Marine JROTC Banquet

Knowing that our flight would be landing just after Patrick's JROTC awards banquet kicked off, I had to do some planning ahead to make the logistics work. Between Melene and I, we managed to come up with a scheme.

The airport is about an hour from our house, and Camp Kinzer (where the banquet was held) is in between. SO, we talked Melene's husband, Bill, into taking all four of the kids down to Kinzer so that we could tag-team. He was there for the dinner portion, and then I arrived just when the award portion was starting...so I came in, took his seat, and he left to take Melene and Amy home. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Here's the funny part...when I walked into the room, who should I see sitting at the table but my friends Julia and Ed. That's not funny? It is when you consider that Julia had been staying at my house at night with the kids. When I left instructions that Bill would be picking up the kids to take them to an awards ceremony, she assumed it had something to do with church. I made this arrangement with Bill not wanting to inconvenience Julia and Ed (who were already so awesome to be watching my kids). It never occurred to me that they might be going to the same banquet. Turns out, Ed was an honored guest because of his volunteer work with the cadets, so they could have just taken our kids, too. I don't know who is more blonde, me or Julia!



When the kids were getting dressed in their Sunday best, Patrick said, "Just think of this as church...only instead of going to worship God, you're going to worship me."



Charlie Company accepts their certificates for completing the year, and for "Best in Drill". Way to go Charlie Company!



I got to present Patrick with his promotion certificate to Cadet PFC. Congratulations Patrick!



I just keep getting shorter, don't I?



Mingling afterward. It was so cute to watch Jake watching Patrick.

Congratulations to Patrick on a terrific start in Marine JROTC!