Memorial

I spent another weekend in J-Vegas!  I got the chance to meet and spend more time with your friends.  I met so many amazing people along with the other families of the fallen.   It never fails though, a trip to Jacksonville results in a severe lack of sleep.  Sunday funday got me four hours of sleep when I had to be up at 7 for the service and drive home nine hours.  That was fun.

I met so many more people on Friday and Saturday.  It was easier to see people this time because there weren't as many families in town.  Every person that was introduced to me told me how great of a man you were and that you are a true hero.  As painful as it can be sometimes, my heart always swells with pride and I put a smile on my face.  Because you know what?  You're mine.  People will never forget you because of the man and Marine that you were.  I have yet to encounter someone that has something bad to say about you.   

I'm really glad I went though.  I like being there and around those people.  Not to mention it was 85 and I could wear flip flops!  And I went to the beach.  This time around I ventured to more places we went even though a majority of them were the last places we were.  It was harder this time.   When I left to come home three weeks ago, I knew I was going back.  This time I don't know when I'm going back and that makes me sad.

Me and Kourtney were talking in the car and she made a good point.  It's almost like it's time for me to walk away from the Marine Corps (alone, which is not how I saw that  playing out).  But at the same time, majority of the people we knew are getting out and going their own ways.  I realized that even though I was leaving and everyone else was staying, that it won't be long before they are leaving too.  Kourtney made a good point- it's like graduating high school all over again.  Except we have a deeper bond with these people.  A bond that won't ever allow us to fully walk away from each other.  We have been through one heck of a trial together with this deployment and it brought everyone together.  People on the outside will never understand this bond, but it will hold all of us together forever.  Still makes me sad though.

The memorial dinner wasn't anything exciting.   I got to talk to Amy for a while with little baby Jax and I met a few more Marines.  The memorial service the next day was beautiful.  I did pretty well until roll call, amazing grace, the 21 gun salute, and taps.  That order of events gets me every single time.  You cry those tears that you can't stop.  It's like a never ending waterfall flowing from your face.  When all that is happening you feel that pain all over again.  I'm so glad I went. Even though everyone is clearly hurting, you are there to get a hug and lean on each other for support.  It never ceases to amaze me how the Marine Corps family pulls together in times like that.  Again, no outsider would ever understand what happened in the Field house that morning. 

Here are the pictures.  I would just like to point out that I love my outfit (I think you would have appreciated it, too.  And just for the record I did have super cute shoes to match, but I thought it would be smarter to not put my feet through the torture.  Flip flops- 1 Pumps- 0)

15 Angels Guarding the gates of Heaven: HM3 Swink, Sgt Bovia, LCpl Twigg, Cpl Bishop, LCpl Jackson, Cpl Sockalosky, Sgt Zaehringer, Ssgt Cullins, LCpl Honeycutt, LCpl Huse, LCpl Geary, Sgt Misner, LCpl Htaik, Cpl Tate, and LCpl Giese

"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."