After 26 years of serving our country my dad is retiring!!!

My dad is retiring from Marine Corps after serving for 26 years on June 18th!!! When he went in he had no idea that he would become lifer, he was only intending on being in for four years!

This was him when he first joined all those years ago!

and this is him now! Look at all those medals!!

I really couldn't be more proud, he served in the first Gulf War, and the current war, which I do have to say was the most nerve wracking year I have ever been through, I stopped watching the news for that year! I looked forward to receiving his emails, we probably sent at least 50 over that year, which I saved every single one and turned it into a book for him. When he came home I flew down and surprised him by being there for his homecoming I stood behind a sign we made for him with a little hole cut out so I could see when he got off the bus and when everyone in my family was done hugging him, I threw down the sign, and ran up to him giving him the biggest hug ever, the look on his face priceless! He was so very surprised!!

Here are some pictures from the day =)

Some sillyness!

Hug attack!!

I love you Dad!!!

Should be an exciting summer!

This summer has a lot of fun and exciting things planned! This weekend (yes I know it's not quite summer), Kyle's parent's are coming up from Cali, and his little sis is coming down from Washington! It should be a fun filled weekend, I think we are fishing on Saturday, and then going to Yellowstone on Sunday! It'll be great to see them!! Haven't seen any of them since February, and we missed Chelsea when she was here a couple weekends ago =(

Then in June we are heading down to Cali to watch my Dad's retirement ceremony! He's retiring after 26 years in the military! HOORAH! I am so very proud of him!!

In July, after finals are done, we are heading to Vegas, for a family reunion of with Kyle's family!! We are going to go to Broadway show, and have a great family time! With each of the families hosting a night every day of the week, along with a talent show, and t-shirt design contest!!

Last but not least, in August we are hopefully going to head up to northern Idaho or Oregon, to see my family, whom I haven't seen in over a year, some I haven't seen for a few years!

I found out a couple of days ago too that my brother Andrew is getting deployed to Iraq in September, he should be there for about 6 months, working on aircraft and such, but that is another big reason why I would like to go up there to see him, before he goes. He is getting stationed in Seattle before he goes, and said he should be stationed there for a couple of years, so it'll be nice to have him close and hopefully I can see him more often!

And of course on August 29th is our one year anniversary!!!!!