On Christmas day we ran a story about veterans reflecting on the war in Iraq ending, their experiences, and their happiness at being home for the holidays.  I had several favorite photographs from this story, several of which didn't end up making into the print edition, so I will share them with you here!  

Sergeant Brian Taylor's family has a tradition of celebrating Christmas on the 23rd, due to the fact that they used to visit relatives on the 24th and 25th.  The tradition has stayed alive and well and his family let me sit in on their gift exchange.  What I love about this photo is the layering.  Brian, second from right, has a large family, plenty of brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and I felt the wonderful chaos that is Christmas with a large family was captured in this frame.

We met with Lance Corporal Jamahl Freeman at his home the week before Christmas.  The family was enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon, all the holiday shopping and decorating complete.  I stayed with the family for several hours, trying to get something to capture the idea of being home for the holidays, surrounded by family but still settling into the routine of being home after recently completing a tour in Afghanistan.  At one point, Jamahl got his tablet from his room and showed Darla, the reporter, and I several photos of his tour in Afghanistan.  I loved the reflection of his face along with the Christmas light in the background.  The second shot is of Jamahl playing the piano, his mother loves listening to him play.  As I walked into the living room with the piano I noticed his dress blues hanging on the coat rack in the entrance way, and grabbed this shot.

Another veteran we talked to was George Bailey, who served towards the beginning of the war with an Army Reserves unit in Iraq.  He and his wife both agree he has become more emotional since his return.  Throughout the interview, George would mention his granddaughter Bevin, born several years after his tour, and his face simply lit up.  All the sadness that caused his voice to break while describing his experiences during his tour would disappear as he speak of the child. I felt that George's story should be one of remembrance and healing.  I went back to the house the day after we interviewed him to photograph him, his wife Lois, and his granddaughter doing some Christmas baking.  While Lois and Bevin baked, he sat back and watched his granddaughter quietly, a bit withdrawn. At one point he turned to me and said that there were so many men and women who wouldn't know the joy of having this experience.   A quiet moment hoping to capture that feeling of contemplation.