Saturday, March 14, 2009

Flying the friendly skies and Service to our country

Today our son Roger, and his girlfriend, Chelsea, headed out of Tulsa's airport for Spain. It's Spring Break week and they're getting out of the proverbial city of Dodge. This is the first overseas trip for both of them where they aren't taking along a parental unit. They have to change planes a few times before they actually board the one out of Newark to Madrid, but they've got plenty of time between flights so there shouldn't (all things being considered with flights and schedules) be any problems.

When they land, they'll hop on a Ryan Air puddlejumper to Valencia, where two of their buds from back in high school are spending a college semester abroad studying international business. They are going to show Roger and Chelsea around Valencia for a few days, before our intrepid travellers go to Madrid for the remaining two days.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how excited they are by this trip, yet oh so calm, cool, and collected when we were at the airport. (sidebar: just this second got a text from Roger saying that the plane from Houston to Newark has boarded and they'll text when they land.) Hubby, daughter, and I, plus Chelsea's parents, watched them go through security where they waved and we waved back. We saw them get their stuff out the bins, put their shoes back on, settle their backpacks, wave some more, and turn out of sight on their way to the departure gates.

We laughed among ourselves that they probably were breathing a sigh of relief as they did that, finally being free of the 'rents. Ah, to be young and carefree! They are going to have a marvelous time, see wonderous things, and be home, by their standards, way WAY too soon.

Another new thing in our lives: Roger has joined the Army National Guard and ROTC program at the University of Oklahoma. They are going to pay for his remainder of college and his entire doctor of pharmacy program. He got a really good contract, thanks in major part to his cousin who just discharged from the regular Army and who was there at his contract signing to help assure this sweet deal. After he graduates from pharmacy college, Roger will serve six years with the Guard. He's very excited about his prospects and the way his life is shaping up. We're just very happy for him because he's happy, and oh so proud of him, too.

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