Virginia

Last Tuesday I found out Bo was going to be discharged from the VA this Thursday, so the boys and I quickly planned a trip to see him last weekend. Joshua was able to get out of work Friday and Saturday; I think bribery was involved. He has a great job but there aren't many employees so time off has to be strategically planned. BOY AM I GLAD HE WAS ABLE TO COME. He did ALL the driving, found a WalMart and bought groceries, and watched the little ones for Bo and I to have some time alone. Joshua you rock!

We drove to Atlanta Thursday night and spent the night with Bo's parents. We borrowed Bo's mom's car (more seating) and Bo's dad's TomTom (didn't even need a map!)...BUT we had to endure Redneck slang..."you otta turn right"....."get on that there high-speed road"....."well look at that, you done got where you're going!". Seriously, it was awesome, it showed how fast we were going and how far away we were from our destination. Thanks, Harold and Marilyn! Gammie even packed us a lunch for the road.

Here's pics from a rest stop in North Carolina....

After an eight hour drive Friday, we made it to our hotel in Richmond to find we'd been provided THREE rooms with full kitchens on the government's dime. Well, actually, the VA booked and paid for TWO rooms but the hotel mistakenly gave us THREE. A blessing from the Lord I say! The big boys had adjoining rooms and Bo and I were down the hall. We are used to all cramming into one room when we travel so this was indeed a treat! Now we are spoiled! The only problem was a long walk down the hall back and forth every time I realized something I needed was in another room.

After dropping off kids and luggage, I followed TomTom directions to the VA and found a handsome, anxiously awaiting, family-missing army man. Sweet hugs and tears, and I rushed him back to his children. Isaac recognized Bo straight away and went right to him.

We spent lots of good family time together....

Bo had therapy Saturday morning, but I picked him up afterward to spend the rest of the weekend with us on pass. Here's his hospital room....

We attempted a picnic at a local 200 year old park, but it started raining as soon as we got there. Here's us having fun in a pavilion waiting for the rain to stop....

....to be continued........