Promotion Day

In Lourdes, France at the Grotto

I have normally kept our military affiliation out of the blog, but due to our life looking so military with constant moves, living overseas, and a year long deployment it is usually not hard to figure out.  However, since this blog has become much like a scrapbook for me and my family, I just couldn't let this big part of our lives be completely left out. I print it out each year and we have a stack of albums now starting from 2007.  (Wow, I just realized I've been blogging for 10 years now!)  The children love to look through them and re-read them every so often.  

Anyway, my husband was just promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and, as a veterinary pathologist, it is a lot more difficult to be promoted to this level.  I am super proud of him and all that he has done for our country.  He told me that we were supposed to have a reception and that usually you have a dinner for your close friends after that.  I was instructed to buy a big sheet cake and some drinks, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  I just can't serve store bought cake.  It's against my religion.  Just kidding, but really I tried to make myself do it.  I just couldn't talk myself into it.  I am not a huge cake person, but I really don't like the taste of the store-bought cakes.

So, I tried to do an easy sheet cake, but it ended up sill taking a while to decorate.  Then I told myself that if I made the cake, then I could buy cookies in case it wasn't enough.  Again, I went to the store and just could not buy those pre-made things.  I bought some German cookie/candy type things to put in a bowl and some peanuts.  Then I thought, "Well, I'll just make fudge and have Genevieve make a batch of chocolate chip cookies."

Then after I made the cake, I started to think it wouldn't be enough and made a batch of cupcakes too.  In the end, we had a bunch of left overs.

Even with Drew being sick all week and all the appointments we had, etc, I managed to make most of it the day before, but decorated the cake the day of.  I probably overdid it, because that night at the dinner, I started getting a sore throat and proceeded to get very sick after this event.

The ceremony went smoothly.  Bobby did sort of roll around on the floor since we were in the first row.  He almost threw a fit at one point, but he distracted himself by rolling around on the ground which was better, I decided, than having to take him out and miss the ceremony.  

Brian's dad and I pinned on his shoulder bars or whatever they are called.

Then the oldest four kids changed out his other patches and pins.

The Oath

Here they are laughing because she forgot the end of the oath.  The oath is just a formality nowadays, and it wasn't a big deal.

One of Brian's best friends said the invocation/prayer.

Wish this could've been our Christmas card, but I'd ordered them in October in order to get them by the beginning of December. (There are long shipping times for photograph orders over here.)

Brian and his Dad

One of Brian's Godsons and his Family

Beyond the ceremony and the reception table, I really didn't take any pics.  Most of these were from a friend.  After the ceremony, the reception was fun and relaxed.  The dinner following at one of our favorite local restaurants, the Burgshanke, was a delicious and filling buffet, complete with salad spread, meats and vegetables, noodles, and individual desserts.  It was around 35 people that came and we had a really enjoyable evening.  The children had friends there and were all happy.

I am super proud of my husband and all he does to both take care of our family and to serve our country.