Wednesday, 6/18/25, Bill sent lots of pictures and videos from Washington DC, I packed camper, put slide outs in because of possible storm, Went to Bishop and welcomed home Bill and the other Veterans, so emotional!!!

Bill sent me lots of pictures this 2nd day in Washington DC

Group pictures of Veterans on honor flights lol 2025

Love Bills reflection in the Vietnam wall 

Jim at lunch

We went to welcome Bill home at the airport when his honor flight landed.  We loved welcoming all the veterans home!  Eli, Jacob, Adam, Peyton, Rody, Jared, Melissa, Kimmy, Vikki and me.

Cute sigh Peyton made 

Us holding the signs Vikki made and Peyton with the one she made.  Such cute signs.  They showed mine on channel 12 news.  

Lots of people came out to welcome veterans home
Bev in red across from us!

Me waving when I saw Bill. I was so happy and excited!

Bill with us

Bill his marine corps league friends who survived him  and came to welcome him home. He was so surprised!

Jim being welcomed home

Rody and Bill

Bill and his guardian

Our kids and grandkids standing in the back on the left 

Vikki went upstairs and took this picture of us below!

Bill and I from the back. He sure was happy to see me and showed it!!!

The guy speaking is in charge of the honor flights

lol, I was happy to see Bill and showed it too! What an exciting night!

 Bill with Robert, the guy who was in charge

Bill with his bear made by volunteers for the honor flight for one of their welcome home gifts

Jim and Bev. Our friends we met in CMA.  He was on the flight with Bill which was great!

Bill got in the picture with them

Auto blow up mattress for camper couch 

Excited for Bill to come home tonight.  So happy that kids  t oand grandkids who are able are coming!  Bill is going to be so surprised.  He thinks just I am coming with it not getting over til 11. Our whole family loves him so much. We are sure blessed!  I finished getting the camper all packed, ran the filter so the pool will be cleaned for kids to swim in while we’re gone. Watered outside and inside plants, and made sure Kit Kats dishes were full to sit out in the morning.  I got a cod dinner at Culver’s and had enough for lunch and dinner.  I took a good nap because I stayed up til two last night and then got up at 5 this morning because to Bill told me he was gettin up at 5 and I didn’t want to miss hearing from him.  It was supposed to storm so I put in the slide outs on the camper.  Vikki told me she and Peyton were up til 2 also because they made cute signs.  Vikki made one for me,  Melissa, and Kimmy too.  Plus brought flags for others to wave!  We are sure thankful for her doing that!  Peyton made such a cute one from her for Papa. 

Melissa rode with me. We all got to the airport at just about the same time.  Bev was already there. Their flight was delayed due to a storm in Baltimore,  but it was on the board shortly that they had taken off.  Finally they landed and came in and got the welcome they deserved when they came home the first time.  Bill was so surprised that all of us were there.  I greeted him with a big kiss and  hug.  He got hugs from everyone else and told them how happy he was that they were there.  We all went to a service to honor the vets with three songs by a vet who was a great singer.  They had teddy bears, blankets and special delivery mail packet  with letters from their loved ones.  They contacted family members to be sure they got letters.  So moving. Bev and I got to sit in the front row with them because there was extra seats.  When the handed out their special gifts and called Bills name, I could hear Jacob in the back yell out “That’s my Grandpa!!! It made us so happy.  We all left after that and were stuck in the parking lot a long time.  Jared and Kimmy were one car behind us til a lady wouldn’t take turns and let other cars in. She even passed a truck to get out faster.  Bill hasn’t had time to read his letters yet, but that will happen tonight.  He wanted me to read them to him, but that just wouldn’t be the same.  I can’t wait to watch him when we get home 

Tuesday, 6/17/25, Took Bill to the airport for His Honor Flight, He sent me lots of pictures and texts during the day, went to Target, went to Thrift Store,I returned a flag pole from amazon for his Trike to staples, I started filling the pool again this morning, went to Meijer for groceries, packed lots of stuff in the camper, Vikki and Peyton came over to help hang hooks in the camper and helped with the pool,

Bill and his guardian, Rachael, we met at the airport this morning

Them walking to go up the escalator before I left

Bill sent me lots of pictures and videos throughout the day and texted me which was really sweet.  I could enjoy his trip with him.

Bill on the plane

Jim on the plane.  He’s our friend who is president of the Flint CMA chapter

Their plane after they landed

The pilot and stewardesses

Jim, Bill and Steve....friends who we know and have camped with.  Nice they were all on the same flight.  They didn’t know about Steve being on it til we got to the airport this morning.

Their stop at Fort McHenry

My breakfast...veggies and strawberry shortcake

Bill

Bill pretty close to that cannon

Jim next to the guy in red holding the flag

Vikki, Peyton and I got the solar cover down from the loft in the shed and put it on the pool.

Strawberry shortcake with Vikki and Peyton

At the National Army Museum 

At the museum....my hero 

Where they ate dinner at their hotel

Bill must have loved the food.  I have never seen him take this much from a buffet because he never likes that much stuff

Their Hotel and Banquet Hall they ate in

We read our Bibles in the morning, then left and headed to the airport for Bill to go on the Honor Flight.  There were greeters waiting at the door that directed us to where we needed to go.  We went to the gold table and they gave Bill a bag with a shirt he and all the vets will be wearing tomorrow.  We met his guardian, Rachael,  for the trip.  She was nice.  This is her second time going as guardian.  She has many military people in her family and her husband who passed away was also a vet.  We went and talked to Jim and Bev, and also found out Steve was on the flight too.  I watched til they got to the escalator, then Bev and I left.  I got to Staples and it wasn’t open yet for me to drop off the flag holder Bill got from Amazon that didn’t fit the trike.  He also texted me that he loved me and missed me already.  I texted him back saying the same to him.  He let me know when they landed at Baltimore and then got on buses to go to their first destination.  They sure had a busy day.  Vikki and Peyton picked up our free pizza and brought it over.  We ate in the camper.  This is the first time Peyton has seen it because she was at a friend's Birthday party. We showed her everything after we ate.  Vikki hung the command hooks in the camper.  We went and got the solar cover out of the attic of the shed.  Vikki, Peyton and I came in the house and had strawberry shortcake. Then they left, and I packed my clothes, shoes etc. in the camper.  Bill texted me around 8 saying he was going to bed and that he had to get up at 5 tomorrow morning.  That is super early for him.  I talked to Melissa.  I forgot to call her back earlier.  Happy she was still up when I texted her to see.  

Monday, 6/16/25, Bill’s interview aired on TV5 today. He did a great job. Filled all the bird feeders, blew off the deck, Bill was on TV5’s news for an interview about the Honor Flight, Started opening our pool, packed some stuff in the camper, Vikki and Isaac came to help with the pool,

Pool was clear and only needs to be filtered and vacuumed.  I did get some leaves out but it wasn’t much at all.  Most were in the cover.

Isaac came and helped with getting the steps to the pool cleaned and put in the pool.  Also helped take an oak Amish table apart and move it with Papa so my car could go in the garage

Isaac last night when Rody came to look at the motorhome

Our window is back in.  No more film to try to see through.  I am so glad they could just replace the glass in it.

Flowers the kids picked at Kimmy’s for Abby’s grave.  They are so beautiful!

Abby’s grave with the flowers and pretty rock.

Kimmy and Jared made it so special for Melissa and her family.  After the burial, they talked about memories and looked at pictures, then Jared grilled out and they all ate a good meal together.  This meant so much to Melissa and all of them.  Melissa called me right away when they got home just to tell me how special it was.  I love that we have such a kind hearted family and we are always there for each other.  Every picture has an additional person lol.  

Max and Vader pretty comfy on the swing

Hailey holding one of their chickens.  This is so cute!

Bill read his Bible.  I filled all of the bird feeders, then blew off the deck.  Vikki called and said Kimmy and the boys wanted to come and open the pool.  Bill started draining the water off from the cover.  He went to pick up the window we had fixed and to the bank.  I skimmed the leaves off of the top of the pool cover and moved the pump when the water got low in one spot.  I used my cart the kids got me for Mother’s day to put all the leaves in.  It worked great!  Bill came home and started skimming more leaves off the deck.  I couldn’t find where he put the leaf skimmer so had to use a small skimmer.  He had put it under the deck instead of out in the shed that has the pool stuff.  He used it and got lots of leaves out, but they were so heavy wet, it broke the leaf skimmer.  Whoops.  I went in the camper to rest because my leg was hurting.  Vikki called me.  Kimmy and the boys couldn’t come, but she and Isaac were coming over.  I looked outside and Bill had the cover off the pool and was skimming.  I don’t know how he got the cover off himself, and the pool was crystal clear.  It had a few leaves in the bottom, but not many.  He hooked the pump up while the pool was filling.  I made eggs, fried potatoes and blueberry pancakes for dinner.  I watered plants outside after we ate. Bill packed his clothes and stuff in the camper.  I kept setting timers to check on the pool.  Bill took the garbage out for pick up tomorrow.  He also turned the camper around so when we leave Thursday morning we can just back up, hook the motorcycle trailer up and take off.  We came in and I read my Bible and did my blog.  He gave me the agenda for his Honor flight.  I am so excited for him and so proud of him.