My Dah and Me

We are home and had a wonderful visit with David. He looked so good and we were all so happy to see him and be able to spend time with him. Thursday was Family Day, so after the ceremony, we drove around the base while he told us all the things he had been doing. We got to see where he lived for the past three months and where he ate and did his PT. They had a nice park area and we got some Burger King and stayed there for a while, just talking and staring at him! ;-) David couldn't leave the base so we drove around or stayed at the park until time to take him back to his building.

Friday was Graduation. Since it took us 45 minutes to get in the gate on Thursday, we got there early and went right in. It was cold and rainy, but they still had the ceremony outside. Luckily the area where we sat was covered, but it was still quite chilly. David won the Soldier of the Cycle award, so he and 30 other soldiers marched to the front and received their awards. Then afterwards, all the families of the award winners got to go stand with our soldiers under a tent while they received their commendation coins from the General and Lt. Colonel. It was a very special time and we were so proud of David!!

He looked so handsome in his uniform. He has lost about 40 pounds and we had to take him to the PX to buy smaller pants because the ones he had on would hardly stay up. He got an off-base pass on Friday, so we took him to get something to eat and then went back to our hotel for the rest of the day. They rented a couple of movies and we ate and snacked on the goodies Tina and Becky had sent to him. Lily Mei loved playing with him and David was just amazed at how much she had changed since he had left. He couldn't get over how well she was talking and everytime she would say a whole sentence, he would say "Did she really say that?" Around 8pm, we had to take him back to his barracks so he could finish packing and get ready to ship out to Texas on Saturday. Wow...nobody warned me how very hard it was going to be to say Goodbye again...I tried to be good, but that one last hug did me in and I was a blubbering mess all the way back to the hotel and most of the way home on Saturday.

He's now at Goodfellow Airforce Base in San Angelo, Texas. He called at 1am this morning to say they had made it safe and sound, but the airlines had lost all their luggage. Hopefully, they will have it later on today. He's able to have his cell phone and we've texted all day and he went to the px there and bought a laptop. As soon as they get internet in their room, we will be able to email and use the webcam. Oh this is going to be soooo much better!! Thank you Lord!

He wanted me to bring home all the cards and letters that you all had sent to him at Basic Training so they wouldn't get lost. Thank you so much for thinking of him! I can't tell you how much it means to know that so many people all over the country are thinking of our boy and praying for him. Ya'll are the BEST!!! He will be in Texas for 27 weeks and then we don't know where he will be stationed, so all prayers are still appreciated!!