LISA GRADUATES FROM DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

Lisa is coming to an end at the Defense Language Institue at Presidio in Monterey, California. After being based there for a year and a half, she will be transfered to GoodFellow Air Force Base at the end of December. She has learned Russian and her teachers and her Russian friends all say she sounds as fluent as anyone from Russia and has even picked up their accent!

She has excelled in her studies an was even asked to speak at her graduation. Her speech was incredible! We even heard that in 26 years of hearing graduate speeches in Russian, none could compare to Lisa's! She wrote the speech and a classmate translated it back and forth between Russian and English. It was witty and clever and everyone was laughing through it! What a wonderful accomplishment, Lisa! Поздравления на вашем венчании Congratulations!

20 Days and Counting 'til David Graduates from MCRD!

David called home last night! It was the first time since the day he left! He sounds great and like he's grown a ton in the last 2 months! He's lost 25 pounds and must be all muscle! He's made some great friends and can't wait until we can meet them at graduation! His platoon is also one of the top 2 and is in the running to be at the top at graduation!

Our plans are to leave Salt Lake the morning December 11th and get to San Diego in time to see the big 4 mile run that they participate in as families arrive for Family Day. We will get to have a luncheon with David and then he can show spend time with us around the base until 6 p.m. Graduation will be Friday morning at 10 a.m. and then he is all done with MCRD and will get 30 days to be with us in Salt Lake. We will stay in San Diego until Sunday night and spend the weekend there, away from the cold. Everyone will be there, even Lisa!! We can't wait!!