Wolfpack Family of the Year

Way back when I was a freshmen and my sister was a senior we wrote an essay describing why our family should be the Wolfpack family of the year....well we won. At the time we were honored at a parents and family day dinner and then got to go out on the field before the 4th quarter to receive our award. It was a pretty cool experience! WELL, they decided to have a celebration celebrating 10 years of the Wolfpack Family of the Year award so we got to go back to join in the celebration.

On Friday night we went to a dinner on campus (not at the dining hall, silly!) where Mary Winn and I gave a short speech (actually MW wrote an AWESOME poem that she read!). See picture below...we sure were missing my mom and Garin!!!

On Saturday we spent the day in Benson, NC at the Mule Days celebration (big ol' hillbilly fest...it was great!) and then we came back and got to go to a Parent's and Family tailgate and then got 'treated' to tickets to the game (they weren't that great though...we were wishing we hadn't sold our season tickets for the game!).

So about the game...oh my is about all I have to say. Not only were we not playing well but a little before half-time it started raining...then it started pouring! We didn't want to leave since we had driven up there for the game, but then again the thought of sitting in driving rain watching your team play like crap was not appealing either. So we finally left at half time to go back to the hotel. Oh well, we tried to be good fans...our team and the weather just weren't cooperating!

He's BAAACCCKK!

Yay, so Garin is finally back from his cruise on the Eagle. He had a good time and a good experience, but I think he is thankful to be on dry land again!

Thanks for all of your prayers while he was at sea!

On Monday the "shopping list" comes out with the possible jobs and locations. Pray for us as we decide how God would have us fill out our dreamsheet. We are confident that He will place us where He wants us. Just pray for our wisdom to listen and follow Him.

Okay well...7 weeks down now and only 10 more to go!! YAY!

NC State 30, ECU 24

Well to break the monotony of just talking about Garin and the Coast Guard, I thought I'd post something a little different. This past weekend my sister and I made the drive up to Raleigh to watch our alma mater, NC State, take on East Carolina University. The game was starting to look pretty rough, but after a couple of great plays by our defense, the Wolfpack brought the ball back down the field for a touchdown to tie the game with a minute thirty left in the game. Then in overtime we forced a fumble and then were able to convert to a touchdown in the next play. It was a GOOD game. The other great part was that I got to see my great friend Lauren Gainor who now lives in Denver, CO at half-time. I meant to get a picture, but I totally forgot :( Oh well. It was a good day :)

Also, I got an email from Garin this week while he was out on the Eagle. He is surviving, so that is good. He said he felt sick the first day but since then has acquired a pair of "sea legs." Hopefully they will be back on land by Friday so I can hear more about his adventures at sea.

6 weeks down, 11 more to go....

http://www.zachwiest.com/

This is a link to another guys blog. He is currently in Garin's OCS class. Thought some of you might like getting a first hand impression of what life is like in OCS. Enjoy!

P.S. I still haven't heard from him, so its looking like no Port Calls :( Keep praying for him, I have no idea where they are...just somewhere out in the Atlantic. What is cool is that I can pray to the One who knows exactly where he is and is ABLE to watch out for him for me :)

Going through the Panama Canal

This is a picture of the CG Eagle going through a lock on the Panama Canal. They have these cool webcams set up at different points along the canal so I was able to watch as the boat went through...technology is a cool thing!! I told Garin I would be watching and to wave as he went by...guess he didn't listen, I don't see anyone waving ;)

The Eagle...not a fun cruise

Yep, this is the boat that Garin will be spending the next two weeks on. Yesterday he flew down to Panama to catch up with the Coast Guard Cutter "The Eagle." They will be bringing this boat through the Panama Canal (that's today) up through the Caribbean all the way back to Connecticut. He'll get to climb all the mast and will learn all kinds of "sea" things like how to use a sextant and using the stars to navigate. Pretty cool. Garin was excited...although I think he is a little nervous about the sea sickness aspect. I think they are mostly looking forward to a break from the norm. I won't get to hear from him for the next two weeks, but I'm excited that when he gets back it will mark the HALF WAY point!!! YAY!!

5 Weeks down, 12 more to go...

Well the weeks are starting to actually add up now. 5 weeks, actually makes it sound like we are getting somewhere. Its that "12 more to go" part that gets me down...can't think about that part.

Well this week didn't bring too much new news, other than we have email privileges now...that has been really helpful. Garin continues to do well in the academic department (he is currently #2 in the class for test averages after 2 tests) and the physical department, its just that demerit department that is getting him right now. He did say today that he is getting better though...I continue to pray that he'd pay attention to detail and fly under the radar!! He still makes me a super proud wife!

In about two weeks we will receive the "shopping list" for billets. This is when he gets to fill out what he wants to do and where he wants to go. So please be praying for that whole process. Flight school is still our number one choice but pray for guidance as we select Plan B, C, D, and E!