Isabella at Disneyland, post 9/11

On July 21 and 22, my sister and brother-in-law took a trip to celebrate my beautiful niece turning the terrible 2. At the Magic Kingdom, the little princess explored a potential career as a freedom fighter in the war on terror.


Marine Corps sniper (223rd Battalion, Mickey Mouse company) Monica Wickman-Mroch spots a possible jihadist and instructs Isabella, private-in-training, on the finer points of target shooting:

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Aim
4. Squeeze

The next day, at Dumpling House in Artesia, Monica Wickman-Mroch mulls a run for her assault rifle (not pictured) as my niece, in her dress blues, poses with my sister.


Isabella discovers an affinity for this thing called 'cake'. Seconds before, she performed a visual sweep of the table for any sugar packets, her favorite IED (improvised entertainment device).


Light, fluffy & sweet (don't think Isabella wouldn't hesitate taking your eye out with that fork!), cake is a refreshing change from the relentless battlefield stressors of people in costume, clowns, and tea cup rides.


The life of a patriot can make a freedom fighter hungry for food and company, as evidenced in this photo, seated with (left to right) Monica Wickman-Mroch, brother-in-law Brian Moffat, my dad, step-mom & half-sister, and Walter Mroch.