What a long and wonderful weekend!
My weekend began on Friday morning with an unofficial day off. It was the day before the Cornell Army ROTC commissioning and the staff needed sometime to relax before the last big event of the school year. Since April we all have been moving at full speed as the semester ends with finals, grades, and end of year reports. The previous weekend both Saturday and Sunday were occupied with commissioning of Lieutenants at Binghamton and Ithaca, so adding an extra day to the three day weekend was well earned.
Seven of us went to the local course. As the sun crept higher and hotter the first group teed off into the road, the woods, the picnic area and I knew we were in for a long day - I immediately thanked myself for only paying for 9 holes. We had a great time, even without the beer.
We re-grouped, had lunch, and headed off to Professor John's house for the annual ROTC party. This party is always a little surreal as you arrive and are offered beer and a shotgun for skeet shooting. A passing torrential downpour allowed me an early exit to get home to Sam and Lisa.
Saturday was another crystal clear day. The day required me to get dressed once again in full medals and uniform to attend the Cornell Army ROTC commissioning. The event is both a solemn and celebratory; the pay off of four years of physical, mental, and emotional challenges as well as the realization that the profession upon which the new officers are entering has far greater challenges than anything face in school. I sat in the back, wondering if I would be here one day pinning the bars of a brand new officer on Samantha or TJ or both. I can only begin to fathom the pride and anxiety those parents must have felt and wondering what my emotions will be like.
The latter half of Saturday was spent with my brother, his wife, and my niece and nephew. Of course they made their visit expecting to see the baby. It was a great afternoon spent on hitting a bucket of golf balls and visiting the Lime Hollow Nature Center's grand opening. Watching Andy run, and run again from a 12 year old holding a two foot corn snake was entertainment for the day. Still packing more into the day we went to see Shrek 3 with too many children and not enough parents willing to keep them quiet.
On Sunday we went to church where the veterans were asked to stand and be recognized for Memorial Day. I don't mind being recognized but I wish people would remember the Veteran's Day is for "survivors" and that Memorial Day is for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The rest of Sunday was spent trying to do as little as possible. Another passing drencher caught Poly outside and soaked her through.
On Monday we kept things slow just in case we needed to make the trip to the hospital. Samantha is getting into riding her new bike and begged us to take her to the park - twice. Laying there on a blanket spread out on the grass, sitting under the cloudless sky, I realized that the weekend had been a perfect mix of fast and slow, excitement and boredom, sunshine and rain.
No, no baby yet. Too bad. It would have been a great weekend to be born.
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