Saturday we went to Fayetteville to attend my son's gradutation from JROTC Cadet Officer Leadership School. It was a 3.5 drive, one way. Fayetteville State University is located, literally, right next to Ft. Bragg. Friday night my daughter just happened to mention that a friend of ours was stationed at Ft. Bragg. This "friend" happens to be a 20 year old young man that I used to babysit when he was 3 and 4 years old!!! I haven't seen him (except for pics in the annual Christmas card) for 15 years!
So on a whim, I decided to look him up on Facebook and tell him we were coming to town and see if he might be available. Honestly, I thought the chances of him responding were probably slim to none. I mean how many 20 year old men do you know who would respond to someone who they hadn't seen since they were 5! But, not only did he respond almost immediately, he was excited to hear from me and arranged to meet us the next morning!! I was so excited!!!
When I saw him walk up wearing fatigues and the jaunty maroon beret which signifies Airborne, my first thought was "Oh My Gosh, he looks exactly the same, only bigger!"
He hugged us and fell in like he saw us just yesterday. He sat through graduation with us and we all enjoyed lunch together. It was just so wonderful to see him and spend some time with him! I'm very proud of the man he's turned out to be. I know his mom and dad are so proud of him.
He and my oldest daughter, Stephanie are the same age. And although they don't have real memories of the days they spent playing together; the Halloween they dressed up as a lion and a princess and held hands while they went trick-or-treating; riding their big wheels together on the tennis courts at the apartment complex, etc. ; they have relived these memories through pictures over the years. So when they met again 15 years later, they didn't feel like complete strangers. Ryan was 18 months old when he saw "A" last. Boy was he surprised when he looked up to see his family at graduation and there was a uniformed soldier sitting amoung them!!
It was a great day.
then and now ....
So on a whim, I decided to look him up on Facebook and tell him we were coming to town and see if he might be available. Honestly, I thought the chances of him responding were probably slim to none. I mean how many 20 year old men do you know who would respond to someone who they hadn't seen since they were 5! But, not only did he respond almost immediately, he was excited to hear from me and arranged to meet us the next morning!! I was so excited!!!
When I saw him walk up wearing fatigues and the jaunty maroon beret which signifies Airborne, my first thought was "Oh My Gosh, he looks exactly the same, only bigger!"
He hugged us and fell in like he saw us just yesterday. He sat through graduation with us and we all enjoyed lunch together. It was just so wonderful to see him and spend some time with him! I'm very proud of the man he's turned out to be. I know his mom and dad are so proud of him.
He and my oldest daughter, Stephanie are the same age. And although they don't have real memories of the days they spent playing together; the Halloween they dressed up as a lion and a princess and held hands while they went trick-or-treating; riding their big wheels together on the tennis courts at the apartment complex, etc. ; they have relived these memories through pictures over the years. So when they met again 15 years later, they didn't feel like complete strangers. Ryan was 18 months old when he saw "A" last. Boy was he surprised when he looked up to see his family at graduation and there was a uniformed soldier sitting amoung them!!
It was a great day.
then and now ....
15 years later... LOVE IT!!!
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