Dreaming of togetherness

Tirzah and I have spent the past 4 days with Greg and Marlene in Virginia.  We arrived late Sunday night to enjoy a feast of burgers and baked beans.  What a highlighted dinner it was for it was Tirzah's first time at the dinner table with everyone!  Her head barely peeps over the table and often times you can't see her hidden behind the hydrangeas, but what a memory we made all gathered around the table together.

The three women drove to visit the family in Richmond, Virginia.  We spent the days with Aunt Debbie, Nana and Pepere (Daniel's grandparents), and were able to share a meal at Chipotle with Aunt Patty and Uncle Ricky, Aunt Diane and Uncle Steve, and Uncle Johnny and Cousin Kyle.  Tirzah showered all with bountiful smiles and laughter.  Marlene said we were on "Tirzah Tour" as we drove to show one and all the beautiful baby girl.

The night before we left Marlene and I fixed Daniel's second care package which he will receive before being bussed back home to Ft. Benning.  It weighed just over 15 pounds!!  Inside we included:

Gatorade, homemade biscotti, homemade banana muffins, homemade chocolate chip cookies, powder sugar donuts, Reeses Pieces, gummie bears, Cooler Ranch Doritos, E.L. Fudge cookies, Vanilla wafers, skittles, Australian Licorice, and Sour Patch Watermelon.  Hopefully that will carry him through the 7 hour bus ride back home!

And here is what our Ranger has been enduring the past few days, as well as what the LAST days of Phase 3 of Ranger School will look like:

Day 10: "The sixth day is the best day of the Florida field problem.  On this day, you will conduct an air assault mission on a MOUNT site.  This is a read day because you will get food on the helicopter ride, AKA: Chow Birds.  The pilots of the helicopters are flight school students at Ft. Rucker.  It is tradition that the pilots bring you food as a sign of their appreciate since many years ago Ranger Students rescued a student pilot who crashed in the training area.  After the raid, the platoon leader and platoon sergeant will change and then the platoon will link bak up with their rucks and move to your patrol base for the night.

Day 11: This day is the Santa Rosa boat movement at night followed by an ambush on the island.  The Chain of Command will issue the OPORD in the patrol base that morning.  Following the order and rehearsals, you will load the bus and move to the boat loading point.  you will pull security around the boat site until nightfall, which is when you will begin your movement across the water to the island.  Once at the island, you will consolidate and begin movement to the ambush site.  After you conduct the ambush, the Chain of Command will switch and you will load back up on the bus, and move back to your patrol base location.

Day 12:  (Tomorrow) This day you will conduct an air assault mission on another MOUT site.  Sorry, no food this time,  Most of this day will consist of rehearsals and movement to the pickup zone.  The assault will last late into the night.

Day 13: (Saturday )  The last day of the field problem will be another air assault mission and then movement back to Camp Rudder.  Most of this day will be spend in your patrol base waiting to conduct the air assault that night.  After the mission, your platoon will move back to Camp Rudder and account for all of your equipment and fill out your peer evaluations prior to going to bed."


I am hoping beyond all hope that I will receive a phone call from Daniel either on Sunday night or Monday to tell if he passed.  If he did indeed pass, we will see one another on Wendesday for his first pass!!  He will receive another pass on Thursday and then the Graduation will be held on Friday at 10 am and after that... he is home free!!