The week I went down to Simi Valley, Wendy called and told me that she had set up a party for Alex who was going into the Army on Sept. 1st. It was to be a sort of "going away" party and the guests were just Bill and Wendy's family and Bob and Marilyn and myself! I was happy about this because Alex is my Godchild and I didn't want him going "off to war", so to speak, without being able to have my own little time with him. Wendy fixed it so that we, Bob, Marilyn and I arrived early and so I got a chance to tell him how much I would miss him and to tell him that I was sure that he would make it O.K. He has joined the Rangers which is a great branch but one of the rougher parts of the Army. I didn't know that he had signed up for eight years till later! It was a great party and Afton wanted to do the planning of it and arrange all the food, etc. (he is attending College to become a Chef or something related to cooking!) Wendy had made a cake decorated with little flags and as you can see she fixed the centerpiece for the table with the American flag and appropriate branch of service flag. The meal, a lunch, consisted of salads, (pasta, potato, fruit and vegetable), and pulled pork sandwiches and also other lunch meats and cheeses, chips, and all the usual drinks, (iced tea, coke, lemonade, coffee, etc.) and we ended up with the cake with ice cream! It still didn't make me feel any less anxious for Alex but Wendy told me that she and Alex would come over in a day or two and just visit me. And Alex, when he signed in had asked to be allowed to attend his brother Aaron's wedding and so the recruiter just told him that they would sign him in on the 1st of Sept. !!! We have heard from him a couple of times and he said in his first letter to his family that the thing that was the hardest on him was being away from the family! Which was part of my talk with him! He was put into his first platoon the first part of last week and so now the fun begins! He will, he was told be able to come home after basic training which will be in time for Christmas!!!!
