NELSON FAMILY: Dalin's Graduation weekend

Sept 1, 2010 leaving Boise and going to SAN DIEGO, CA to see DADDY!!!!!!!! Taelin did awesome on the plane...thank heavens for grandparents to help out!

So excited! The seat next to mine wasn't taken, so Taelin got his own seat..which was wonderful!

When we arrived in San Diego and got the rental car, we drove to the base...just to make sure we knew where we would be going the next day...so we wouldn't get lost. We were so close to Dalin..but still just had to wait another day to see him

SEPT 2, 2010 ALL READY TO GO AND SEE DADDY! Thank you so much to the Chidester's for letting us sleep at your home!

YES WE ARE EXCITED!

a really cool memorial on base

Papa and Taelin waiting...and waiting...and waiting...listening to a DI go over rules and stuff

The DI talked to us for about 45 min on rules and about what will be going on during the next 2 days, and did a little demo of how intense boot camp was and how quickly the recruiters had to learn what 'language' to use....it was really hard to remember everything. If that were my first day of boot camp I would have wanted to give up and be done....it was tough.

This is the Marine Corps mascot, a Bulldog, cuz the Marines are called DevilDogs. Taelin LOVED this dog!

I got IT'd..and it was not fun...super hot...and we all had to do a lot of push ups with DI's yelling in our face...just a little something to show us what these Marine's had to go though. But for doing this I did get a pretty cool Marine poster for free:) love that!

1ST TIME SEEING DALIN IN 3 MONTHS! He is #5 from the front of the line.

Looking good babe...cute shorts...oh and tan lines:)

SO CLOSE!!!

Getting ready to go on the MOTTO RUN....a 4 mile run around the depot.

Coming around the corner to finish the motto run. This was so cool to see them all running together...and with Dalin leading his platoon.

We were so close to him! And Taelin blew him a kiss and kept waving at him and reaching out to him. Taelin totally knew who his Daddy was when he saw him:) That made me so happy! But it was hard to explain to him that he couldn't have him just yet....in a couple of hours....GOSH IT WAS SO GREAT TO FINALLY SEE DALIN AGAIN! I just wanted to run up to him...but I had to patient too.

Taelin loved to walk around while we were waiting for things to start up. What a cute little boy!

Waiting, waiting, and waiting for them to FINALLY come!

Leading his platoon out onto the parade deck. I love his pic. Look at all of there arms. So cool!

So precious! and taelin's shirt this day said "My Daddy's my hero and i'm his lil man."

Taelin did not want me...HE WANTED DADDY...or at least his cool metals on his uniform:)

so happy to be a family again:)

Walking to the lunch that the church put on for us. SUCH GOOD FOOD!

Bro Griffith telling us how amazing Dalin really is and telling us all about all the hard work he did, and telling us about how he helped with having the Marine Corp recognize LDS faith (not only protestant and catholic), telling us how he helped with the conversion of a guy at boot camp, telling us how Dalin will be Shepard up at MCT training, telling us how blessed we were because Dalin made it a priority to come to church every Sunday and because of that he got to keep his MOS job, telling us how Dalin always does what he is told no questions asked, etc etc etc. HONEY you are an amazing man and I am so happy that I have you forever. You remind me so much of Helaman in the Book of Mormon. You were born to lead and are doing a WONDERFUL job! I LOVE YOU!

All of us with Bro and Sis. Griffith. LOVE them!

Taelin did amazing all day long, was awake most of the day with Daddy, and then FINALLY gave up when we WEREN'T with daddy anymore at dinner. We went out to dinner at this sushi place right by the bay area (so beautiful) and Taelin was asleep like this for most of the time, but then woke up and was so happy because we were EATING, and it was like he was getting a midnight snack. haha

Sept 3, 2010 GRADUATION DAY! We arrived on the base at 5:45 because gates opened at 6:00 and we wanted to make sure we had a good seat and a good parking spot and wanted to watch for Dalin before we had to be seated at 9:45. The weather was AWESOME as well. Mom, ReNea, and I listened to the Marine Corp band while Dad, Wes, and Taelin saved seats for graduation. I got to watch Dalin do his thing with the other 6 guides before it all began, and that was really special. They just had to keep repeating and repeating what they were doing until it was PERFECT. The way they have to hold their flag and everything looks just so un-comfortable. Below are pics from his actual graduation. there were about 5 guys out of the 506 that fainted because they locked there knees and it was so dang hot too. Dalin noticed that the guy standing next to him in his platoon was about to pass out, so he leaned over and grabbed his arm to help him out. Luckily people got to him right as Dalin had to let go to be with all the guides to receive their honoring plaque. WAY TO GO DALIN! Graduation was amazing and is a day I will never forget! I am so proud of my husband! 3 months of Hell is FINALLY done and now he is a MARINE! I LOVE YOU DALIN!