a truly humbling experience

see that below? that's me... waiting outside reagan national airport in washington, d.c. on monday afternoon. and on my arm is my super fantastic "cathy bag" made by tia that arrived just in the nick of time for me to take it with me. perfect size for carrying all the usual purse essentials, a novel, my folder of flight and itinerary info, my knitting, my big iPod case, etc. plus, it's navy and i went for those reasons.

i returned last night from a short trip to washington, d.c. after lots of flight delays and time spent in airports. safe harbor had their ever awards ceremony and i was flown in for it.

the captain introducing me

i had the opportunity to present my second quilt of valor made to a 3rd class petty officer on monday night and meet him in person.

meeting this hospital corpsman, as well as everyone else in attendance, was a humbling and emotional experience for me. while my husband gasped looking around the room at the assistant SECNAV, the assisstant CNO, the CNP, many admirals and the assistant surgeon general, i held in tears from hearing the stories of both the safe harbor enrollees and the care managers.

i will never forget this experience. i am grateful to safe harbor for it and honored to have been recognized for my efforts with a letter of appreciation signed and presented to me by a rear admiral, along with a challenge coin.

later, i was approached by men and women of various high ranks with praise and thanks. i was even slipped a coin by an army sergant major for the assistant surgeon general's office. it's the cool one on the left. i've never seen one like it before. i almost outranked my husband's highest coin from the commander of the 5th fleet.

but today, we are both sick with bad head colds. he gave it to me and the doctor laughed as he gave us the same antibiotics. at least it was at the end of our trips and not the beginning.