Day 3

Today was the appreciation ceremony and family picnic for Aaron’s unit.

I expected today to be rough, but it really wasn’t that bad.

I will admit I did get choked up a couple of times. When we arrived, the MN Patriot Guard was lining the path to the school entrance. I know many of them were veterans or family members of veterans. I felt very overwhelmed with pride and gratitude as they lined the walkways and proudly held the flag.

I also got choked up when the Captain read a poem titled the Military Wife.

The rest of the ceremony was filled with dancing girls and people reading letters from MN elected officials. The picnic was hot. I know I shouldn’t complain about the heat since Aaron is headed to a place where it will easily be 20 more degrees warmer than it was here today.

Aaron’s parents and siblings made it here for the ceremony and picnic. I was glad they were able to make it and get one last goodbye in before Aaron leaves the country.

When it was just Aaron and I remaining, we sat on the veranda at the hotel and sipped some Lake Superior beers and had a really good candid chat. While we have both enjoyed being able to spend time together these last few days, we are more than ready to say our goodbyes and start the ‘real’ part of the deployment. I know I have many days ahead of me that I will wish he was here, but we’ve done the best to prepare ourselves and we both have solid friends and family around us that we can turn to for support or offer support to in the low times.

397 days to go.