So… a hurricane formed down in the Bahamas the week before the luncheon.

Okay, no problem, this storm will be here and gone before the weekend gets here. Or so we thought.

Joquain decided to take his good ol’ sweet time spinning around down there traveling 3 or 4 miles an hour for what seemed like forever. It’s so easy to let oneself be dragged into the panic of a potentially deadly hurricane traveling up the Chesapeake Bay and by 2 PM Wednesday I was wondering if we should cancel.

Hurricane Joquain's projected path — Hurricane Joquain’s projected path.

By Friday the path was forecast far enough away we were comfortable enough to go through with the luncheon. Then we worried about wind restrictions and the Bay Bridge being closed. Thankfully it all worked out.

The Team:

Dina, Deb, and myself. Thank you, Ladies! Job well done! And thank you to the Corpsman who came in on his day off to check on us, we appreciated your help!

Deb and Dina unloading the cars. A few years back these carts would be crammed full and stacked 3 feet high and we'd make three or four trips with them, unloading the cars. — Deb and Dina unloading the cars. One trip did it. A few years back we’d make three or four trips with the carts and they would be three feet high on top and the bottom would be chock full of stuff.

The Menu:

Cheese platter
Chicken Wings
Soup, Green Beans
Pasta Salad, Fruit Bowl
Pumpkin Roll, Cookies
Assorted Drinks & Water
Fresh Smoothies

The Niftie-Gifties:

Quilts, afghans and slippers. Thank You, Quilters! And Knitters! And Crocheters! (Yep, Linda, we still had a few slippers left!)

Pinwheel quilt. Beautiful! This is one of the quilts Deb and the Corpsman took down to CCU for some patients.

The Heroes

We were saddened to learn of the six Airmen supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel who lost their lives in the plane crash Oct. 2 at Jalalabad Airfield in Afghanistan.

Our military is serving in dangerous places. They are still in Iraq. They are still in Afghanistan. They are any place there are hot spots around the world and in between, and when back home on U.S. soil they are training. And they train for combat as if they were in combat. Training can be dangerous, too.

We’re glad the number of patients and family members we’re serving these days has decreased drastically.

Saying “Thanks” just never seems to be enough for all they have sacrificed. We Thank You anyway, for doing what so few have done.

***

On another note…

The Holiday season is almost here and our annual “Holiday Cheer” event is underway. We’ll be hosting a luncheon on December 6th on the hospital ward and also adopting a Marine family and two single Marines (male and female) through the Wounded Warrior Regiment-Walter Reed Detachment. If you’re interested in learning more or would like to be an “Elf” details can be found by clicking on the picture.

Our next luncheon is November 8th.

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

With Respect,

Jane

Marine Moms-Bethesda

October 4, 2015 – 4th floor: Hurricanes and Heroes