A "Clean" Start

I finally unpacked my camera cable so I can start blogging! The title of this post is a "clean" start because Cameron now is a clean shaven man for the first time since his mission (not counting a little hiatus for a week last summer)! LOL I actually miss the fuzz...but the Navy is pretty strict about facial hair. It's ok to have ugly mustaches but gotees are apparently not stylish enough for them... Good thing the military doesn't dictate anyone's fashion but their enlisted! I do have to say that I love the uniforms. It's so weird that he has gone from $5 commercial-sold-by-the-thousands shirts to custom tailored dry clean only everyday! lol

So I guess I really ought to start at the beginning...as of 3/16/2010 Cameron is an official sailor in the U.S. Navy! woo-hoo! That is the day he graduated from bootcamp and got to move to the "other side" where the real base is. With the help of my two friends Kate and David (sorry no pics for the trip-my Camera was packed) who so graciously packed and drove me up here, I was able to move to the north Chicago area about a week before graduation. Since my apartment wasn't ready yet, my friend Emily Periseau and her husband Jake let me stay with them for a few days until I could get into my place (more on this in a later post). 

Ahh graduation day. I looked forward to you for 2 months! Emily & I arrived at 6:45 am (ceremony started at 9) and got great seats 3 rows in! Unfortunately...my camera had run out of batteries without my knowledge (and I must say against my will!) so there aren't many pics...and all the one's I have are fuzzy/yucky. 

 Cameron is actually at the back in the middle of this group. They later turned and he was on the side near the front-we got to see each other the whole time! lol it was great but he they had to stand at attention like that the for the entire thing so he couldn't acknowledge me but I knew by the twinkle in his eyes he saw me ;) Sadly my camera died right after this so these are the only two pics I have of the blessed event which signaled our time together again (for 2 days at least!).  The graduation itself was pretty boring...the best part was definitely the end when everyone got to hug and kiss! That weekend Cameron was allowed to stay with me overnight until Sunday when he had to return to his "ship" (they call the buildings ships on the bases) and report. Here are a few pics we took. *disclaimer: I am sorry I am so bad at taking pictures. I either forget or leave my camera at home. I promise to try to do better in the future!*

Kissing in the living room of the new apt (he was really scared to dip me cause of my big belly-which had expanded exponentially since the time he left for boot camp-aka-the last time he had seen me)

This is the Waukegan harbor we went to check out the sailboats. It was really windy and cold so we didn't stay long.

Cameron is wearing his "peanut butters" in this pic. He's really cold (hence the rubbing his hands together to stay warm). There are actually 4 different uniforms he wears at different times, but more on that later.

Here is a pic of us squinting in the sun. You might be asking yourself why the funny hats. Well the answer is that the navy seems to like funny hats, except they call them "covers" to try and sound cooler and more military-ish. There is a hat for every uniform. (I'm wearing Cameron's Navy Blues hat cause it matched my stripey outfit-don't tell!)

That about sums up the pics. We enjoyed a pretty quiet weekend at home for the most part just enjoying being around each other again and sharing stories of what had happened while we were apart. Basically, despite the lack of activity, getting to be with my hubby again made it the best weekend ever!