had not been for the 09:00 appointment, this morning. Linda and I managed to get going and went down stairs to get Jason some breakfast, and then we were off to go see Dr. Sheu. Dr. Sheu is Jason's primary doctor, at Balboa, and he has been one of the best we have had the privilege to work with, while at Balboa. He seems to have done more to identify seating and comfort solutions for Jason than any of the previous primaries at Balboa, and that is primarily why I like him. Because of traffic we did arrive a little later than we had wanted to, though I don't think that impacted the conversation much.  We covered a number of topics, though the number one item was what we could do to help Jason heal ...

A very nice day for the Ross family, down here in San Diego. I am fighting a cold, so I took some cold medicine and it helped me sleep. I didn't wake up until 07:38 today. Actually, it was a good thing I didn't sleep any longer because Linda was sleeping in, too, and she had somewhere to be at 09:00 this morning. We both got up and started getting ready for the day, which included getting breakfast ready for Jason, which I did. I had an appointment with my VA doctor, and since I now had a cold, going to see her seemed like an even better idea. What I found out was that everything was basically in good shape and she prescribed a couple of medicines for me to take. Prior to going to the doctor I took Linda over to her friend's house, where she could go out and have a much needed, Girls-Day-Out adventure. Her adventures include going to thrift stores and doing a bunch of window shopping, along with just being able to talk with another woman. Anyway, I went to the VA right af...

Wednesdays are always kind of strange, in that we have the girls in the morning and then we take them to school, then we don't get to see them for at least a couple of days. We, start to miss them as soon as they're gone, but we also know it is only a short while until they're back. This morning was a little different in that I over slept (I'm sort of the resident "alarm clock") and we only had about 45 minutes to get ready. We still managed to get them up and dressed; fed them their breakfast; and, made their lunches. Then we were out the door and we actually made it to school in plenty of time - okay, we probably had as much as 30 seconds before they became "late." The rest of the day was Jason and I going to the Wound Care Clinic, at Balboa and a discussion came up about what was being done for his continued challenges of healing. This is actually a topic of discussion that is going to be taking place with Jason's primary doctor, on Friday, ...

Another good day for the Ross family, as we continue with this new life and adventure. We got up this morning and got the girls ready for school. They had their breakfast and then told Daddy good-bye and we were off to school. Since there were no appointments to be concerned about I was soon to get out on a bike ride. First I had to fix a breakfast for Jason and I, so I made some oatmeal - we both like it and it is relatively easy to make. About a half an hour after eating I was out on the road. I had planned on going out and getting more than 20 miles in, though I really didn't know how far I would go. I was probably at about the 4.5 mile mark when my phone began to ring. I don't know who that first caller was, as there was no name associated with the number and no message was left. The next call came about 30 seconds after the first and I was already stopped, so I decided to answer. It was probably a good thing because it was the VA and I was trying to make an appointment w...

Day began very early, with Jackie having a bad dream and Linda and I getting up at about 01:00 to comfort her. Linda stayed in Jackie's bed so that I could go back to bed, and then a few hours later Stacy had a bad dream and came up to our room. This time though, I had already gotten up (it was after 06:30) and I was hoping to let Linda sleep just a little bit longer... it didn't happen. Since it was close to the time they normally get up anyway, we just began the day. I made them breakfast and fixed their lunches while Linda got them dressed, and by 07:40 we were on our way to their school. Jackie's rash seems to have just about gone completely away at this time, so we were okay with her going to school - but more on that later. When we were back at the house I made myself something to eat (Jason had been given breakfast earlier) and Linda was preparing her morning meal. Jason and I were going in to Balboa for a visit, and to pick up a couple of things that we were out o...

I know I said I was going to get some pictures posted, but another late night due to taking care of some personal issues and making some selections for the new house. With each item selected there is a discussion and that can take up to a half an hour, and so something that you think is only going to take a few minutes now takes a few hours. On top of that Jackie broke out in some type of rash and we had to take a few (several?) minutes to get that taken care of. At the writing of this blog she was clearing up and we have no idea what caused it in the first place... and she never complained about it. Needless to say, if it is there in the morning, she'll be going to the doctor. We had a nice relaxed day and wanted to get the girls to the zoo, but found out the zoo closes at 17:00 (5pm), and the girls typically don't get up from their nap until almost 16:00 (4pm). I'm not sure who was more disapointed, Stacy or Linda, but there will be other opportunities to get over there...

Today is the fourth anniversary of Jason stepping on the I.E.D. that took his legs and nearly killed him, though it didn't take his spirit and strength for life. We celebrated that today with a few of our close friends and wish we could have celebrated it with even more people, who have come to know Jason and the rest of his family. Next year we plan on having another celebration of his life and it will be a bigger event, and it will be at his new home. I really must apologize, in that I had intended on getting to the blog earlier, however we didn't pay much attention to the clock and the evening got away from us. I will, however, put in a much more detailed blog tomorrow, and even post some of the pictures taken. Joselyn and her family catered the dinner tonight with some specially cooked ribs and other dishes, and it was all amazingly tasty and good. She also provided a chocolate cake and because she knows I don't eat chocolate, she made an excellent cheese cake. We had...

Any time we get to do a bunch of different things as a family it is a great day, and today was a great day. We began with a nice early arrival of the girls, at about 08:30, and so after we finished breakfast the girls and I decided we were going to go for a nice walk. I'll back up just a bit here ... the reason the girls were with us on a Friday, and not in school, is that there was no school today, so it was more like a Saturday for us, than a Friday. Anyway, the three of us took off for a walk around the "block." I really didn't know quite where we were going to go, just that we would walk around for a bit and then head back to the house. I let the girls make some of the decisions along the way, so that it felt like they were in charge for part of the walk. We had a great time and got back to the house at the right time - so we could go do our next thing. Jason's truck needed to have some warranty work done, he needs to take it in every 3 months to keep it wor...

Another amazing day for all of us, as we continue to get back to our "normal" routines. Jason and I even went to Costco today, to pick up a few things. Actually that was a very strange adventure as we were in and out in less than an hour and we spent less than $100. I'm guessing we were abducted and shipped to a different dimension, and we really weren't at Costco. Honestly, I can not remember the last time we went to Costco and got out for less than $100. The people were friendly and even Gracie got to meet a new friend - another service dog was there and Jason took a moment to go say hello with Gracie. Not much else happened today, other than my bike ride. I didn't quite make 20 miles, though it was still a nice ride. Jason and I will be taking the vehicles in to Ability Center for some adjustments, so I won't be riding tomorrow. We're taking both vehicles because Jason thinks the truck will be left there for a day and so we'll come home in the van...

Hello, Hello, Hello - We are all back from our travels and getting back into the grove of being in San Diego. We actually got back on the 2nd, but that was late in the evening, with both of us being very tired. Yesterday we had to get up early to get the girls to school, and then in the evening Jason and I went off to another event that we committed too. It was a nice event and the dinner was good, yet I think next time (if there is a next time) I won't plan on going to an event so close to returning from a week being gone, especially if that means coming back from the east coast. Today was much better, and Linda and I even had the chance to take a short nap in the afternoon. Jason was sleeping too, as I think the event wore him down just a little. We went out to see Dr. Malone (see pic below) and to spend some time with the Bolder Crest Retreat (BCR), being hosted by EOD Warrior Foundation and Courage Beyond. Courage Beyond is focused on helping anyone who is needing help, and n...