Done and Done

After 7 years of being on the list and ten weeks away from home I am officially an NA Grad. Hard to believe that this journey started so long ago and now I am done. The experience was wonderful, the classes enlightening, but most of all the friendships that I gained during my time here are the best. I met some of the best professional men and women from all over the world and will take these contacts with me from now on. The time spent away from home was difficult, but the challenges were all worth the effort put in by everyone involved. Special thanks go out to Mike, Chris and Tab, who I could not have completed the NA without. More importantly to my special wife who stayed the course while I was gone and held things together. To anyone going to the NA, you only get out of it what you put in, and I can say that I got alot out of my time in Quantico. I am now looking forward to maintaining contact with many of my classmates and also taking many of the things that I have learned and applying these toward making my department the best that it can be. This will be my last post and even though I there are certain things that I will miss, mainly the friends, I will not miss sharing a shower with three other guys(not at the same time), CHICKEN in the chow hall, FISH in the chow hall, CHICKEN, and did I mention CHICKEN, but this is the experience of  a lifetime and one that I will never forget. I'm gone.

Week 9

Week 9 is done along with the Yellow Brick Road. We are wrapping up with everything now and next week is nothing more than just a few classes and then graduation. It has been a good week and we all seem ready for the journey to end. The YBR was fun but we are all feeling it and will feel it even more Saturday when the soreness really kicks in, but we all made it. I am going to start packing up this weekend to be ready for the family to arrive on Tuesday. I know that this has been hard on the people that we all left at home and I know from my end that it will be a relief when I get back home and get back into a normal routine. That's pretty much all I have for now, think I will go and ice my knees to hopefully stave off some of the soreness.

Section 2

Got it done!

G

Week 8

One more week down and 2 to go. Looking back it seems so long ago that this journey began, and now I can see graduation. You can tell that everyone is getting a little tired of the place and are beginning to set their eyes on graduation and going home. I know that I am. We had a good weekend this past with going to Spotsylvania and then to The Bavarian Chef for dinner, Wonderful German food and the wait staff was great. I am looking forward to finishing this week out with a few projects and papers due and then getting my stuff all packed up and ready to welcome the family in next Tuesday. Anyway enough for now looking forward to my next post as I finish the YBR!!!!

Finally taking the required FBI photo!

Snow Day

Well, with Wednesday and the challenge came more bad weather. We had 6+ inches of snow for our run and due to the base closing our challenge run of 5 miles in 80 minutes was cancelled. As was pretty much everything else for the day. The snow was beatiful and continuous throughout the day. However, some of us choose to make the best of it and complete the 5 miler on the treadmills in the cardio room. I am glad I went ahead and got it done. Anyway, we are planning to head up to DC this weekend and catch some of the sites that we have not seen yet. We are ending week 8 and I am ready now, more than ever to finish up and head home. 1 more week of class then a couple of days of finals and review then the family will arrive and graduation, then the long drive home. Till next time.



6+ Inches of snow!!



Week 7

Week 7 proved to be a busy one. We had our usual classes through the week, but had international night on Wednesday. This proved to be an experience for some. As each international student brought dine and drink from their prospective countries. I abstained from most of the the drink as it smelled alot like jet fuel and did not have a label on it, however, I did enjoy the wines from Italy and surprisingly from Bulgaria as well. However, I was in bed by ten when some of my classmates choose to stay out a little later and regretted it the next day. Overall, it was an interesting time. It was then time for the weekend, and I don't care what anyone says about New York or Philadelphia, we went to a hunting camp in West Virginia with on of the guys who's parents own it and had a great time. The weather was a little cold but other than that the air was clean and the food was great. Deer stew, hamburgers and the like along with great company made for a very relaxing weekend. This coming week we have the silent auction Monday night, and then we get to run 5 miles on Wednesday and the weather is not supposed to cooperate(Rain and snow on the forecast), but whatever as long as it is one day closer to coming home I will take it. Just a few more presentations to go in class and it will be in the books. Until next time.

West Virginia with the guys

International Night

Philidelphia Trip

Well we had a great weekend in Philly. The local FOP lodge where they treated us to a "Taste of Philadelphia" which was great. Philly cheesesteak was the order of the day. The lodge itself is brand new and is beatiful. Then headed over to the Police training range for a demo of some of their toys. SWAT and bomb demo along with K9. Also went to the head qaurters bldg. We then went to our hotels and then were treated to a local Irish Pub. The next day we went to Independance Hall and saw the Liberty Bell and several other points of interest. We left there and took a behind the scenes tour of Citizens Bank Park were the Phillies play. Then went to run the "Rocky" steps at the art museum and took pictures at the statue, had a wonderful dinner at the Comcast Bldg. and then proceeded to travel back to NA. Great but busy weekend. A guy made a statement this morning that I felt was very appropriate in that he said that it felt like the movie "Groundhog Day' because every morning seems to blend into the next, but I know that the end is in site. Everyone is finishing up on papers and group assignments. Most have made their reservations at the local hotels by now and getting ready to graduate in about 3 weeks. We have international night this week which should be interesting with all the foreign flavor. Anyway that's all I have for now. Time to take a shower and get ready for another day.

Behind home plate at Citizens Park

Yo!!

Short Note

Prayers to Jay Carr and his family. My wife texted me this morning and told me that Bryan, their 5 year old, who has been undergoing treatment at Duke for a rare disease for the last year, has gone to be with the Lord last night. They are a strong family in Christ, but they are in need of prayer support. Bryan's story has been inspirational and his strength has been incredible to follow through the blog. We who are Christians know that Bryan is with his Heavenly Father and will be missed here, but knowing that he is no longer sick is a blessing. Pray for his siblings and mother and father as they are now left here to carry on, they have shown a strength that is unfathomable. I Peter 2:24 "By His stripes we are healed".