Brother Time and Skydiving...

First things first: the x-ray on my foot didn’t show anything broken or cracked, but if I want a bone scan I can have it. $$$ No thanks! $$$ I don’t feel the pain anymore so there isn’t anything else I wanna do to it. It’s good.

Daniel got here a few days ago and seeing him again and being able to spend lots of time with him has been fantastic! I know you all know how I feel about my oldest younger brother so I won't take time to express that right now, but I LOVE HIM VERY MUCH! We were a little late to the airport here in town so I didn't get to see him come off the plane or meet him right as he came in, but he got here just fine and that's all that matters now. By 'we were a little late' I mean my roommate Becky (a.k.a. Bex) and my good friend Steve and I all went to meet Daniel.

A 2 hour dinner at Logan's started a couple minutes after the in-town airplane in and MAN...that was great =) The picture I will post later is from that first night in Lynchburg. We all went to my house afterwards and meet up with my sister Anna and her soon-to-be husband when they were done with church and Daniel showed some pictures and video clips on his laptop from his 4 month stay in Iraq.

The next day after I got off work Daniel picked me up and we went to Sam's and bought 6 racks of pork ribs to cook up for a welcome home dinner at my house for a dozen of my closest friends, family and soon to be family. When that was finished we all went to Mountain Frost Creamery for a delicious ice cream treat. (That sounds like a commercial!)

I worked a half day last Friday so Daniel and I could get out of town to partake in a birthday surprise for Steven’s 12th birthday in Hampton. He had no idea that Daniel was even here or that I was going to be there for his birthday! I promised Steven a dozen donuts if he would come out and watch my triathlon and of course I forgot and of course he didn’t. I told him over the phone that he would have them on his birthday, PROMISE. And he did. My camera was snapping pictures during the whole surprise so I’ll post a few of those too. No really. I will. Just watch =)

Daniel’s girl Jenna is also in the GA Nat’l Guard and was stationed alongside of Daniel in Iraq but they don’t get to see each other that much. They were both able to come back to the states for break. Her parents live in the same town our parent’s do which is mighty nice and convenient so we all met up and went out to eat at the steak house my other brother Timmy works at for Steven’s birthday. Whew. Finger full.

The first half of Saturday was spent touring a US Navy ‘something’ and it was AMAZING! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Jenna’s step-dad works there so he was able to clear us for a private guided tour. Unbelievable. I wish I could tell you more but I can’t over the internet for security reasons. Only face to face can I explain it. Phone conversations about it is out of the question too. These things I am learning.

It was meal time again so my family (everyone except Anna b/c she was working) and Jenna’s family shared a meal then said good bye to her parents b/c they were leaving town for a trip. I took a much needed stinkin’ nap for a few hours while Dan spent some quality time with his lady and bros. Dessert before heading back to the desert was in the evening with Jenna before she had to catch her plane back to Iraq Sunday morning.

I’ll finish this later!