HE'S HOME!!!! At least for a few days

We just got back last night from San Diego bringing Nathanael home from boot camp.  We left Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning was the beginning of family day.  It was awesome.  On Thursday was family day and we got to spend several hours with Nathanael.  On Friday was the graduation and it was awesome.  On Saturday we all went to Sea World.  We had a great 3 days and it is so good to have Nathanael home and not in boot camp any more.  He has lost quit a bit of weight.  Today he wore his dress blues to church.  He looked awesome.  I am going to put a bunch of pictures below.  He goes back on the 21st and we won't see him again until December.  His training will be in San Diego for a month and then off to Virginia to be trained for his speciality.  Does anyone know anyone in Virginia?

This picture is at the beginning of family day.  The first time we saw him was when the whole platoon did a run.  It was great having Aaron there, with his 6'4", he was taller than everyone else so he was able to spot Nathanael in the run and get pictures.  Nathanael is on the closest edge 4th from the right, just before the white hat in the picture.

Another picture Aaron was able to get of him.  This is the first time we saw him since he left 13 weeks ago.

After the run, they changed and got into their uniforms.    I think you can see Nathanael is on the back row.

This was at the luncheon the church put on for the LDS recruits.  See the big smile?  He loved the food and we are so grateful to the church for feeding every graduating class of recruits, which is almost every week.  A lot of work for them.

This is during the graduation ceremony.  That is Nathanael right above his name I typed.  They look so awesome in their uniforms.

All of us that went to the graduation.  Trevor and Lori and their kids, Aaron and Briana and we brought Brandon too.  And of course me and Verlynn

We went to the beach after the graduation and Brandon is actually waiving to his mom and dad in this picture.

Got out of order here, but our really good friends live in San Diego and they came to the graduation.  Rand and Mary Goodsell, and their daughter Rachel and her two kids came to watch the graduation.

On Saturday we spent the day at Sea World.  This is the only picture I am going to post about that.  We are headed in from the parking lot here.  Nathanael's first day in regular clothes.  We had a great time.

 Nathanael wore his dress blues to church today.  He looks so awesome.  This picture was taken next to VerLynn's great granddad's picture of him during world war I. 

My dad got his Navy suit jacket out for a picture with Nathanael.  He served during WWII. 

Nathanael's last letter

HE IS COMING HOME NEXT WEEK!!!  YIPEE  Tomorrow is his last day of the crucible.  I understand that the crucible is the hardest part of marine training.  It lasts for 4 days and they are terribly sleep deprived and food deprived.  They only get around 8 hours of sleep in 4 days and very little food and they experience extreme conditions.  I didn't realize he was doing it now until I got this letter today and I think I am grateful because I would have had to worry for the whole time.  We will leave next Wednesday afternoon to head to San Diego.  Thursday is family day and we will get to see him then and then on Friday is his graduation.  We will head home with him on Saturday.  I am anxious to see him, he has lost a lot of weight so I am sure he will look a lot different.  Here is his last letter home: