Happy Birthday Marine Corps!

  This weekend Patrick and I drove to Hilton Head for our last Marine Corps Birthday Ball.  And thus began the process of saying goodbye to many a Marine Corps tradition.  I must say, I'll miss the dress blues when Patrick is no longer a marine.  I'll miss the ceremony and all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it.  But rather than get all bleary-eyed, I'll just say that the night was a lot of fun.  We got to spend some time with some new friends and get to know them a little better.

It was fun to get out of Beaufort for a night and stay in a nice hotel right on the water in Hilton Head.  Too bad it was too cold to go to the beach.  We actually stayed in the hotel where the ball was held, so my hair wasn't completely wind blown by the time we got there.  Bonus!

Us with Sarah and Mike 

For those of you that aren't familiar with the traditions of the Marine Corps, here's the scoop.  The USMC was created on November 10, 1775 and every year around that date marines all over the world get together to celebrate.  There is a ceremony that commemorates the heritage of the corps, a big dinner, and dancing.  This was our 9th ball (13th if you count the ones in college), and also the biggest. All of the Recruit Training Regiment was there and that was a couple thousand people.  Crazy!

It's a little hard to believe that we won't be going to another birthday ball since Patrick will be getting out of the marine corps next June.  Hopefully this time next year we'll be on the mission field in Zambia!  Quite a change from formal gowns and dress blues, but we're looking forward to it!

Alpha Company Marines

Alpha Company wives