Fort Gordon, end of trip

Fort Gordon I was finally on really strong pain medicine so, I actually do not remember much. I slept a lot! But there were a few fun stories. We went to the largest Wal-mart I have ever been to! I walked in and had them get me a wheelchair, when I looked down the front isle I could not see the other side. It was redneckville for sure. As they were checking out I went on out to the car. These people were fighting in the parking lot. It was very scary.

We had a Waffle house in the parking lot of the Hotel.

So we ate there everyday! Since this was kind of last minute part of the trip we had not arranged a hotel so we were in a cheap hotel. It had a tub with jets. I thought that would feel really nice on my back but I was so nervous about it being gross I made them go buy a bottle of bleach. I filled the tub and poured almost the whole bottle into it and ran it for about five minutes. I then had to wait for more hot water to get a bath. After all that work, it did not feel good on my back….. I know we went and saw a movie, Batman.

We went to the PX ( post exchange…Walmart, Target type store on the base. I was so happy just to see Donnie’s face! I loved seeing him with his father and with his wife. It felt as though I was watching the trip from the outside. Finally the day came we had to give him back. I just wanted to get it done and go home. My emotions were such a mess. I had been so happy and had such fun. And now was so sad to give him back and in such pain. So this whole trip was the best and worse trip! Once we had dropped Donnie off, we all decided lets just go.

We loaded up the car and Don drove the entire 9 hours straight home. I felt so bad. This trip we had always planned on sharing the driving. That did not happen. He had to drive the whole time. The end to a wonderful, fun, exciting, tremendous, terrible, sad painful trip!

Graduation day Aug 2 2012

Day 6 August 2 Graduation day We are all so anxious to get back to the National Infantry Museum, this is where Donnie’s graduation is at. I worked hard to get ready. I hurt so much and could barely think on the meds. We arrive and thankfully we see that the tram is running. I had started to walk back to the parade field but oh it hurt so much. Ariana stopped the tram for me, my pride didn’t want to ride but I did. We sat in anxious seats waiting to see the guys. We could see them lining up across the huge field. Knowing he was there was so crazy I wanted to run across and see him so much. The Leaders came out and did the initial announcements. We watched the band come across the field Then you hear some guns going off and see some smoke bomb/flares go off. Out of the smoke came 8 guys with their weapons in hand.

We got to see all the weapons that the guys got to use in basic and what they will use if they are deployed. It was really cool to watch these young men come out of the smoke to us. Then here come our guys! The came across the field and we searched the crowd for Donnie. We could barley make him out. Finally the haze of graduation ended but we had to get back to the front of the Museum to see him! We came around the corner and I saw him see me! Araina didn’t quite see him yet.

I looked back and saw that precious moment when she did, Her face lit up and they got their first hug in months. I was so proud of Donnie we all got pretty misty eyed! No, I cried like a baby, with a big smile on my face! Donnie’s first wish, Wendy’s not sure why it was so important but we found the first one we could! Had lunch just smiling away!

Once we got back to the hotel…oh yeah got to go there. Don went to the store to window shop and I left to go swimming! After a while in the pool I had to text Beth. Should I text them? Should I call them? Should I just go back to the room. We were all sharing a room…… It was so hard being on the amount of medicine I was on.

We took him back got to see many of the parents and said good bye again…. Back at the hotel, we made reservations for the next stop. Fort Gordon, Ga. Now here is the issue. We had no idea if we would be allowed to see Donnie once he got there. Rumors abounded as to whether they would get leave that weekend or not. So we drove another 4 hrs to hopefully get a little more time with our son and Ariana with her husband……