Salute to Our Sailor

It began on March 27, 2000, and it ended yesterday, September 2, 2008. That is, Daniel's career in the United States Navy. He is now officially a civilian, although I think he'll always be a submariner at heart.

Since Daniel's job is highly classified, no one outside of his co-workers ever saw him at work. Here he is, in all his glory.  

This West Pac in 2003 was likely his most fun time aboard the USS Bremerton, a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine. Although, I know he missed his family, and I missed him.  He spent many days underway with close buddies, and a few days having fun. He learned to scuba dive in Guam, and continued diving in Saipan, a Northern Marianas island. (Fortunately for him, I'm not sharing the photos of him singing Karaoke in Japan.) In the above photo, he was attempting to show off his "beard," otherwise known as homeless man face scruff he proudly grew while underway.

There were many other memorable moments in the Navy, which I'm sure Abigail and Cooper will be hearing stories of until they can tell their own children. I won't steal his thunder by telling his stories, but I do share some of his joys of the Navy. 

Mostly, we share the appreciation and gratitude for the wonderful places we have been stationed. Before we married, I visited Daniel in Charleston, SC, and Saratoga Springs, NY. Together, we lived in San Diego, CA, Honolulu, HI, and Charleston. Of course, there is also all the travels we've enjoyed (mostly) from Cooperstown, to Los Angeles, to Las Vegas, to the Grand Canyon to everything between Texas and California and Texas and New York and Texas and South Carolina, Maui, the Big Island, and many other smaller destinations abroad. We've seen volcanoes, baseball history, canyons, Rodeo Drive, whales in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and fantastic friends at every stop.  We couldn't have asked for more enjoyable locales, and are grateful for the memories and friends we made along the way. 

There were certainly more than enough long, hard days and not many of them spent together over the past eight and a half years, which is why the end of Daniel's military service is also joyful.  I am elated to have my husband back, and Abigail and Cooper have certainly enjoyed his presence at home. I'm sure our extended families are also thrilled to have us closer to home in Texas.

For the last time, I know we all wish him fair winds and following seas...