best parts of the day...

#1. Patrick's team won!!! And the other med squad team came in 3rd. Out of 10 teams - that is awesome!!!

#2. Girlfriend who rocked the competition shows up in a hot pink slammin' dress with 3 inch black lace up heels. Girl knows how to kill it on and off the field :-)

#3. Moment of silence to honor the fallen. We will always remember.

#4. Giving daddy hugs at the end of it all and telling him how proud we are!

I'ma let you in on a secret...

While preparing for his Combat Endurance challenge the other night, Patrick told me, "I'ma let you in on a secret. Every guy out there wants more than anything to have his wife be able to look back one day and say...'my man was a stud'. More than the guy himself wants to think it, he wants her to think it." I already have a bazillion instances where I KNOW my man is a stud...but he took it to a whole new level with this challenge.

The competition is to benefit the 9/11 Run to Remember. They raise money from the different teams to go towards a great cause. It is a 3 mile course broken into 1/4 mile segments. The first is just a jog/run. Next is an ammo can carry (40 lbs each * 2), then a humvee push (4 members push the hummer while one steers), an "injured warrior carry (one person fireman carries another while 2 others carry the 5th member), a low crawl (think barbed wire), 50 lb sand bag carry, litter/stretcher carry (4 people to carry 220 lbs on a stretcher - although Patrick's team ended up with just him and another guy doing it all because 2 guys couldn't do it and the 3rd person - A GIRL WHO WAS AMAZING - would've thrown off the balance so she helped walk the other 2 and encourage them), and they ended with a 3/4 Muck run with a 60 lb backpack. Patrick was the first to finish at the end so he ran back to help others at many stages (if you see him at the end in some of the pictures that is why). He helped some of the guys carry the sand bags, he crawled back to push the guys through the low crawl, he and another guy did all the stretcher carry, and he even went back and helped carry a guys backpack across with him to finish for the team! I was so proud of the whole team - especially when I heard people talking about Patrick in the crowds. Not many people know who he is (since we are newer) so he definitely took people by surprise! No one expected the geeky med squad to do well - but they kicked A**!

And I have to say I am so glad that the girl was on his team. She made 90% of the guys out there feel shame because she had to carry the same weight, run the same distance, everything!!! She was an inspiration for everyone! She even put Patrick to shame when they took a picture and they had to flex. This woman's arms were the most cut I have ever seen!!!! She is a nurse in the OB dept :-) Good for her!!! They even have marines come up from other bases to try to compete...but so far the geeky med squad is in the lead :-)

After the event, Patrick came home, made lunches, helped clean, hung curtains, fixed walls and then went back to help volunteer as a medic since there was only one guy and lots of people were dropping out and needing to be sent to the hospital. Seriously...my man IS A STUD!!!!!!!

Gavin's real first day

Today Gavin finally went to school all day! He has been looking forward to kindergarten since last year :-) So he was counting down the weeks/days/hours/minutes until he got to go. Once we crossed the street behind our house and entered the school yard, Gavin asked me if he could walk alone to his class. I almost cried - but was also so proud that I know he will flourish in school! But, the answer was still no - it is a base rule that kids in kindergarten cannot walk by themselves yet. Next year, buddy :-)

Showa Park

Yesterday was Labor day - so Gavin had the day off, but Evelyn still had her school (not a Japanese holiday). Patrick also had off so we decided to venture out to a local park. We took one of Gavin's new friends also - and made our way. I felt bad though because the park was literally down the street from Evie's school. So we sent her on the bus and went on our separate way. There are so many activities to do at the park, but we decided to stay in the section with a lot of fun kid activities. We paid for parking - but were afraid the park was closed because there were only 2 other cars there. But, since it was not a Japanese holiday, everyone was working. So it was open and we had the place basically to ourselves. If you check out the link above and look at the pictures, you will see tons of people. But there was not one other family in sight until lunchtime!

The kids had fun and Patrick and I were in awe of the beauty behind the park (and the fact that no one else was there). We had a great time until we were playing on the net course and Gavin decided to run up a hill and slide down. We told him not to do it - but he didn't listen and ran to the top of the hill only to realize that the ground was burning hot (he had his shoes off because of the nets) so he was screaming and crying and couldn't get off the hot ground. Patrick had to try to hurdle the nets to run up to him - but by then he had burned the bottoms of his feet and sat on the ground (he had shorts on that were long to protect his legs thank goodness). That basically put an end to our trip - which was ok though because it was HOT out and we had to head back to get Evie.

We are glad we found the park though - and plan to go back again when it is not as hot out so we can explore more areas :-)

Evie's first bus ride to school

Today was the first day that Evelyn took the bus to school. I never thought I would have a child take the bus (since I am a SAHM and can drive her - I thought it was useless to take a bus) but after long deliberation and discussions about both kids' school schedules (and the fact that all the other kids from the base take the bus) we decided to try it out.

In true Evelyn fashion, she pushed to the front of the line and jumped on the bus without even looking back or blowing us kisses. And of course, she decided she wanted to sit in the front seat next to the driver (which I am not sure is even allowed) but she did it. One of her friends joined her and off they went! She looked a bit nervous - but also was all smiles! I wish my baby girl good luck :-)