Marine Birthday Ball

Tyler and I were able to attend his battalion's Marine Birthday Ball this year and had such a great time.  It was held in a hotel ballroom in Savannah (Georgia) which is a little under an hour drive for us.  Once we checked in, received our door gifts and table assignments, we got drinks and mingled waiting for the program to begin.  The program was full of all kinds of tradition that had us sitting, standing, sitting standing, and listening.  There was this awesome Marine band, the traditional cutting of the cake with a sword, and a speaker whose talk literally gave me goosebumps by the end.  I LOVED IT!  I wish everyone could attend one of these.  And it turns out, you can!  As long as a active duty member brings you/buys your ticket, anyone is welcome.  I totally want to bring our parents next year.

After the program we were served salad, then dinner, then dessert.  Despite the opening prayer in the program, our own table said a collective prayer over our food.  Once dinner was done and cleared the dancing and mingling began again.  Tyler and I danced a few songs then got a message from our babysitter (at about 9:45pm) that Caleb was still up and refused to go to bed, so then we left.  But I can't tell you how amazing it was to walk down Savannah's boardwalk on Tyler's arm while he was in full uniform (white hat not pictured below because it's for outdoors only).  Everyone in the elevators and other exchanges thank him for his service and I feel so humbled to be part of the force that keeps us free and safe.  I truly love it.

I wish we would have gotten a better one of the two of us... next time!

The three credentialing Marine dentists this year: Nick, Tyler & Chris.  Nick was a classmate of Tyler's in Pittsburgh and Chris was with him at ODS in June.  It's nice to work with people with whom he has extra connections.

I may have been the only woman under 60 wearing sleeves, but I didn't care.  I was comfortable and I think my dress was pretty!  Here with the Falls.

Tyler, Captain Christopher (his commanding officer), Nick