As some of you may know my oldest son Joined the Army National Guards and started basic training in June.. His Basic Training has been at Ft Jackson, SC
His Graduation is the 25th @ 11 am and he will be on a flight to come home @ 12!!

Not sure yet when or where he will be taking his AIT...


Just wanted to share the good news!!

his Lemon tree he planted from seed is over a foot tall now!!! I have been sending him reports and pictures on how it is doing.. But then when your away from home all news of things at home matter!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

Be sure to tell your son congratulations from all of us at the Citrus Growers Forum, and a congratulations also goes out to his parents for raising a fine young man. - Millet

Thank you Millet! I'll let him know.

Might get a few photos of him in his uniform with his little lemon tree seedling...

Gina *BabyBlue*

Gongats Gina !

Congrats to him & you...looking FWD to a pic of him in uniform with his lemon tree!!!!

You must be very proud, can't wait to see pics! Glad he is coming home for a bit too!!

Thank you all!!!

Full day planned tomorrow..

Think I have several days worth of TO DOs packed in one day..

Gina *BabyBlue*

Well, congratulations Gina!

I got a call from my son Friday around noon.. He could not get a ride from the airport to home.. He was going to ride with some one from here who also went to basic.. but found out she was booked on an earlier flight.. So I scrambled for last minute baby sitter, filled up the tank on the van and bought quick fix diner for everyone.. Hubby and I left here at about 4 pm.. sons flight was due in at 8pm and we gave ourselves an extra hr incase we got lost (first time in KC looking for the airport) We were about 3 miles from the air port when son calls.. he was bumped off his flight and had to get the next one.. the next one wouldn't get in KC till 10:30pm.. so hubby and I went and spent a couple hrs looking around Cabelas ( http://www.cabelas.com )

around closing time we left and went back to the airport.. it was starting to rain.. by the time we got back to the airport we still had about an hr to wait.. a flight came in at 10:30.. Son was not on it and I got worried.. I asked around and found out that his flight was delayed till 11:55.. So more waiting at the airport..... By this time the rain was coming down pretty hard.. I talked to the baby sitter on the phone and BAD storms were moving through town back home.. lots of lightning, wind and rain..

son got off plane around 11:50.. we loaded his 3 bags in the heavy pouring rain in to the van.. and found our way out of the airport... and then the rain REALLY came down.. We were creeping along @ 30MPH on I 435 (a 70 MPH highway) It was like someone way pouring a bucket on the van and we could hardly see the stripes on the road and tail lights of vehicles ahead.. But we pressed on needing to get home... there were MANY vehicles pulled off the road with their hazard lights on.. And then the wind blew the rain side ways...
Driving conditions were bad all the way home.. When the rain let up enough to see the road the lightning blinded you..
We arrived back home some where between 4am and 5 am.. the clocks in the house were all blinking due to power outage..
But we were lucky... the town south of us lost power to over half of the town I heard some of it is still out.. and there are MAJOR power lines down all over town due to 90+MPH wind that came with the storm..
Wal-Mart was closed Saturday!!! they hooked up to generators By Saturday night but many of the roads to WW were covered with power lines..

Hubby blames me!!! I washed the RED van.. it hasn't been washed in almost a year!!! I watered the garden Friday am and it clouded up and rained 1/2 hr later but only lasted about an hr.. I thought that will not do.. So I washed the van!!! That always brings rain.. AND BOOOYYY DID IT!!!

Son is glad to be home... He will have AIT in Georgia.. not sure yet when he will leave for that.. It has been cloudy and rainy most of the time since son got home so we haven't been able to get photos.. but he said he'd be glad to pose in his uniform with his lemon tree... And thanks one and all!!!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

All is well that ends well. Good for you and your family. - Millet

glad you got a visit.
Where are pics of your strapping young lad

Heck, it was only foggy here and traffic PARKED. ugh.

Things are still a bit hectic around here..
I might be able to get him in one spot for more than 10 minutes during the day to get a photo op.. I need to update other photos too..
Gina *BabyBlue*

Gina, I just wanted to add my congrats also. Im glad your son survived the brutal summer temps we have here in SC and made it thru Basic Training. AIT will be much easier. Im sorry he didnt get a chance to ride over here to my place while he was so close but I know how controlled basic training is. Congratulations again! Stan the citrusman

Thanks Stan!!! The one day he made it off base he was on his way to airport back home.. But his aunt Tammy was his ride and she was a very welcome sight.. She lives in Jacksonville Fl.. Hubby and I have discussed family vacation that included FL and SC next summer...

One way or another I'm going to get pictures taken this weekend!!!!
Gonna put up a big sign that says I sent him back!!! LOL

Gina *BabyBlue*

here is photo of my son in his uniform with his seedling lemon tree...




He went on his first in uniform guard week end.. and he got to ride in this black hawk!!!!



He took this pic of himself in the helicopter..



and a bit of Rural Kansas from the air....



Hope these extra pics make up for the wait...

Gina *BabyBlue*