week 5: Fabulous Friday!

Today was another day of not exercising. The first part of the day was spent in the van driving to Pryor, Oklahoma for my a son's open house at Thunderbird Youth Academy.  I was so excited! He had been there for 7 weeks and this was his first home pass. We got there an hour early, but I'm glad we did so that we were able to get a good seat. Although I wish we had picked one closer to where Andrew's platoon was at, but how were we to know how the formation was going to go.

Gregg Waiting

Color Guard practicing

When the boys started marching in I was so excited I wanted to jump up and down. I have a video of the whole formation but it's to long to put on here. :( But Gregg got some photos. The boys looked so good!

They marched in and lined up and then the color guard brought out the colors and we said The Pledge of Allegiance. The director said that the boys requested that we say it. They say it every morning before starting class. I think it is awesome. We always did it in elementary school and I don't think it is done much anymore.

When formation was over the parents went to the auditorium and the director talked to us a bit about the boys and the home pass and then we were allowed to go to the gymnasium to wait in line to get our kids. By the time I got there the line was long. There might have been 40-50 people behind me but there were probably 60-70 people in front of me. When I finally got in the door and my eyes adjusted I see all these boys and girls sitting in the bleachers waiting. Some were so excited that when they saw their parent or who ever was picking them up they jumped up and waved and got themselves in trouble and had to do push ups or run or something. Andrew was good. He remained sitting. But when I first saw him he had just leaned back and wacked his head on the wall behind him. He grabbed  his head in pain but with a laugh. That's my Andy!

I was getting closer!!!!

I finally got through the line and they called for Cadet Kramer and he came running. I was so excited and happy to hug him and get a great big hug back! We walked out of the gym and he was wanting to show me his barracks. But I told him I wasn't the only one there and he was like who came. I said lets go this way. So we walked around the building to find Gregg waiting. And Andrew looked so happy to see him. I hadn't told him Gregg would be there to get him. Then we went to see his where he slept and had been living and to meet his Sargent. He introduced Gregg as his dad! Not step-dad but DAD! I was even happier with that.

Isn't he handsome!?!

His platoon is the Spartans this is their prayer

No privacy AT ALL

This is the shower that is shared by 34 boys

After we were able to leave and had seen everything and everyone he wanted to introduce us to it was lunch time. So I called my cousin Jennifer, who lives in Pryor, and asked her to join us for lunch. Andrew wanted McDonalds so that's were we went.

He looks so good!

We were also going to pick up my step-daughters when they got out of school so since we had some free time we went to my cousin's house to hang out and catch up. She has such a beautiful home on Lake Hudson. And I'm sad to say, I am jealous but happy for her. I had such a wonderful time chatting and remembering things and just seeing her. It had been way to long since I had seen her. After that we got the girls and headed home. We even had a great time driving home. Everyone was so happy. It was a great day even though I didn't get any exercise done, but I'm sure I burned calories being excited and with all the standing in line I did and all the sweating I did out in the heat. But it was worth it to see my son!