USNA Visit

Well certainly lots has happened since my last post….graduation…I Day….Brendan going on rugby tours….going to Casey’s orientation weekend….Casey going to Montana for a wilderness trip…college preparations….Steve and Brendan going to Dublin to get Brendan somewhat settled….Plebe Parents Weekend ….Moving Casey into school…a short trip to Maine to see friends before they head to Ireland for the year….first BC football game….first Navy football game….so needless to say it has not been dull over here and we have barely been able to feel the ’empty nest’ yet.  I will post more of a recap as I want to have some time to recall the summer and all that flew by for us.

Most recently though was our trip to Annapolis to visit Seamus, see our first Navy football game and see our friends from Garrett County Maryland who we have only seen a few times since we moved away 16 years ago.

Steve and I arrived early to catch some of Seamus’s crew practice.  It was fun to see him in his day to day routine.

Crew team stretching out after rowing and before running 🙂

Seamus brought us in to the boathouse to tour around and we went to the Mid Store so Bill could buy a new Navy hat to support the team through the game.  The forecast was calling for cloudy skies but no rain in the afternoon so we thought we were all good…Ha! We should know better than to trust a weather report!

They decorate this Tecumseh statue before all USNA events

Seamus went back to his room to get ready for the March On (when the brigade marches onto the field prior to the game starting). We were in traffic a bit driving to our parking spot so our tailgate was brief but yummy (albeit with way too much food!)

Sue and Steve getting lunch ready

The game was ….WET….it rained pretty much the whole time…and not little sprinkles – we are talking FULL-ON-RAIN!  I struggled a bit with my perfectionist mind – wishing it was a nice day where we could really enjoy the game and being outside (& later enjoy the pool at the B&B!)  It is a challenge for me sometimes to release the ‘if onlys’ and accept what is.  So I reminded myself we are there, seeing Seamus, visiting with our friends and that those things are blessings.

I need a bigger hood (or smaller head/ponytail!)

We watched the first half which was great as Navy scored a touchdown in the last seconds before the half – making the score 9-7 Navy.  Bill and Sue had headed back to the car so we followed suit after watching the halftime performance of the drum and bugle corps. We went to the Air B and B where we quickly jumped in the hot tub to warm up. Steve went back to the game to pick up Seamus who was supposed to have liberty (be able to go off the yard) til midnight.  He watched the end of the game which was incredible – navy scored 2 touchdowns at the very end – with final score 22-21. The Commandant announced that since the class of 2022 cheered the team on to victory with 22 points, he was granting weekend liberty (meaning they could be off the yard until Sunday at 6pm! Whoo hoo!).  The plebes were so excited as they have only had hours of liberty since June 28 and even that was only  a few times so far.

Steve brought Seamus and his two friends, Hill and Justin to the B&B. They enjoyed a tremendous steak dinner, hot tub, sleeping in, huge breakfast of french toast with bananas foster, fruit, yogurt, eggs, quiche…and just chilling lounging on couches, napping, scrolling….

Hill, Justin and Seamus chillin in the hot tub

Sunday the enthusiasm was a bit lower as they were tired and anticipating a return to the yard with lots of homework waiting for them….and of course, returning in the dress whites…

Seamus, Hill & Justin ready to return to the Yard

We feel so blessed to have been able to see Seamus, enjoy listening to him and his friends chat on about USNA life in the language that is still unfamiliar to us but connects them, see our friends Bill and Sue who we treasure as they were our ‘family away from family’ when we lived in Maryland, and to stay at John and Linda’s Air B&B – incredible hosts – like I cannot say enough about how much they went above and beyond, fed tons of people like it was no big deal, adjusted to us having 3 extra people for the night, shopped for and cooked our steaks which is not part of the deal….just amazing!

Though I was very sad to say goodbye to Seamus (it was a quick goodbye since it was raining and he and his friends had to run inside ), I feel so grateful that he is thriving there and has such wonderful friends to share and support each other on this challenging path they have all chosen.

Yes – the weekend did feed the love.

Many Blessings,

Suzanne