Family, I am sorry I haven’t been keeping up by letting you know what was going on! It’s been a whirlwind R&R and I had a blast. Now I sit here in visiting officer’s quarters (since I am only here for a day and I processed out of my apartment before I left) catching my breath as I get ready to start the next phase of my career…medical school! I can’t believe this day got here so fast! Thursday & Friday are the “meet & greet” mixers with the faculty and other students, and a week from today, I begin classes and will be their youngest med student in the 100+ years of the university. I am pumped. Tomorrow at this time, I will be on my way. The military wanted me to fly on an Air Force hop to Ramstien, then I could catch a commercial flight from there to Frankfurt to St. Petersburg, but they didn’t realize I had to be there to start Thursday, so I am flying commercial from here to LAX, then LAX to Moscow, and Moscow to St Petersburg and my family will be waiting for me there. This will be long…be warned! So what happened on R&R? Well on the 23rd I went up inside the Gateway Arch for the first time in my life…bumped my head twice getting in those toilet-paper tube elevators of theirs. 24th I went to the zoo. On Sunday the 25th we were going to go to Sunny’s in Kirkwood for a late afternoon brunch, but my grandparents pulled a rope-a-dope on me. They said they had a surprise for me so I wore a blindfold while they drove so I didn’t know where we were. We stopped, got out of the car, and they lead me down this sidewalk. Took off the blindfold and we were at a park and there was a surprise “Welcome Home” barbeque for me! I swear the entire assisted living facility was there, as well as about everyone from their church I had met that morning! AN NO ON SLIPPED! No one said a word! I was a little overwhelmed at the banner that said “welcome home Lt Anna – you’re our hero!” Had a poster sized picture of me receiving my Purple Heart and commendation (Junior! Where did those pictures come from?? My God man! I was in a hospital gown and laying down when I got my purple heart! My hair was a fright!) I’m no hero – I just did my job. There must have been 200 people there. Easy. Monday I drove up to my hometown. Junior was right; I am surprised how much smaller Bonaparte had become. So many memories! Walked all around, said “Hi’ to people at the local businesses. One of the old salts I ran into had been talking to my grandpa and heard I was injured and asked, “Do you show off your battle scar?” I told him, “Outside of the medical team that removed the bullet and my providers, only one person has seen it”. Went out to the farm and stopped by the neighbor’s house to borrow some camping gear. They had it ready for me. There was power out at the farm and the pond for security lighting – but no beds! Couldn’t wait to get out of my clothes and go for a swim! The water was so relaxing and felt soft. The water was as warm as I remember it. Slept under the stars that night. Just laid on top of a sheet on the cot. What a peaceful night sleep! Tuesday, I was awakened by the neighbor’s cows the next morning for milking and a nosy deer nuzzled up against my bunk. I didn’t want to turn suddenly and frighten it (plus I didn’t want to get trampled by accident). What a great start to the day. Got up, threw some clothes on, went down to the neighbor’s house for breakfast at their request, and went back out to the farm to wait for my renters. What nice people! Their little girl (Ava) came running up to me and gave me a big hug. I had to cry. She was a honeysuckle blonde, just like I was when I came to live at the farm. Same age even. She said, “No sad. No cry”. I took her hand and showed her to her room – which was mine. Seeing the three of them together…I felt warm all over. I think that is how my parents and I must have looked. I felt their presence. My house is in good hands. A lot of love in that house now and there will be the laughter of a child running around…that’s the way homes should be. Wednesday I met the movers at the storage unit. My winter civilian clothes are now on the way to Russia. Along with my snow boots. I had to get some belts – the pants were falling off me. My Yamaha is on its way too. Wednesday night I ran into my best friend from high school (Tanya). She was back in town for a family reunion over the Labor Day weekend, she came out for a swim and we talked the night away. She was one of the few kids that never made fun of me because of my accent or age. Thursday she volunteered to drive up to Mall of America, so we drove up to the twin cities and looked around. Swung by Junior’s old haunts of Ionia on the way…wow. And I thought Bonaparte was small! But it was a quaint little town. Found a place to stay in St Paul and found the mall. My GOD is that place huge! Didn’t go in that afternoon, wanted to unwind at the hotel. She flirted with a few guys and one of them called me ‘stuck up’ because I showed no interest. She dispensed with her would be toys and we just enjoyed the city. Friday – stayed in the mall a little later than we had planned, even rode some of the rides inside. I wanted to make another stop on the way back to Bonaparte, but it just got too late. Tanya had a reunion to go to Saturday morning, and I was taking grandpa to a Cubs game! I think I got back to St Louis about 1am. Saturday – took Amtrak with grandpa from St Louis to Chicago. I fell asleep leaning up against grandpa…he commented “just like you used to do when we’d catch Amtrak in Iowa and ride in for a game”, found a decent hotel since we’d have to catch the morning train back to St Louis and then the trains to Wrigley. Watched the cubs beat the Phillies (sorry – didn’t get a foul ball ) then took the train back to St Louis Sunday. Missed church, but God understands…it was for the CUBS!. Spent the rest of Sunday lounging around and we went to Sunny’s Sunday night. I was tempted to go for a swim at the assisted living facility, but I don’t think the elderly wives would have liked that. Their husbands may not have had a need for Viagra that night and my grandparents still have to live there! Was tough this morning. Went out for a run to clear my head. Was NOT ready to step on a plane this afternoon. It was a quiet breakfast. I think we all knew. No one wanted it to end. I was able to call a friend of Junior’s and he helped me get gate passes for my grandparents to wait with me to catch my plane back to San Antonio. The minutes flew by. It just wasn’t fair. Before I walked down the gate to get on the plane, grandma gave me a hug. Told me not to worry about them. Grandpa gave me the biggest hug I ever had from him. Thanked me for taking him to the game. Told me he was proud of me. He gave me a card. Told me not to open it until I was airborne. They stood there holding hands (how sweet!), waving as I walked down the ramp. I hope I get to see them again. Never know…. I opened the card once the wheels were up, just as I was told. Inside was a handwritten letter from them, thanking me for keeping them young and keeping them alive all these years. They said they probably wouldn’t still be around if not for me. Told me again how proud they were. In the card were 2 pictures. I hadn’t these before. They were Christmas pictures. 1996. I was not quite 3. One was me on Santa’s lap, gazing up at him with awe. The other was the three of us…first Christmas after my parents died. My god I was little! On the back grandpa had written, “Thank you for everything. Your grandmother and I were so blessed. We had the chance to be parents twice. First your mom, then you. We wouldn’t have missed it for the world! See you soon”. Now here I sit, surrounded by a mind full of memories from childhood, and the tears roll down my face. It IS that time of the month, so that only amplifies the emotions. Tomorrow morning I check in, then I check out. Maybe breakfast with Sammie and head back to the airport. Russia – here I come!
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 01:25:41 +0000
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