Graduation Day Finally Arrived

Those of you who have been following me...not only know that my husband, Justin, has been at Army Basic Training since January...but are probably tired of hearing how much I miss him!

I have GOOD NEWS! 

It is ALMOST over!  He is coming home soon!

All my pining away, long blogs of self reflection, moping, sadness, etc. is about to end! Well, at least for now!

Last weekend I went back to Fort Benning, GA to visit Justin for his Basic Training Graduation! 

The first day started with a  

Turning Blue Ceremony.

This is where he is awarded his Infantry blue cord, representing he has graduated.  Each soldier asks someone special to put it on them.   It is an honor to be asked.

How he asked me:

 "There is only one person I want putting the blue cord on my arm. You have been with me through a lot and supported me going into the infantry so you will be the one and only one who puts the blue cord around my shoulder!"

 The Blue Cord represents the Infantry. 

As they say, "God loves the Infantry. That's why he made the sky blue!"

I only had time to give him a quick hug, hand him back his ring, and sit back down so the ceremony could continue! Below, he is the one closest to the brick pillar.

Justin with his battle buddy, Gunnar, below. 

 

I was so thankful to have my In-laws with me for much needed moral support! My fabulous m-i-l, Kim, is with me below!

 

Of course Justin always has to have his game face on, but I got a tiny glint in his eyes this time! :)

 

After Turning Blue Ceremony, Justin got a weekend pass so we took him out for steak! 

It was not easy returning him to base at the end of the day. It felt so wrong saying goodbye again.

Graduation Day

Graduation day was a lot more difficult. 

I was horribly under the weather due to a bad cough and sinus cold.

It was all I could do to stay focused throughout the graduation ceremony. 

The weather was overcast and chilly...nothing like the rest of the weekend. 

 This is the closest we saw them during the graduation ceremony. Not close enough to distinguish which one he was!

After the ceremony felt like a scene from a movie!  

By the time I got out of the bleachers and in front of the Infantry Museum where the soldiers were allowed to take pictures with their families, Justin was already running down the road to where they were loading buses for Airborne holding. He called me and told me he couldn't wait for me, because he was not allowed to miss the bus! So I am practically running/walking to where all the soldiers are going to get their bags by the buses!  

I am searching frantically trying to find Justin amidst hundreds of soldiers all dressed identically, praying I make it to him before he gets on the bus! 

Can you imagine my dilemma and stress?

Now technically we thought he would be getting on the bus just to go report to Airborne holding, and then released for a weekend pass, but it wasn't a definite, so I had to find him to say goodbye just in case I didn't see him again!

Thankfully I found him standing by his bags, waiting for me! We had about 5 minutes to say I love you's and goodbye. 

This is about the only picture we had time for!

 We said our goodbye, with the hope we would see each other in just an hour or two.  It was a few hours later I was told he might not get a weekend pass...and I cried....a lot. 

Thankfully my prayers were answered and Justin was released that evening around 8pm. 

I would have more pictures for you of us going out, but I was so sick, that I wasn't really in picture mode!  But it was still wonderful to spend the weekend with him! 

Here he is in his dress uniform! 

I am so proud of my Infantryman!

 

Now he is in Airborne School, and I will see him jumping into his graduation in 2 weeks! 

And then bringing him home with me! *sighs*

~ Elle