On Wednesday afternoon, July 12, Lisa, the boys and I drove to Houston and got a hotel room 
near Bush International Airport. After we checked into the hotel we headed for a nearby theatre to watch the new Harry Potter movie, which I found to be very good.
Next morning, we slept in a bit, had a continental breakfast at the hotel and then caught the shuttle for the airport. This was the boys first time to fly and they were pretty excited about the approaching adventure.
They found the take off to be pretty exciting, and liked the climb through the clouds. The rest of the trip to Chicago they spent playing video games or drawing. On the plane I read a book and Lisa spoke with a lady from Chicago.
The boys were not near as impressed with the landing in Chicago as they had been with the take off from Houston. After finding our way through the airport, we picked up our Hertz rent-a-car and headed to the Ramada in Waukegan. The traffic moved at a snail’s pace for much of the way.
I had picked this hotel because it had a special rate for folks coming to the Navy graduation ceremonies and because it had an indoor pool. This feature was important for the boys, so that they would have something to do when we were at the hotel.
Friday morning we got an early start, and headed to Great Lakes Naval Training Center at about 6:15 AM. We were allowed onto base but had to endure a serious vehicle inspection by the powers that be. We had to exit the vehicle open the hood, trunk and all four doors. They checked all the vehicles visually and with dogs trained to detect drugs and explosives.
After this we parked the car and walked to a large hall where the
graduation took take place. We were instructed to get there early and we did. We had 1 1/2 to 2 ours to wait before the ceremony began. The boys were bored, but they sat there and endured the wait.
The ceremony was as I remembered it from when I graduated from Navy boot camp 29 years earlier. Lisa and the boys saw Christian marching when his division past in front of the reviewing stands where we were. I was taking pictures of them, hoping to catch him in some of them, which I did.
After the ceremony Christian headed straight for his mom and gave her a big hug. After all the hugs we talked and headed to the car. Christian said the first thing he wanted was to go to the hotel and take a long shower without a whole platoon of guys showering at the same time.
After his shower we drove to Lake Michigan, so that we could all see it first hand. Christian used much of the car time to contact his friends with Lisa’s cell phone. The only other item that he wanted for the day was to eat a steak at Outback. So that is what we did next. Then it was time to return him to base.
Next day, I went and picked him up so Lisa and the boys could sleep. I got Christian and we headed back to the hotel to pick up Lisa and the boys. We then drove into Chicago and went to Navy Pier. We spent most of the day there.
Christian had to return to base early to stand a watch. After we dropped him at the base we returned to the hotel and the boys and I went swimming.
Sunday morning at 6:30 AM we left the Ramada headed for O’Hare to catch our flight back to Houston. We arrived back at home at 5:PM. Christian flew to Pensacola on Sunday also.
Coram Deo,
Kenith
near Bush International Airport. After we checked into the hotel we headed for a nearby theatre to watch the new Harry Potter movie, which I found to be very good.Next morning, we slept in a bit, had a continental breakfast at the hotel and then caught the shuttle for the airport. This was the boys first time to fly and they were pretty excited about the approaching adventure.
They found the take off to be pretty exciting, and liked the climb through the clouds. The rest of the trip to Chicago they spent playing video games or drawing. On the plane I read a book and Lisa spoke with a lady from Chicago.
The boys were not near as impressed with the landing in Chicago as they had been with the take off from Houston. After finding our way through the airport, we picked up our Hertz rent-a-car and headed to the Ramada in Waukegan. The traffic moved at a snail’s pace for much of the way.
I had picked this hotel because it had a special rate for folks coming to the Navy graduation ceremonies and because it had an indoor pool. This feature was important for the boys, so that they would have something to do when we were at the hotel.
Friday morning we got an early start, and headed to Great Lakes Naval Training Center at about 6:15 AM. We were allowed onto base but had to endure a serious vehicle inspection by the powers that be. We had to exit the vehicle open the hood, trunk and all four doors. They checked all the vehicles visually and with dogs trained to detect drugs and explosives.
After this we parked the car and walked to a large hall where the
graduation took take place. We were instructed to get there early and we did. We had 1 1/2 to 2 ours to wait before the ceremony began. The boys were bored, but they sat there and endured the wait.The ceremony was as I remembered it from when I graduated from Navy boot camp 29 years earlier. Lisa and the boys saw Christian marching when his division past in front of the reviewing stands where we were. I was taking pictures of them, hoping to catch him in some of them, which I did.
After the ceremony Christian headed straight for his mom and gave her a big hug. After all the hugs we talked and headed to the car. Christian said the first thing he wanted was to go to the hotel and take a long shower without a whole platoon of guys showering at the same time.
After his shower we drove to Lake Michigan, so that we could all see it first hand. Christian used much of the car time to contact his friends with Lisa’s cell phone. The only other item that he wanted for the day was to eat a steak at Outback. So that is what we did next. Then it was time to return him to base.
Next day, I went and picked him up so Lisa and the boys could sleep. I got Christian and we headed back to the hotel to pick up Lisa and the boys. We then drove into Chicago and went to Navy Pier. We spent most of the day there.Christian had to return to base early to stand a watch. After we dropped him at the base we returned to the hotel and the boys and I went swimming.
Sunday morning at 6:30 AM we left the Ramada headed for O’Hare to catch our flight back to Houston. We arrived back at home at 5:PM. Christian flew to Pensacola on Sunday also.
Coram Deo,
Kenith
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