This year, I had a flight to Colorado Springs, CO on my 28th birthday, September 1, 2011, to see my brother, Colton, at the Air Force Academy for parent and family weekend! It was a great way to spend a birthday and we had a great time visiting with my brother and having him show us around his campus!
When we first arrived in CO, we had to rent our car and drive an hour to Colorado Springs where the AFA is! When we arrived, my brother was at football practice so we got to watch some of that!
Me, Lauren (Colton's girlfriend who came with us), and my mom- practice going on in the background!
Our first time seeing Colton since June when we sent him off to basic training! So good to hug him and know he is doing well!
My grandpa with Colton- he is a retired Air Force Lieutenant!
Colton and his buddy Dallas on the right- not sure about the guy on the left!
Colton's roommate Nolan!
After his practice he had to get cleaned up and change into his fatigues so we went and got Texas Roadhouse steaks for him and for my birthday dinner! It was so surreal to see him dressed like that!
With Uncle Scotty, my mom's brother!
The next morning we got up REALLY early and met Colton on campus so he could take us to his French class! We hung out in the computer lab for a little bit until we were able to meet his professor! Colton had to introduce each of his family members in french to his class! He studied up for it the night before and did a great job!
After French, he toured us around campus (the uniform he is wearing is his escort uniform that was what all the cadets had to wear to escort their families around campus!) In the background is the campus chapel, close up pictures below!
3 generation picture!
In Colton's tiny dorm room! We hung out there for a little bit so we could see his room before we headed to lunch!
We got to go in the chapel to see what the inside was like and this chapel is beautiful! It is made to look like a lot of jets in a row flying up in the air!
This is a view of the stain glass along the side walls-you can see the pews and where the wall is at in comparison! Beautiful inside!
Later that day we watch Colton's JV game play against a semi-pro team from the area! It was pretty much a joke when the other team showed up in mismatch uniforms and the score of 50somethin'-0 explains a lot! Colton plays slot receiver and this picture shows him in motion before the snap (#14)!
A picture with all his ladies inside the brand new indoor practice facility that was built! It actually rains almost everyday in Colorado Springs around 2-3:00 in the afternoon and the rain comes with a crazy lightening storm almost every time (I just learned that's why the air force football uniforms always have the lightening strike logo on their helmets when their actual mascot is the Falcons.) So, his game was moved inside this practice facility to finish up while the rain passed!
Saturday was the varsity game! Colton actually got to dress out with the varsity team and stand on the side lines. His coach only asked a few freshman to do that so he felt pretty special! He got to stay in our hotel room with us the night before, so early that morning we got a text from him, after my dad took him back to the Academy, of a picture of his very own varsity jersey with his name on the back! He was so proud and felt pretty special!
Before the game starts the band walks out in formation....
then each cadet squadron comes out in formation all in preparation for the National Anthem and school song!
Then they time the fly over to happen when the first kick off happens to start the game! It was a neat experience to be at the Air Force game!
I snapped this picture to show every time the Air Force makes a Touchdown, the Junior/Senior cadets get to run on the field and they do push ups for each point!
The morning I had to fly out:( My parents and Colton's girlfriend were staying until Tuesday morning, but I wanted to get back to my family and spend Labor day with them while Jason had no work!) We drove the hour into Denver, CO and hung out around downtown at some fair that was going on before we had to get to the airport! It was such a great trip seeing Colton and made me miss him so much more:( Till thanksgiving bud- miss ya and love ya!
When I got home, I had brought everyone presents and I got the boys these Air Force logo thermal shirts and toy jets to play with! Camden wouldn't let me take a picture, but Kyler did! Jason was out getting dinner for us so we could celebrate my birthday with the kids!
Jason, being the sweet guy he is, picked up some cupcakes and actually decorated them himself for us to celebrate and the boys got to sing to mommy! I thought it was cute and actually didn't notice it until I looked back at the pictures that he took, but he wrote 27 instead of 28! I'll stay 27...no problem:)
Such a great day and fun time to spend with my family and to spend my actual birthday in CO with my brother and family! Thanks to everyone for making this year special!
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