Bye Pat! We're Proud of you!

January 21st Patrick was shipped off to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center where he will go through Boot Camp and move onto training as a computer technician on submarines. It was a lot of work for Patrick to complete all the prerequisit tests required of someone with a GED but he studied non-stop for three months and worked out just about every day and couldn't have made us more proud with his devotion and dedication toward this personal goal.

To send him off Jane, Jason, and Catharine organized a going away party to beat all going away parties. It started off by Jane, Jason, Catharine, Tooley, Patrick, Walter, Padon and I having a feast at the Wing Dome in Greenwood.

We had a really good time and Jason, Tooley, and Walter tried the $1.99 7 alarm hot wing so they could be immortalized in film on the wall of other 7 alarm chicken wing eaters. Jason didn't seem to be all that impressed by the hotness, Tooley was uncomfortable but drank his beer like it wasn't that bad, and Walter coughed and cried into his napkin laping at his beer trying to cool the hotness.

Padon enjoyed the chicken wings too. Especially when dunked in the blue cheese dressing.

When we were done at The Wing Dome we drove to Acme Bowl in South Center. The lanes weren't available but after 1 1/2 hours a pool table opened up and they had a great time playing pool. Padon and I had a great time watching people bowl and Padon was so impressed that he taught himself how to climb down stairs so he could get closer. So funny, he couldn't get over how people could carry around these heavy balls he couldn't move a smidgen. Jane was so cool as to get Padon a cup of whipped cream since he had eatten all of mine of the top of my drink. He was so impressed and couldn't stop himself at how delicious it was to gradually plundge his whole hand deep into the creamy, cool, sweet goodness.

"Ahhhhh!!!! Stop sticking your hand in your cupppppp!!!!!!""Ummm ! Yes that is tasty!"

We ended the night at 11pm watching people play at the arcade games, meeting new people, and running around outside on the sidewalk. We said goodbye to the gang and headed home. the next day we met with the rest of our family for one last goodbye. We had a good time and a great opportunity to tell Pat how excited we were for him. I sure hope he is having a good time. I know they are breaking him down to build him into a true Navy sailor but he wanted it so bad that he has to feel a proud beat in his heart for having accomplished his dream of going into the Navy.