Dan's Graduation

Hello from the smelly city of Montgomery!  I'm not kidding it really does smell funny here. . . It is good to be back together as a family.  Dan survived Commissioned Officer Training and the kids and I survived without him.  We were able to get the house in Provo looking like a house, all cleaned out and decorated.  It looks like our home away from home now.  I even got the car into the garage!  Those were my goals while I was there and thanks to a lot of help from my parents, I did it!  Maggie got RSV the last week we were in Provo, so that put a damper on things, but she is recovering well.  My mom actually flew out with me to Montgomery, which I was very grateful for.  She stayed and watched the kids while Dan and I spent some time together and picked out an apartment.  Thanks mom and dad, you're the best!
At the airport we got a very fun surprise, Dan actually got permission to pick us up.  It was so great to see him!  The kids were so excited!
Here's Josh modeling Dan's hat and showing off his new toy he got for the long plane ride. 

 Maggie was happy to see daddy again!

Dan and I went to a dinner at the officer's club.  It was exciting to meet Dan's flight and his friends, see where Dan had been for the past 5 weeks, and get a little taste of what COT was like.   Because our flight was delayed getting in and Dan picked us up, we were consequently late to the dinner and hence broke "the rule of being on time."  As a consequence to that misdeed, Dan had to drink from the GROG! (dum, dum, duhhhh!)  Ahh, the dreaded grog, a concoction of tobasco sauce, marshmallows, mellow yellow, chocolate sauce and whatever else was lying around in the kitchen, all housed in an attractive toilet!

The dinner was great, the grog was entertaining, and the company was fantastic.  Doesn't my man look good!  I am a sucker for a guy in a uniform!  I was quite impressed with my slimmer (he lost 8 lbs.) more muscular, and very well groomed uniformed JAG officer!  The uniform Dan is wearing are called his "Mess Dress."  He will only wear them to formal occasions, probably twice a year.

 

Dan and Seth Dilworth, our friend from ASU law school.  They both went through COT training and JAG training together.  Seth and his wife Rachel are going to be stationed in St. Louis.  Go guys, you made it!

DAN'S COT GRADUATION
Dan's graduation didn't got quite as planned because Montgomery experienced a few inches of snow, something that they are completely unaccustomed to, so the graduation was cut from 3 hrs. long to an hour and a half.  So we didn't get to see Dan march, which apparently he and his flight were pretty good at, they received the "best drill flight" award.  Congrats!

Lt. S. Daniel Colton, U.S. Air Force

 

Josh and Dan at the Graduation Awards Ceremony 

Dad, Julie, Uncle Steve, Aunt Jeri and Rachel

The support group who came to cheer the guys on

my mom watched Maggie so that I could go to the ceremony, Thanks Mom!

Charlie Flight

Dan really enjoyed his time at COT.  It was difficult, but he loves what he is doing and that he is a part of something great.  He is very patriotic and loves this great country we are blessed to live in.  I am very proud of his service and commitment to his country!

Up too late again. . .

I have gotten into a very bad habit of staying up late to get stuff done.  It is now 2 a.m. and I'm still up.  I hope to get on a better sleep schedule when we go to Alabama next week.  Yep, only one more week and the kids and I are flying to Alabama for 9 weeks, then April 17 off to Germany!  These past four weeks have felt like years at times, and only a few days at others.  I have a new found respect for being a single mom!  I've only been on my own for a few weeks and have really missed how much Dan helps out.  I've had great help though, my parents, Dan's dad and stepmom, Ben, Becky, Mauri & Nathan, Grandparents and extended family, and so many friends have all been great!  I couldn't have survived this past month without them!  THANK YOU!!!  This has been a hard time for all of us.  We have felt very blessed though by everyone's love and support, all of the phone calls checking up on us, helping me move stuff, put stuff together, or just feeding us.  It has been great!  THANK YOU!!!  We love you all so much!
Josh has had a hard time adjusting to Dad being gone.  Consequently, he has become my little shadow.  He follows me around the house, wants me to do everything for him, from spoon-feeding him food to dressing him (something that he has been quite proficient at for months).  He has refused to go to preschool and his new primary sunbeam class at church.  I try to encourage him to do everything that I know he can do on his own, but I haven't forced him to go to preschool or primary. . . yet.  I think it will be easier when we are in Alabama and Dan and I can tag-team at church.  I have to say that the past few weeks in church have not been the most productive or inspiring, simply because neither of my kids have had the patience for church lately.  Maggie is at the stage of wanting to be running everywhere always, and lets you know she is not happy if you pick her up and keep her contained to one area.  Josh hasn't wanted to go to primary so he has stayed with me through all of my classes, which he commented to Dan "You have to be really quiet, they don't sing songs or play games, and its takes a long, long time."   LOL!  Ah the honest evaluation of a 3 yr. old!  I must say that I am anxious for Maggie to go to nursery, only four more months!  Although it does take a lot of energy goinig, and staying in church I know that going has really helped the past month.  I always feel a rejuvenation of spirit and happier after church and partaking of the sacrament.  I feel such a sense of peace that no matter where we are in the world, Provo, Phoenix, Ramstein, or Timbuktu, there is always the church, there is always the gospel. 
Speaking of the gospel Dan has had some amazing missionary experiences already at Alabama.  He was able to share a Book of Mormon and take a friend to church with him.  I know that many of you have questioned why we chose this course of events for our lives, going into the Air Force, and for me it feels like a chance to serve a mission.  I got married when I was 20, which I am so glad about, and so did not serve a full-time mission.  I really feel like this is my chance to be a missionary, I just get to take my family!  I am really excited about the next four years, anxious and a little overwhelmed too!  It is going to be quite the adventure!