Introducing Lieutenant Colonel Lynn Andrew Nelson! Friday August 6, 2010

Dad gets pinned by General Ierardi (pronounced earardi---I asked him for the proper pronunciation).  The rank goes on his chest and hat---I pin his hat.  It is a black colored oakleaf on his camoflauge uniforn, and on his hat, it is a silver oakleaf.  Perris handed the rank to the General and is watching here.

Here I am pinning  Dad’s hat!

Shaking hands with the General.  Actually, the General is very nice.  He took the time to meet with Perris, Dad and I separately in his office prior to the ceremony!  He even asked us the names of all of you guys who weren’t able to come and he wrote them down!  I asked about his family---it was a nice visit.

Dad taking his oath of office!

Dad takes his oath seriously!

Dad gets his chance to say a few words:

He’s a natural at oration and making people feel welcome, and does very well.  I’m so proud of him!

Then he does something totally unexpected on my part!  He thanks me and presents me with these beautiful roses!  Our home teacher remarked that I looked like a “beauty queen” carrying these roses!  I want World Peace….

He also thanks Perris!

It’s a gift certificate to “Best Buy!”

A Father/Son Hug---I try to capture these whenever Dad hugs Mike or Dad hugs Perris---It’s one of the most beautiful things to me!

We are called up to form a reception line for people to thank Dad.  I ask for a family picture and get this!

So we try again!  Much better, I think!

And again!  It’s a little dark, but it’s us together! Afterwards,  everyone had a bit of lunch---Perris and I had gone to get Subway sandwiches in Shirlington that morning, and Dad had already made arrangements for the drinks and chips.  Colonel DeGuzman talked to me about getting our families together, though at this point living in Virginia, that would be just Dad and I visiting his family and their two young sons in Gainsville, Va., since you all are on the West Coast!

Later, Dad showed Perris and I his cubicle.

Perris fits right in---he’s in charge now!

That’s our home teacher with Dad---Randall Epperson---He said the invocation at the pinning ceremony and was influential in helping Dad get promoted and is generally just a good guy!  His office, where they are is at the juncture where the plane hit the Pentagon that fateful day of September 11, 2001.  He also gave Dad a coin with the date he got officially made a LTC---July 16, 2010.  It is shaped like the Army Staff badge.  It is a really nice gift.

Randy explains the green windows, and explains the memorial out below his window.

I try to capture as much as I could.

This was the design concept facing his office.

0’ Randy Epperson is not a man without connections.  He works for the Assistant Secretary of the Army.  He also gave us a tour of the building, and took us to the office of the Chief of Staff—General George Casey Jr.

I’m looking at a picture of Korea in General Casey’s office.  Your Grandfather Conrad B. Nelson served during this war.

The flag by Perris shows all the battles the United States has been in---Revelutionary War and up.  You can make out ….Surge 2007-2008.  Each battle ribbon is distingushable by the color of the ribbon.  Vietnam was green and yellow.

The Chief of Staff of the Army has a lot of cool memorabilia in his office including this badge for being on the Army Staff,  It was designed by General Douglas McArthur  when he was Chief of Staff of the Army in the 1930’s.  He was over the Pacific Theater.

  Though not as big, your father received one of these for being a part of the Army Staff during Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle in 2003!

This table came from the Philipines and is just one big tree---they did not bring it in pieces.  The bottom looks like this:

This globe belonged to General Dwight D. Eisenhower  and the red pen shows where he thought Germany would extend after World War II, the war your Great Grandfather , Leo Ray Jensen, served in.

More memorabilia---A sword from Saudi Arabia! 

We learned  that after 9/11 the Pentagon received such an outpouring of quilts of concern, that they now have a warehouse devoted to housing them all and they rotate them for hanging in the hallways.

These are just a few of the many we saw.

Before we leave, I ask Randy to take one last picture in his office of us. Since it is the place the plane came down in 2001,  I think it is an appropriate place.  Afterall, Dad came here to the Pentagon on our 20th anniversary, August 25, 2002, specifically because he wanted to help with the war on terror.  It changed all of our lives that day.  I think it helped us all progress from spectators to participants.  You all do your part well, and I thank you for it!

Afterwards, we came home and Dad and Perris enjoyed some video games, some 24 and we went to dinner at the Lone Star.

These are the plates we have on our car now.  Dad earned this Bronze Star for his service in Iraq during 2007-2008!  I have one amazing husband and you have one amazing Dad!  Congratulations LTC Lynn Andrew Nelson!

If ye are prepared…Doctrine and Covenants 38:30/ Thursday August 5, 2010

Thursday night the 5th we had a wicked storm that caused massive power outages around here (that are still being rectified in some areas), including to us. Many, many trees were down or highly damaged.  Here is how we coped:

I went out storm and all in the rain and cooked all our perishable foods---I made hamburger helper, bacon, sausage, 3 cheeseburgers, and even made a pot of vegetables for health!

Honest, I did!  I also figured that the last time you saw me cook on this burner on the barbecue on the 4th of July, I showed FRENCH FRIES, so I had better show the HEALTHY STUFF.  Life is all about balance, you know!

Perris went to pick up Dad with his newfound (again) Virginia Drivers License!  They just awarded it to him this day after the 3rd try!

We ate dinner by candlelight!  I gave the hamburgers to Dad and Perris and had the hamburger helper and vegetables for myself. 

I got the flash to work (with Perris’ help)!

Molly was unscathed by the storm, but enjoyed the rest of the Hamburger Helper!  That made her night!  As for us, Dad and I went out later to  to replenish our supply of D and C batteries, and most of the rest of Arlington had power!  Ours remained out for about 6 hours, and in that time, Perris reminded me of his Temple Recommend Renewal that night at the Stake Center.  It was 9:00 when we left  for that with the power still out, but

by the time we returned home at 10:00 p.m., they were on and your father was waiting for us.  He said the lights had been on for about 1/2 hour by the time we got back. It was nice to get back to power, and I was grateful that I had an alternate cooking source that night, even though it was in the rain!

Your Brother Perris has returned from Spain! (Wednesday 28th of July-Saturday 31st of July 2010)

        

Well, of course, it is only right that I blog about this momentous occasion!  And, of course we all agree that we couldn’t be prouder of our son and brother for having such a successful mission to Bilbao, Spain!  Congratulations to Perris!  Please enjoy these first few days back!

I am a firm believer in re-usable signs!  I believe Connie made this one years ago,  please correct me if I am wrong!

Here I am waiting by the window, sign in hand of the flight that we had listed on the itinerary as bringing Perris home, flight 1938 from Atlanta, Ga!  The window was HUGE and we could have easily walked by him to the exit gate! We so wanted to and thought that would be a lot of fun!  We waited, and waited, and waited;  finally, the entire plane was empty of passengers!  No Perris!  So, we went to baggage claim,---definitely No Perris!  How could we have missed him?  We came back up and saw a small backpack on the back of a well dressed, missionary who  was obviously Perris walking away!  I yell, “Perris!”

“How could we possibly have missed you”, we query?  He informs us that he actually arrived on Delta flight 5923 coming from La Guardia Airport in New York!  He had one itinerary and we had quite another!  New York, and Atlanta are just a few miles away from each other!  Just lucky thing both itineraries were on the same day and same airport, and within 45 minutes of each other!  Here we are welcoming him to Washington Reagan Airport in Alexandria, Va.

The Reunion!  We loved this moment!

Baggage Claim!

Dad helps Perris with his load!

Perris talking to Mike in the elevator; I’m thrilled to have him back with us in the United States again!

Loading up “Esmerelda” our new jeep as of Saturday June 12th, 2010---coincidentally enough the same day as Perris’ last baptism in Spain!

Immediately we drove to President Sheldon Bradshaw’s house so Perris could be released.  He lives in Alexandria, Va.

Me with President Bradshaw’s wife, Corrine, and their 5 year old daughter, Reagan.  Corrine gave Annie a double stroller when they were here in 2008!  That whole family is good people.  Reagan let me play with her Disney Princess dress up magnets while we waited for Perris!

      

Visiting with President prior to the releasing!  You will notice his missionary tag!

Perris with President after his releasing as a missionary---no tag!

One last picture with President Bradshaw outside his home!

You will see these three people next week!

       

Add your own caption to these pictures!

I personally love these pictures Perris took of Molly!  Too me, they look so “puppy-like” despite her 16 years!  (It must be her spirit)!

The 30th was family day for the G-3/5/7, where Dad now works as a LTC Colonel.  He started working for the G-3/5/7 on the 15th of July as a Major and as of the 16th was notified that he had moved up in rank to LTC! He will be pinned in a ceremony at the Pentagon this Friday the 5th of August.  This party was held at Ft. Belvoir.  Enjoy the pictures!

This drill team performed---the group above flipped their weapons!

We saw a demonstration by police dogs!

This guy didn’t stand a chance!  Good thing he was wearing a padded jacket and that it was just a demonstration!  His arm would have been torn to shreds otherwise!

We ate:  burgers, chicken, beans, potato salad, chips, watermelon, etc. and had lemonade

We had a nice time at Family Day!

Next we went to Clothing Sales where Dad purchased his new rank---that would be silver for a Lieutenant Colonel!

Perris took these pictures outside the PX at Ft. Belvoir!

Eating dinner at Shane’s (the rib place Dad and I love)!

I love fried okra (but I also love pickled okra)!  So that was the end of this day---we already shopped for shoes for Perris at Potomac Mills since I threw away his old tattered ones, upgraded his cell phone---it was high time after about 6 years of the same phone, and lastly went to the Hoffman 22 to see “Salt.”  We have plans to see “Inception” (it was sold out this night), and “The Other Guys” (due out Friday).

Finally for this post, the long awaited day of Grandpa Nelson’s baptism and confirmation took place at the Washington, DC Temple in Kensington, Maryland!  The feeling was incredible!  In addition to Conrad Benjamin Nelson, your Grandpa Nelson, we did Nils G. Johnson who is Conrad’s Great Grandpa on his father’s side, your Dad’s Great, Great, Grandpa, and your Great, Great, Great, Grandpa on your Daddy’s side!  We did his wife up until initiatories---Her name is Elsie Olson.  Additionally we did one of our German relatives ---Helene Drissl who is a one child of my Mother’s Grandmother.  We are on our way to linking hearts!  Enjoy these pictures!

Welcome Home Perris!  You helped the Lord save souls in Spain and now you continue doing it with your family here!  Again, it was truly fantastic.  I bore my testimony regarding it yesterday, and Perris did also.  Truly indescribable, except to say—Incredible, and Miraculous!  I look forward to the 14th to share that feeling with each of you in the Redlands, Temple in California as we continue the work for these family members!