Birth through 4 years.
While I only spent a few early years in Florida, I will always love the smell of the beach and appreciate a good tan because of my time there.
Elementary School Years
My family had a live in maid from Mexico when we lived in El Paso, Texas. Our situation was not unique because many people from Mexico would gladly work for a few American Dollars at the time.
We often visited a city in Mexico called Juarez, which is now torn by violence among competing drug cartels. The stark contrast between America and Mexico gave me an appreciation for how blessed I am just to be an American.
During one Thanksgiving holiday, my parents found out that several servicemen at Ft. Bliss could not travel home for the holidays. They sponsored two privates for Thanksgiving dinner. My mother's actions later inspired me to join the service myself. At the time though, I just thought it was the coolest thing ever to have "G.I. Joe" at my house playing football with me.