The majority of the traffic to this blog is the result of people doing Google image searches. A month or two ago my sister-in-law, Pattie, who is a Physical Therapy instructor at Fort Sam Houston — Home of the Combat Medic — in San Antonio, TX, was googling for juggling images for a class she was preparing on motor skills.

She was surprised to find an image she wanted to use was one of my doodles from a couple years ago. She asked if she could use it for her lesson and I said, “OK” and wanted to see how she used it.

She just completed the class and I was thrilled to receive a photo of her class (including juggler!) and this note:

“I taught the Motor Learning class this week, where juggling is taught as a means of reinforcing the content.  Your illustration is on the cover of the binder that I must place in the back of the class for the “visitor” that never seems to come.  The student juggling in the photo never juggled before but was taught during the class and practiced for 24 hours both mentally and physically.  At the end of 24 hours he was able to juggle.  Very fun.  The students agreed to be photographed for use on your website.  They are a mix of Army, Navy and Coast Guard enlisted personnel soon to be physical therapy technicians/assistants.”

Thanks, gang, for the excellent photo and especially for serving our country and your fellow troops.

Fort Sam Houston is the largest military medical training facility in the world and is the location of the Brooke Army Medical Center where many of the servicemen and women severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan are treated.

Want to support the troops? One of my favorite charities is Fisher House that provides temporary housing for families whose loved ones are in military hospitals like Brooke Army Medical Center.  You can donate online through their site.