The Big Weekend

I just want to say thanks to everyone for your prayers for this past weekend when we went to see Aaron graduate.  It turned out to be a perfect weekend.  It was so good to see him!

We drove to San Antonio on Wednesday night and tried to go to the base to get our visitor passes.  The guard informed us that we would need to come the next morning and be there at 6am to get our passes.  So we woke up bright and early and we were there on time.  We were the only ones there.  The visitor center wasn't even open yet.  We stood outside the front door thinking it would be a short while and they would unlock the doors.  Well, we were wrong. :)  After an hour later and a line of probably 100 people behind us, they finally opened the doors. (After announcing that we would not be getting our visitor passes, that our airman would have them and give them to us after the ceremony.)  Oh well, at least we weren't late.

We sat through a parent/spouse orientation that told us all about the things Aaron had been going through over the past 8 weeks and also gave us guidelines to follow so as to not get our airmen in trouble while we were there.  For instance, we could not drive while on cell phones, we had to strictly follow the speed limit, we could only park in certain areas, we couldn't walk on the grass in certain areas, we couldn't talk to the trainees, etc.  If someone got a ticket while on base, that ticket would go on their airman's record.  Not a good thing.  After instilling fear into us all, they finally released us to go out to the street and claim our spots where we would watch the 'Airman's Run'.  We would see our airmen run by while singing 'jodies'.  They couldn't look at us though.  I could hardly wait to see Aaron.  We didn't know what color of t-shirt he would be wearing, so we were frantically watching as they ran by.  Finally I spotted him!  I was more excited to see him then than I was on our wedding day!!  Even though he didn't look at us or smile, I could tell that he saw us.  It was so exciting!

After the Airman's Run we made our way to the 'pad' where they would hold the coin ceremony.  It was there that we would wait for about 3 hours to see Aaron again.  When the ceremony finally came, it was an awesome sight to see the airmen all ready to go, wearing their blues, and marching proudly out onto the pad.  They looked SO good.  We had perfect seats.  Aaron was right in the front row which made for great pictures.  I couldn't stop staring at him!  He looked so handsome and I couldn't wait to go down and hug him for the first time!  The ceremony wasn't long, and was really enjoyable. After getting his coin and singing the Air Force song, we finally got to go greet our airmen.  They had to stand at attention in their formation until we went and found them.  I'm sure my smile was from ear to ear when I went up to him!!  It was a very proud moment for me.

After the ceremony we got to spend the rest of the day with Aaron on base.  We went and had lunch, walked around and looked at all of the planes, and just had a good time talking to him.  We met his friend and wingman Jordan and his wife and dad.  The job he was assigned was dental assistant, which he was happy about.  Aaron and Jordan were chapel guides together while they were in BMT and became pretty close as they were about the only ones they could really fellowship with.  They went through a lot together.  We asked Jordan why he decided to join the Air Force and he said he just felt like God was calling him to.  He didn't know why.  About a week into BMT he got a letter from his wife saying that she was pregnant.  It was really neat to meet him and his wife and compare our experiences.  After a wonderful day with Aaron, we had to bring him back to his squadron and say our goodbyes until the next day.  We were excited for the next day because after the graduation parade he would finally get to go off base.

It was early to rise again on Friday... and after arriving at the parade grounds, it was more waiting and waiting.  But it was worth it.  The graduation was short and they were so far away we couldn't pick Aaron out.  Eventually they all marched in front of the crowd and we were able to find him.  We watched them reaffirm their oath and after a few other honors were given, we again got to go find him.  He looked even more handsome wearing his tie and blue jacket.  I was beaming with pride!!  After the graduation we were given the privelege of having a tour of Aaron's dorm.  He showed us his perfectly made bed, his neat and tidy closet, and his tightly rolled shirts and socks.  We were quite impressed!  We couldn't use the bathroom or the drinking fountains while were in there though (or mess anything else up) because they would have to clean it later if we did.  You should have seen the drinking fountain, it was so shiny.  Later Aaron said that they never used it so that they wouldn't have to clean it.

After the tour, Josh, Shasta, Angie and Matthew had to head home, so we said goodbye to them.  Then we took Aaron to Red Robin for a gourmet hamburger.  It was interesting to watch him go off base.  He was still in BMT mode because he could never completely relax.  And he was very careful about making sure he was wearing his uniform just right.  It was almost like he felt like those MTIs (Military Training Instructors) were following him around ready to yell at him as soon as he made the slightest mistake.  It was also really neat when we would walk by some people and they would say, 'Congratulations Airman.'  These graduations happen every  weekend at Lackland AFB, so I'm sure that the San Antonio community is used to seeing the new airmen walk around on Fridays and Saturdays... but I am impressed that they still have the courtesy and respect to congratulate them when they walk by.

We filled up on hamburgers and headed to the bed and breakfast.  I've never seen Aaron so skiddish riding in a car before.  It was the first time he'd ridden in one for the past two months and he said that it always felt like we were speeding.  The Bed and Breakfast was perfect.  It was a beautiful old house near downtown San Antonio with nicely decorated rooms and a relaxing garden with a fountain.  Our room had a nice balcony that overlooked the garden.  It was just what I hoped for Aaron to be able to relax.  We spent some time at the B&B and then went down to the Riverwalk.  We didn't really do a whole lot, but it was fun to see the sights.  We got some ice cream and sat and talked for awhile.  Aaron and I got tickets to 'Walking with Dinosaurs' because it meant that we could spend a couple extra hours together.  So we went to that, but we ended up spending most of the time sitting at a table in the lobby talking.

The next day Aaron got to spend the whole day off base.  We were able to bring him back to the B&B to eat breakfast with us, which was sooo delicious.  We spent some more time relaxing there and watching football.  Aaron was excited to take a shower that lasted longer than 5 minutes.  That night Aaron's parents treated us to dinner at a seafood place on the Riverwalk.  Aaron wanted steak and seafood and this place had both...  So he got a steak and I got a seafood platter and we shared it.  We didn't have a whole lot of time after that before we had to take Aaron back to the base, but it was still a lot of fun.

On Sunday we got to go to church with Aaron.  It was a lot of fun to see so many of the trainees and airmen with smiles on their faces.  Aaron said that everyone looked forward to church.  They got into the songs and were especially sentimental when 'Letters from War', 'Letters from Home', and 'An American Soldier' played.  It was very moving to watch it all.  At one point the chaplain asked all of the graduating airmen to stand, and the whole church applauded them.  Aaron said he'd been waiting for that moment. :)  When church was over we spent the rest of the day on base, walking around the mini-malls, bowling, and eating.  Jordan joined us for most of the day because his family had to leave earlier to fly back to South Carolina.  As the day went on and they knew they would finally be on their way to technical school soon, you could see them begin to relax.  It was nice to see Aaron laughing and enjoying himself.

When the time came to say goodbye, I wasn't nearly as sad as I thought I would be.  I think it's because I knew that he could call me now, and also that there was a chance I would be able to move to San Angelo fairly soon.  It was still hard to leave him, but there was definitely more of a sense of hope this time.

Since Sunday I've already gotten to talk to Aaron 3 times and he is doing well.  He says his dorm room is pretty nice and he has two roommates.  One of them is married and the other has a girlfriend.  They've each been there a little longer than Aaron has.  Aaron found out that if he does really well this week and doesn't get any demerits for anything, he will get to move into the second phase by this weekend.  That would mean that he can go off base in the evenings and on the weekends.  If he does, I will likely make a weekend trip to visit him and we would hopefully try to find a place for me to live!  Please pray that if God is willing He would provide a good place that is affordable and convenient.  Pray that Aaron would do well this week!  I am already so anxious to see him again.  He said he has today off for Veterans Day.  He got to sleep in and everything!  I'm sure he is enjoying it.

I have to say that I am overwhelmed by how much God has done for us over these past 2 months.  It wasn't easy, but He got us through it, and we're doing well.  God has been faithful to provide for us in our emotional needs, our physical needs, and our spiritual needs.  He remained true, even when I was really doubtful.  As scary and uncomfortable as this 'adventure' is for me, the further along we go, the more excited I am to see what else God has in store!