army, navy, peace corps

super cute and endearing, right? (Sarah and Matt) 

menfolk, looking obnoxiously Malian with their stern grimaces (Kevin and my Dad. Both Navy.) 

ahhh, menfolk smiling. (Bobby, my brother, and Matt)

So what do you get when a PCV, retired Navy Officer and Army newbie walk into a room? 

That would be a weekend at my house. 

It sounds bizarre, but yet, so true. My Dad is retired Navy (26 years) and today my cousin Matt graduates from boot camp. He's been in Georgia since August and yesterday was the first time he got to see family. My Mom was lucky enough to be there for all of this and I am promised updated pictures of him in uniform soon (just a heads up :). 

In the spring we'd all laugh at the fact that the family really has heavier roots in the Navy, and yet Matt chose the Army (so now I have to learn all about the Forts, I so need a map). He would start boot camp at about the same time I would be swearing in to Peace Corps. 

Matt is my age, ok, so he's older by like 32 days. We're just two kids. Two kids with big dreams. We want something from life, something big, something worth living for. We are searching for purpose, for meaning. And we are going out to look for it. 

I don't know what the next year will bring for him. There are a lot of guesses and probabilities, but right now, we are living in the here and now. 

Today he graduates. Congratulations Matt, we are so proud of you. 

totes adorbs. like for real for real. (Matt and Aunt Kim)

bad picture quality? yeah, but still, total keeper. 

Pictures from Matt and Sarah's wedding day, May 2010. (Sarah's the bomb, and going to make an awesome Army wife.)