On the Road Again, A Military Journey!

 I am very content in the passenger seat of the family mini van, the toddler fast asleep, Boy 1 intently watching a video on the DVD player and Boy 2 plays with a new stuffed animal and filling his face with goldfish crackers. We are off to see Josh, our oldest. He graduates from Basic at Ft Leonard Wood tomorrow morning. Choices, love, his life to live. We are very proud of him and the man he will become.

As we drive along, to my right and left are fields, corn fields and soy bean fields. Up ahead is a sign for St Louis and just like that I am taken to fourth, fifth, sixth and even seventh grade. We were stationed at Scott AFB for the longest period of time my entire childhood. (4th grade was only for a month, in fact.) So the tie is palpable in my blood. I got my first military ID here. I could ride my bike to the BX. I had my first real crush. (Brian Cox… How come I can remember that but not what I was going up the stairs for, just yesterday?) I started junior high. This place was an important part of my learning to live.