Day 4 (part 1)

Saturday was another a fun-filled day at West Point. This time we got there early because the graduated alumni were supposed to stand in designated spots for the parade.

[Side-note Story interjection] When Corky and I met over 7 years ago, my group of friends were meeting up with his group of cadets to go watch a "parade." I was a little confused once the parade started because I only thought that "parades" consisted of giant floats and throwing candy. These are not those kind of parades.

Continuing on...

I sat in the stands taking pictures before it all got started while Corky stood with fellow alumni. All of the sudden Corky yells my name and points to me in the stands. I look and am pretty sure I screamed out loud. He was standing next to one of mine and Corky's best friends from college. I had seen him (Jermaine) and his wife (Zabel) twice in the last 5 years thanks to living just off of a major highway in California, but Corky hadn't seen him since college. It was such a nice suprise.

This is Corky and Jermaine.



Finally the parade began and it is always such a sight to see a couple of thousand young cadets marching in such a historic place, all in unison.


There's that flaming tree again...I told you I couldn't get enough of it.


And of course a picture of me and Corky. (Jermaine, in true "Jermaine-like" fashion, said that the picture catches me being translated on high!)


After the parade, we went to the mess hall. If you can only imagine this place, my pictures don't do it justice. It is MASSIVE and it reminds me of Hogwarts from Harry Potter. It has a few different wings. (google West Point Mess Hall images and you can get a feel for it.) We ate a typical cadet lunch of some kind of hot dog (???), sauerkraut, broccoli, milk, and gatorade. Not the tastiest lunch but it was the experience that counts.


Corky and I standing in front of a wing of a mess hall.


Jermaine and Zabel hanging out in another.


I told you this place was big!


And here we are saying our goodbyes to Jermaine and Zabel. It was a blast being able to spend a few hours with them.

The day before, Corky and I were talking about what a great experience we had living back there and how it is always bittersweet to go back to something you loved so much. As much as you prepare yourself, it is always kind of difficult to go back and realize that you will never relive those times again. It really just makes the memories of those days even more precious. That day though, hanging out with Jermaine and Zabel (they were engaged at the same time as us!) I realized that there are definitely some things that never change. Spending time with them, and laughing HYSTERICALLY at Jermaine, I was grateful again to have been able to relive a little piece of mine and Corky's life, before life really started.

And my nostalgia for the night is definitely spent.

Actually, one more thing. Remember this post and picture? (scroll to the very bottom of it) We had to get another one. A more older, wiser, mature version.