Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A Year Ago Today

  
April 13, 2010.  That was the day our journey began.  That was the day that F commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.  I still remember walking out of my hotel room into the sweltering Alabama heat, in my brand new dress that I had bought for the occasion.  My stomach was in knots.  I was really proud of F for accomplishing such a huge thing, but I was nervous about the future, knowing this was the first step of our military journey.  We all met up and made our way to the theater; me, F, his parents, his sister, and his godparents.  He had to leave us as we took our seats.  The ceremony was relatively short but I still can't put into words the overwhelming pride I felt.  That was my fiancé up there, taking the Oath.
This was really it.  All that time apart came down to this moment, when his journey as active duty would begin.  I remember being called up with his parents to pin on his rank.  My hands were shaking as I pinned that little gold bar on his right shoulder.  Sure he made fun of me for it, but I couldn't put into words the way I was feeling and that I was shaking because I was overwhelmed with pride and with a slight twinge of nervousness as I knew this meant we were just weeks away from leaving our life in Michigan and starting a new 20 year journey, just the two of us.
One year later, here we are at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.  A lot has changed since that morning in Alabama.  For starters, we're no longer Mr. B. and Miss N. but, instead, Lt. B and Mrs. B.  My views on military life have changed tremendously.  And that gold bar is only one year away from becoming silver.  Sure, things have changed since the day F commissioned but I will never forget the pride of pinning on his rank and watching him do drill knowing that that was my man and this was the start of our journey together.

6 comments:

  1. Wasn't that hear horrid!!! We joke that if AF ever cuts us orders deep in the South we are getting out ;) We are waiting for Oct. for Capt....man that can't come fast enough!

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  2. Oh my gosh, yes! You'd be roasting before you even walked out the door! I'd say that I would avoid the deep South too but it's looking like Patrick is next which isn't exactly cool lol.
    Awww so soon! We're waiting for October too but that's just because that's our first wedding anniversary :)

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  3. YAY! You are a LT wife also! What does your husband do? :)

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  4. lol yes I am! My husband's in Acquisitions as a Developmental Engineer. What does yours do? :)

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  5. Right now mine is training to be a CSO (Combat Systems Officer) or a navigator (if that makes it easier) on a aircraft. We find out June 30th which plane we get and where we go from here. :)

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  6. Oooo that's exciting! Have any dream locations in mind?

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