First Week of Class

Monday morning, my handsome student headed out the door with his bag, books and a new outlook on life.  I think he was ready to hit the class room and start this journey.  It's been such a great 3 weeks of settling in and we have had some great family time, but I think he was ready to go see what this is all about.  A few days before class started, we check out his classroom.  Here's some pics so you can see where he'll be spending many hours this year.

Lining the walls of the hall outside these classrooms are pictures and bios of strategic leaders.  Check out the strategic leader that is right outside of the classroom of Seminar 10!

Joshua Chamberlain, strategic leader of the 20th Maine at the battle of Gettysburg who ended up being Governor of the great state of Maine and one of Mark's favorite Civil War characters.

This is insignia is embedded in the tile at the entrance of Root Hall, the building with the classrooms.

 Monday was the only "normal" day of the week.  Mark met with his seminar and introductions were made.  There is a vast array of experience represented in this group of 16 students.  All branches of the military are represented as well as a civilian.  The rest of the week was more geared toward orientation, several of which I got to join him in.  Tuesday we went to a Dress for Success briefing.  Did you know that the width of the lapel on a suit is supposed to be the same width as the widest part of your tie?  Yeah, me neither, but I do know now, as do you.  Or that if you have pleats in your dress pants, you should also have cuffs?  Therefore the opposite is true...no pleats, no cuffs.  Good stuff, huh?  Wednesday and Thursday were more briefings with follow up reading in the afternoon.  During the day on Wednesday Carlisle Barracks held the annual County Fair.  Business from all over Carlisle as well and surrounding areas came and had all kinds of information to share.  There was also lots of info on things that are available on post for us and for the kiddos.  I think we have targeted several restaurants that we need to try and we signed up for Ballroom Dancing lessons!!! Wednesday we had our seminar meet and greet with all the families.  It was a fun night of getting to know those that we will be spending quite a bit of time with this year.  I'm so thankful that our seminar is filled with some wonderful spouses who are just as excited as I am of this opportunity.  I had to giggle because to me, Carlisle is quite a big place filled with things to do.  Talking to a wife who is from Houston, TX, I believe, she was talking about Carlisle as small town.  It's amazing the difference in perspective.  It was great to meet the International Fellows and their families.  I downloaded Google Translator, so hopefully when I meet up again with the the wife of the student from Senegal, we can have a better conversation.  Friday was opening ceremonies.  Now, it's been hot and humid here.  I don't think that it has been any less than 90 every afternoon since we have arrived.  But Friday, the day that Old Guard is here and lots of neat, outdoor things are planned, it rains.  Hard.  The convocation was moved inside and the outdoor activities for the early afternoon, canceled.  But Friday night the Boatyard Wars went on as scheduled.  We dodged a few raindrops, but it was such a fun time.  After a fun supper of burgers and dogs, each seminar got cardboard and duct tape to make a boat that two of them would commandeer across the pool.  Seminar 10 came in 2nd place out of 25.  It was a proud moment.  Here's a few pics and even a video of the boat in action.

The Marine took command of this operation.

That's Mark on the left in the baseball cap, working the duct tape.

Seminar 10 with "The Little Mermaid" completed.

There was a beautiful rainbow overhead at the beginning of the race.

Getting into the boat.

Yesterday we hit Macy's with dutiful notes taken from the Dress for Success brief.  I think we did good and I have successfully integrated some business attire into my mommy wardrobe.  Today as we sat in the adult Sunday school class taught by Don Snider, who has come to the AWC from West Point where he and Mark had previously met up, he says, "When I was working in the White House, Colin Powell said to me...."  I honestly can't remember what followed those words, but I remember thinking that there wasn't many places that I would ever be that I'd hear those words.

Next week starts the official first week of academics complete with a first paper that is due!