Our Family Field Trip..........

as Caleb called it. We took a family field trip to San Antonio last week to watch Benjamin graduate from the Air Force. It was quite an adventure and we had a great time. We flew out on Wednesday morning.

Jimmy thought it was pretty funny when Elijah fell asleep on him.

 

We arrived in San Antonio at 4:30pm. And after waiting for our damaged suitcase to be replaced, standing in line to get our rental car, leaving a suitcase at the airport, going back to the airport to get it, and getting lost, we finally arrived at the hotel at 6:30 pm.

 

We ordered Papa John's pizza, got baths done, and went to bed by 10:00pm.

 

The next morning, we got up early to get ready for Ben's graduation. I prayed that we would find Ft. Lackland Air Force Base on time, and off we went.

 

We made it to the base a little early and excitedly joined all of the other families waiting, to watch our family members graduate. And what a ceremony it was. When the troops came in (all 759 of them), I teared up. It was just so moving. When the song America the Beautiful came on and they were passing out the soldier's coins, I cried. I have never been so proud of Benjamin as I was that day.

My handsome son, Airman Benjamin Lucas.

Jimmy is so proud of Ben. :)

 

Poor Liam, by this time we had sat very snuggly in the bleachers, for about 3 hours. He had, had it! The shoes came off after the second time he kicked someone (not intentionally). He perked up soon after this picture was taken though.

 

 

The ceremony continued the next morning with the

Graduation Parade. The Airmen "Pass In Review" and reaffirm their "Oath of Enlistment" at graduation parade

 This made it official. I don't think there was a dry eye in the stands.

 



There's Benjamin in the middle.

Reaffirming their Oath of Enlistment.

 

Soooo proud of Benjamin!

Benjamin and the Three Star General who was the keynote speaker.

Elijah liked that he could touch the airplane. :)

 We spent every day with Benjamin. Then I would take the little guys back to the hotel to swim. Ben spent the evenings with his Dad and his family.

Caleb, Liam and Elijah were so good on this trip. We had a great time and it was so much fun to go to the pool each afternoon/evening.

 

The boys loved staying at the hotel. Caleb keeps asking to go back and see Ben and stay in a hotel. I wish we were closer, but hopefully after Tech school, he'll get stationed close enough for us to be able to drive and see him.:) We miss him so much!

 

 

 

On Sunday, our last day with Ben, we went out to eat and then back to his base. It was so hard to leave him. But I am so excited for his future and am very confident that he will do great things!

 

We love you Ben and we are so proud of you!