Jason's Friends from Ft. Stewart Visit

Jason slept in this morning to 9 AM and had a good night's sleep. No aches or pains from yesterday's workout. His three friends from Ft. Stewart, GA are on the way and will arrive shortly. They are in Silver Springs staying at a hotel there. Don't know what the soldiers will do in DC except they have a VIP tour of the Pentagon scheduled for Monday including a look at the offices of D. Rumsfeld. I think they will "hang around together" and do a lot of talking, eating and some drinking (?). Jason's friends arrived at noon with an embroidered framed "Battalion Colors" traditionally given to an officer when he leaves the unit. (I took a picture, its about 18 inches by 2 feet) They also gave Jason the orders for his Bronze medal, not the medal itself. He said, "The orders is what is important." He said, "I will have to purchase the medal itself" I thought that strange but I don't pretend to understand military procedures.

I took a photo of them: Jason, Spence, Hunt and Lee all were Lieutenants with Jason in Iraq. They are now all captains like Jason. We took the photo under the cherry tree outside of Mologne. The cherry tree is in full bloom, young men in the bloom of their lives. Hunt is transferring to military intelligence; Spence, and Lee will leave the army shortly.

The guys went to Chinatown for lunch and after went to the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall for about an hour. They also visited the Museum of National History and headed back as Jason said the conversation got so slow. In fact, Lee fell asleep at one point Jason thinks. The men drove all night from Hinesville GA and only had a couple of hours sleep. They plan on getting together tomorrow. I met Jason coming in Mologne as I was going out. "Jason, want to come walk the track with me?" "No, I spent the day walking" and he did look tired. The guys got back about 6PM and Jason said they were probably going to go to the hotel and go to sleep.

Jason headed upstairs and I found him watching the Producers which we had watched before, then it was time for the University of Florida versus George Mason. Sad to say, for me, I am always for the upstarts, University of Florida womped them. Jason had said that the sportcasters are saying his college to be was going to go all the way and be the NCAA champs. One more game to go, all decided Monday.

I headed to the track and have come to love walking at the twilight hour. The flock of robins was busy eating dinner, the squirrels were frisking and today I noticed the apple trees were opening and under them blue and white violets. I heard the mocking bird and cardinals and later a first for me; a flicker on the ground pecking at something, maybe an exposed root. I am alone on the track and it is so beautiful and peaceful to immerse myself in the miracle of life in nature that we take for granted and never "see." A sliver of the moon appears in the darkening sky. The songs of the birds brings peace to my spirit and I am renewed.

This is the first day that Jason has been away and I have stayed behind at Mologne with "nothing planned" I tried to find someone to go with me to see the DA DA exhibit at the National Art Gallery but calling on Saturday morning only got me voice mail except for Katherine who had already seen it and said, "You have got to see it! " Since I could find no one to go with , I will save the exhibit for another day. I tried to talk Jason into seeing it but he wouldn't do it. I packed a box of winter clothes to return to Chicago with the 75 degree days I don't think I will be wearing snow boots this season. I had a wonderful phone visit with my sister Connie for over an hour and then began to feel sleepy. I looked and thought "I can take a nap." and so I did, however I was not asleep 1/2 hour when I heard a knock on the door. The staff was delivering a package. Now wake. I spent time in prayer and journaling about a dream I had. Soon it was time to go to a walk. and I headed downstairs.