We travelled to Atlanta for a wedding this weekend.
Our friend Jennifer married her beau Kris in an evening ceremony on Saturday, and everyone had a great time. We’re really happy for both of them!
Our flight down was good – we got out of town before the storms hit late Friday afternoon, forcing a ground stop on all the DC area airports. We had the excellent company of a Marine officer who was just home from an eight month deployment to Afghanistan, managing health-care financial teams doing knowledge transfer to their Afghani counterparts, as well as investigating and keeping track of the money we spend in that arena to help those folks. This Marine was really glad to be home, and looking forward to her new posting in Dallas, and seeing her husband and four kids. You, ma’am, rock!
We got into ATL without difficulties, and hared across town in a Dodge Charger, getting to the church in time to crash the rehearsal! Saturday was a quiet, uneventful day spent resting up and preparing to be up and about late. After the ceremony, the reception was at Aunt Sarah’s gorgeous home, then about half the crowd went on to a popular alehouse near by the hotel. We bailed out “early”, and got back to our room a bit past midnight. Others were several hours later than that.
This morning we swung by the new (to them) house that Jen and Kris just moved into a few weeks ago – they’ve been putting a lot of work into it already, it’s a very nice place in a quiet little neighborhood north of Atlanta. Finally, with Kris’s mom in tow, we went back to ALT, and got on our plane home.
It’s good to be home … and I’ll pick Lexi up from the kennel tomorrow morning.
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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Spc. Vilmar Galarza Hernandez, 21, of Salinas, California, died May. 26 in Zharay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
- Spc. Tofiga J. Tautolo, 23, of Wilmington, California, died May 27, in Bati Kot, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Capt. John R. Brainard, 26, of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, died May 28, in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his helicopter crashed.
- Chief Warrant Officer Five John C. Pratt, 51, of Springfield, Virginia, died May 28, in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his helicopter crashed.
- Sgt. Julian C. Chase, 22, of Edgewater, Maryland, died May 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Lance Cpl. Steven G. Sutton, 24, of Leesburg, Georgia, died May 26 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Cpl. Nicholas H. Olivas, 20, of Fairfield, Ohio, died May 30 in Zharay, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean E. Brazas, of Greensboro, North Carolina, died May 30 while conducting combat operations in Panjwa’l, Afghanistan.
- Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, 28, of El Paso, Texas, died May 25 in Charkh, Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire.
- Staff Sgt. Alexander G. Povilaitis, 47, of Dawsonville, Georgia, died May 31, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when the enemy attacked with an improvised explosive device.
- Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs, 21, of Denver, Colorado, died May 27, in Chak-E Wardak District, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces.
- Pfc. Leroy Deronde III, 22, Jersey City, New Jersey, died May 27, in Chak-E Wardak District, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces.
