Sorry for the blogging hiatus! It's been a jam-packed couple of weeks!
My parents were in town for the past week for Tommy's graduation from TBS!!! Let me tell you how excited I am that he is done with this class. Check: we are BOTH excited that he is done with this class! Life is sooooo much easier (and nicer) when there are TWO parents in the picture to help with Wyatt! It was a lot to handle working full time with my commute plus being responsible for everything household and Wyatt related these past 7 months! Glad it is over, and hats off to my hubby for doing such a great job. He finished in the top 1/4 of the 280 Marines who graduated this course!
My parents joined us at Warrior Day, which is a day they set aside before graduation so you get a "taste" of the Marine Corps life and what they've been doing at TBS. Wyatt was awestruck by the fly-in and landing of 3 helicopters. He got to go inside each one and inspect them, and had a blast trying out the controls! The only problem was helping him understand that they were not, in fact, his. He proudly proclaimed, "MINE!" and was very reluctant to give up his turn at the helm of the aircraft! We also got to check out and inspect several of the amphibious assault vehicles, tanks, etc. and we were this close to getting to go on an AAV ride. We were all suited up in our 30-pound flak jackets and helmets but they stopped the exercise when someone in the AAV hit his head inside the vehicle and received a concussion and 6 stitches! My dad was pretty disappointed!
Most of Tommy's family got to come up and celebrate graduation day with us. It was a day that was made very special for him by the Pulic Affairs Office on base, who showed up at the request of a retired Lieutenant Colonel who used to work with my father-in-law, who retired from the Marine Corps a few years ago as a Sergeant Major, to videotape the event. My father-in-law couldn't be there for the graduation because he is in the hospital right now. I haven't posted about this on here for several reasons (namely the difficulty of it all as well as for privacy reasons), but my father-in-law has adult lukemia and underwent a stem cell transplant right after Christmas. It's been a very difficult process for our family and we've spent nearly every weekend in Richmond in 2009. Tom is currently hospitalized with Graff vs. Donor disease, which means the new and old white blood cells are fighting over who gets to take control of his body. So the PAO came to videotape the ceremony and a message from Tommy to Tom and sent him the tape in the hospital. They are also doing a wonderful story on the father-son aspect of this that is scheduled to run in the Quantico newspaper soon. I'll post a link when it's available, hopefully tomorrow!
After the gradution, we celebrated with family and friends with a backyard BBQ at our house. We had a great time and beautiful weather. We finished off the week with a wonderful trip to the Potomac Point Winery, dinner at the Globe and Laurel (a local restaurant filled with Marine Corps memorabilia), and a quick trip to Richmond to the hospital and a BBQ with Tommy's family.
All in all, it was a great week and we loved having my parents here visiting. Wyatt was in his glory with Grandma and Grandpa around, and as always, we enjoyed their company and the great seafood, steak, and many bottles of wine. I am now enjoying my post-TBS life for a few weeks before reality sets in and Tommy heads to California in mid-June.
My parents were in town for the past week for Tommy's graduation from TBS!!! Let me tell you how excited I am that he is done with this class. Check: we are BOTH excited that he is done with this class! Life is sooooo much easier (and nicer) when there are TWO parents in the picture to help with Wyatt! It was a lot to handle working full time with my commute plus being responsible for everything household and Wyatt related these past 7 months! Glad it is over, and hats off to my hubby for doing such a great job. He finished in the top 1/4 of the 280 Marines who graduated this course!
My parents joined us at Warrior Day, which is a day they set aside before graduation so you get a "taste" of the Marine Corps life and what they've been doing at TBS. Wyatt was awestruck by the fly-in and landing of 3 helicopters. He got to go inside each one and inspect them, and had a blast trying out the controls! The only problem was helping him understand that they were not, in fact, his. He proudly proclaimed, "MINE!" and was very reluctant to give up his turn at the helm of the aircraft! We also got to check out and inspect several of the amphibious assault vehicles, tanks, etc. and we were this close to getting to go on an AAV ride. We were all suited up in our 30-pound flak jackets and helmets but they stopped the exercise when someone in the AAV hit his head inside the vehicle and received a concussion and 6 stitches! My dad was pretty disappointed!
Most of Tommy's family got to come up and celebrate graduation day with us. It was a day that was made very special for him by the Pulic Affairs Office on base, who showed up at the request of a retired Lieutenant Colonel who used to work with my father-in-law, who retired from the Marine Corps a few years ago as a Sergeant Major, to videotape the event. My father-in-law couldn't be there for the graduation because he is in the hospital right now. I haven't posted about this on here for several reasons (namely the difficulty of it all as well as for privacy reasons), but my father-in-law has adult lukemia and underwent a stem cell transplant right after Christmas. It's been a very difficult process for our family and we've spent nearly every weekend in Richmond in 2009. Tom is currently hospitalized with Graff vs. Donor disease, which means the new and old white blood cells are fighting over who gets to take control of his body. So the PAO came to videotape the ceremony and a message from Tommy to Tom and sent him the tape in the hospital. They are also doing a wonderful story on the father-son aspect of this that is scheduled to run in the Quantico newspaper soon. I'll post a link when it's available, hopefully tomorrow!
After the gradution, we celebrated with family and friends with a backyard BBQ at our house. We had a great time and beautiful weather. We finished off the week with a wonderful trip to the Potomac Point Winery, dinner at the Globe and Laurel (a local restaurant filled with Marine Corps memorabilia), and a quick trip to Richmond to the hospital and a BBQ with Tommy's family.
All in all, it was a great week and we loved having my parents here visiting. Wyatt was in his glory with Grandma and Grandpa around, and as always, we enjoyed their company and the great seafood, steak, and many bottles of wine. I am now enjoying my post-TBS life for a few weeks before reality sets in and Tommy heads to California in mid-June.
3 comments:
Wow!!!!! so good to get your update and what a great event
Congratulations to you ALL....
Be glad you are young....and can keep up like this it all fades, little by little as you grow older.
So glad for the nice weather while you had company...We are having 40/50 mph winds and the country is a mess...dust...dust...tree limbs.. so glad when it all setttles down and it did warm from 50 Mon to 90 Tues..86 today.
Enjoy your time together now that the hard work is done. I have been praying for Tom and your family. Hug the Special Men for me and Enjoy the time. Sylvia
Megan,
This post brought goosebumps and tears, especially as I read the piece about Tommy's message to Tom. Please send the newspaper link when it is available. It sounds like you had a wonderful time celebrating Tommy's completion of TBS. I can't wait to see you in a few months!
Jen
Megan, Tommy & Wyatt...
It was SO much fun!! We enjoyed the whole week, the good company, one very special grandson, the good weather, Warrior Day,
Graduation Day, the good lobster, steak & scallops & WINE! The wine vineyard was awesome and The Globe & Laurel also. We enjoyed the time with Tommy's family also and keep Tom in our prayers. Thanks so much and loads of hugs & kisses to my Wyatt.
PS The cats are very glad we're home.....
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