Family Weekend and everything else!

Family Weekend was the BEST!!

It seems like so long ago since it happened, it's funny how life just kind of crops up on you and before you know weeks have passed with no blog update.

Well we got on the road exactly when we had hoped and got to Birmingham to get Bethany, no problems really other than the about 3 hours of waiting for the rental car pickup and paper work.

The road trip part was uneventful really, everything was planned out and our "fearless leader, Wayne" had tom tom telling him exactly "where to go".

Thank goodness that Tim's bladder and mine are apparently the same size and he was in the drivers car so bathroom breaks were not a problem. There was only once that required the "bold drive up beside them and holler "I need to P" move"

We got to the SUPER 8 at about 11ish that night and commenced with hauling stuff in, once inside I can't speak for everyone else but I slept GOOD!

The next morning it was up early to go get our boy and our other adopted boy aka "cornbread"

We got to the base and finally found the facility that we needed to be at, only to find that the printed time was wrong so there would be about an hour and half wait, and did I mention the ladies room was broken?

It worked out OK, we went and looked at the tanks, you'll notice a picture of Wayne & Cricket with a tank. Cricket & I got inside the tank, although I could not get her to come up to the drivers seat. I don't know why, it was perfectly safe, I didn't even have a key or any bullets for the dang thing! LOL We also went and saw a demonstration of rappelling, that was very interesting from my vantage point which was at ground level. Later in talking to Tyler (who BTW has a fear of heights) I found out his view of the whole rappelling thing was horrifying. He did say to me, that although he hasn't conquered his fear of heights, he has learned to deal with it, and maintains that the best plan is to get down FAST!!

Once it was finally time to go into the auditorium for the program we did exactly that. BTW the ladies room were working at that point. (sigh of relief on my part)!

I think Cricket chose our seats and they were really good seats with one exception. This lady and man came in and set down right in front of us. I know what your thinking, they were really tall or had on a big hat or something that impeded our view, maybe they smelled bad or had some really loud fragrance of perfume right? oh no, it was worse that that, the lady came in with a pet. A pet you may say, yes, a pet! she had it perched on her shoulder through the entire program that lasted over an hour! If you scroll through the pictures you can see it, big as day ,a big bug! It sat right on her shoulder staring straight at me the whole time!! I had my hand on my purse and a foot in the aisle ready to run just in case the need arose. Jay continued to shush me but I was aware at all times. Occasionally the lights would go out for some particular part of the program or would would need to stand or sit but fear not I was well aware of "the bug" as a matter of fact painfully aware! For some reason I think Jay, Cricket & Wayne were enjoying the Rhonda vs the bug show a lot more than the slide show. The grins and giggles were a clue. I'm not bitter, no sir!

Once the program was over we could finally go collect our boy and our other boy. (the adopted one that we couldn't remember the name of). Jay & Cricket went off to gather the solders and Wayne & I just waited. I was relieved that the "bug lady was gone" and even remarked that to Wayne as I noticed her standing right beside us and the bug was gone. You know what that means, it was lurking. I had to be on RED alert.

I ask one of the other solders standing around from what direction would Tyler & "Cornbread" be coming and they pointed the way so Wayne & I got outside of the "bug auditorium" and watched for the fellows. Finally I spotted him and hollered "Tyler" he yelled Momma and went running towards each other just like in the sappy movies. It was the BEST!

Tyler introduced us to Jack Cornwell who is now known lovingly as Corndog, cornbread, cornhole, and a multitude of other corn names but I think we have finally settled in on "Cornbread"

We got the guys checked out and to the car and on the way back to the SUPER 8 and as we drove into the parking lot the kids grand kids and other Tyler fan club participants were all lined up at the driveway watching for the car. I imagine it was a little overwhelming for Tyler and he's used to the fan fair that goes along with our crazy family but poor "cornbread" was probably in shock.

We got out and went in and visited and talked and just enjoyed each others company. There is one picture of Tyler on the phone with a bunch of us just kind of standing around. That was right after we got in the hotel with him and Scotty had called. I love the look on Tyler's face there. He seems so happy!

That Friday we just kind of all hung out, we went swimming in the hotel pool, the guys went to the mall with Bethany & Brandy. (The army has taught Tyler strategic planning. He had the girls nails done under the guise of "being nice" while him and his buddies aka known as 2 solders and a redneck, hung out at the mall without the "Sisters" Good one Tyler! on top of having time with the guys you are your sisters hero!! I like it... it's win win.) We ordered Pizza, and when I say pizza I mean allot of pizza! By the way, I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat more than "cornbread" Those guys started eating junk as we pulled out of the base from picking them up and they were still chewing junk when we took them back. It appears that deprivation of junk food helps in the making of a solider. That's just an observation.

On Saturday it was off to 6 flags over Kentucky. We didn't really see the solders to much there, they kind of were off doing their own thing, we passed them on occasion and seen them at lunch. They seemed to be having a good time and mastered the art of letting the "uniform" do the talking as I think they were a big hit with the females.

6 flags was a whole adventure, you kind of had to be there in order to get the full effect but trust me when I say "fun was had by all"

I'll give you a short synopsis, Cricket LOVES the enclosed tubes, as a matter of fact if you ever have a chance to get her on a dark, completely enclosed tube, DO IT! if she protest she's just being modest, she loves it, drag her kicking and screaming if you have to, and you'll have to.

She does however have a little of wild side, I was impressed with the daring side of my co mom that I had never seen. Also on a side note if you find yourself stuck on a tube at the bottom of a water slide and need a hand getting out Tim is good at that and will offer you hand fast even if you don't want the help. It really serves 2 purposes, he gets you out of the tube and into the pool. Don't take my word for it just ask Cricket, she was on the receiving end of his help right after the "mega wedgie"

One thing you don't see every day is Jay, Cricket, Me & Wayne all sitting on one big inter tube about to Plunge into the eye of the storm. First you ascend to the scaffold, 75 feet above the ground. Then your raft plummets down a tunnel and you are hurled into a giant funnel which spins you around its 60-foot diameter like a wet rag doll. I screamed the ENTIRE TIME!! "I'm not ready yet" It didn't seem to help. Like I said that's something you don't see everyday, and if I'm lucky I'll never see again. But boy was it fun!

The whole day was exciting,thrilling and just a ton of fun. Joe & Tim had never been to theme park and I know that after this one Cricket & Wayne had better start looking into not if they'll take them again but when & to which one will they take them to.

Sunday was Fathers day and the day we had to take them back, it was bitter sweet. We of course done pictures and then went and had just a fabulous lunch and we were just about to take them back when Tyler announced he wasn't ready to go back. Now we all had talked about what time we needed to be on the road and it should be by about 1 or so, but nobody had the heart to say no so off to mall we go to wonder aimlessly for "A LONG TIME"

a footnote, no pun, okay maybe a small pun intended, Cricket finally found the shoes she had been looking for while we were at the mall.

Eventually we did have to gather everyone and head back, the ride was so quiet. Once we got there at about 3:30 all that was left was to say goodbye. We did, tearfully say goodbye, then stood around and had to say goodbye again, then again finally we noticed there was pattern forming and at this rate we may never actually leave. You could tell that Tyler was having a tough time with the goodbyes too, that just made it that much harder on us which in turn made it harder on him and so on and so forth. So we finally just got in the car and drove away. It was so much harder than when he left for basic training. I'm not sure why because he has already finished most of the hard stuff and truly loves what he is doing so I really can't explain why it was so hard it just was. Bethany and I cried for probably the next hundred miles as I'm sure Cricket, Brandy & Amber did. In Tylers letter home he said he was really down after family weekend too, but I guess thats to be expected. In his letter that came just yesterday he is all excited about everything that he is learning and blowing up some C4's. He wasn't all that excited about the 15K with a 74lb pack though but apparently he lived through the 3 hills on the hike named, misery, agony and torture.

He is looking forward to coming home 1st of August and alraedy outlining evrything he wants us to do. I can't wait, whatever he wants, thats what we'll do, even if requires holding on for dear life ready or not! (see above paragraph. LOL)

On a seperate note and one reason that it has taken so long to get this update ready is that on the Tuesday night after we had just got home late on that Sunday night, with me dressed in "hooker clothes" I had to take Alana to the ER, she had surgery and ended up in the hospital for about 5 days but is home now happy and healthy. BTW the "hooker clothes is just a joke" Don't get all offended! It was just shorts and a tank top, I was at weight watchers when Amber called and that is what I was wearing to weigh in, I can't help it I only had high heels to go with it. LOL

Well thats all for now although I'm sure I left a lot of good stuff out, but check out my future...