The Big Apple (well, sort of)

I am so happy to have my son back home.  He has been gone for a week to West Point New York to a leadership program.  He flew into Newark and then drove straight north for an hour to get to West Point.  He did see the Statue of Liberty from the plane, but that really was the closest he came to the actual Big Apple. They stayed in a hotel 10 minutes from the school since there was no room for them on the academy.  But they would drive to West Point every morning and stay all day attending classes, having lunch with the cadets and listening to important military officers.  They kept him busy all day and then at night, they were allowed free time. He had a few presentations to give and one had them staying up until 2 in the morning preparing for it.  He said it was hard work and he ended up being tired by the end of the day, but that it was more fun than anything and well worth it all.  Come to find out, it was not at all ROTC related.  I guess we figured it was since his ROTC teacher recommended him and it was put on by the Military Child Education Coalition at a military institution.  But it was for any outstanding student in their sophomore or junior year that wanted to apply.  T said there was only 2 other kids besides him that were in ROTC, one being from Falcon.  Also, there was a kid from Korea and one from Belgium among the 14 that went, so it was international as well.  So that made it even more exciting to know all of that.

Last night for FHE, we made welcome home signs for him and today, I pulled all the girls from school so we could all be at the airport to surprise him.  My hubby was able to get away from work for a bit to come too.  It was fun to embarrass him as he came off the plane with our banners waving and us shouting at him.  I am so glad he is home safe.

Every day the little girls would tell me how much they missed their brother--we all missed him.  But what an experience he had.  We have been enjoying all the stories and events that happened and I love to hear the excitement in his voice.   He did comment just now how it is weird to just sit here and not be hustled around like he has been this last week.  He will have a hard time coming down from this time away and will struggle to get back into the routine of his normal every day life.  But hopefully he has come away with better ways to be a leader and more motivation to always do his best and be a team player.  Experiences like this don't come around every day and we are so glad he was able to be a part of this.  We are so very proud of him!

Frances Hesselbein

Classic T

WELCOME HOME SON!