More Good News!

Yesterday we confirmed something we had already suspected, but Dave was "officially" on the list to be promoted! He is finally going to be a Sergeant First Class! YAY!

He is number 221 on the list, so it will be a few months before he is actually promoted, but at least now we know it's coming! We are so proud of him!

Dave receiving his Drill Sgt of the Cycle Award in 2007



Then today, we got some great news from Andi's school. The high school mailed her report card out and she got her first 4.0 GPA! All A's! Way to go Andi!

Silly mom made a deal with all three kids that if they EVER got a 4.0 GPA she would pay them $100...of course I was thinking it would probably never happen...LOL Not that I don't think my kids are capable of it, but let's face it, it's a lot of work to get straight A's, ya know?

We are very proud of Andi too:)

Andi next to one of the birthing stones near Wahiawa

Punchbowl

The first service member buried at Punchbowl. Notice he was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Yesterday our family took a trip to Punchbowl Cemetary. Technically it's call The National Cemetary of The Pacific, but it's in Punchbowl (or Puowaina in Hawaiian) crater.

It was a very humbling experience. I have yet to visit a National Cemetary and not feel in awe of the sacrifices made.

Punchbowl is no different. When you first drive in you are struck by the awesome sight of the Honolulu Memorial at the end of the bowl. We were also able to visit some notable grave sites.

Henry Hansen (One of the Marines in the famous flag raising on Iwo Jima)

Ernie Pyle (A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist during WWII)

Ellison Onizuka (One of the astronauts killed in the Challenger tragedy in 1986)

The mass grave of the Wake Island Defenders...really interesting story about how group of mostly civillians defended Wake Island against Japanese invaders.

We got some great pictures of the city from the look-out too.

The kids are now on Spring Break so we are looking forward to visiting more fun places here on Oahu:)

Honolulu with Diamond Head in the background.

Honolulu/Waikiki

Kierian at the base of the Courts of the Missing