Visit to Utah

Well, Matt left on May 16 for DRA in Hurricane, Utah. This past Friday and Saturday we got to see him for the first time since he left. Visits are determined by levels, and he was allowed a 14 hour visit (two days, seven hours each day) after he achieved and had two successful weeks on the Supervisor level.


John, Kyan and I hit the road on Thursday morning and drove the six hour drive to Utah. Not Kyan's favorite ride, so it was actually kind of brutal and we had to stop a lot. It made a relatively anxious trip a little rougher. (I'll spare the story about the car repair and rental.)

We arrived at DRA at 10am on Friday, 8/14. After checking in, Matt was called down to meet us. Matt and I cried like babies the second he walked in the door, and for the first time ever, he met his little brother. John was a little more stoic. ;-) We visited on-site for two hours, then left for three, and returned to DRA for the final two. Outside food was a top priority, so we went to Outback for lunch and then hit Dairy Queen for Blizzards. Otherwise, we checked out DRA's game room and the dorm, to see where Matt sleeps at night. He has several family pictures on the wall next to his bunk as little reminders of home. The visit was really nice and Matt looked really good. I think he has really gotten taller, too.

On Saturday, 8/15, we arrived loaded with IHOP breakfast and Starbuck's (decaf). We ate breakfast on a picnic bench next to one of the two big ponds and had a really nice time. Then, the fellas played catch for awhile, and we headed off-ranch again, to check out the local mall (which took all of 20 minutes to cover end-to-end), seek out an old time candy store in downtown St. George, and grab lunch at In N Out. We drove around town a little, just to see what was around, and headed back to DRA for our last two hours, which were much more difficult to bear. Kelly and Alexa will be visiting him next weekend, which makes me feel better.

We did learn that we get to visit Matt every 30 days IF he has continuously successful weeks. He has said that the program is getting tougher, so he is worried about making it happen, but the ball is in his court, and he knows it. Here's hoping we have another update in mid September!


Here's a video of Matt - just throwing the ball around with John.

Matt and Kyan

More of Matt and Kyan

And some pics...

First shot of the brothers!

First feeding - Matt couldn't believe how much Kyan eats and how long it takes for him to eat. :-)

The boys

I am sure Matt wouldn't like this shot John took from underneath him but I like to see his smile.

I LOVE the pictures of the three boys!

They have baby piggies!

This was taken shortly before we left.

Going to Utah!!!

Matt passed from "Student" level to "Supervisor" level right on time, two Wednesdays ago. In order to have a visit, he needs to have two successful weeks on the following level. Matt's weeks run Wednesday-Wednesday, so today would be the marker we have been waiting for. There was some academy-wide event today, so he didn't have his weekly evaluation, but as of a couple of days ago, he was in the midst of a perfect week (no negative points). Hence, unless he REALLY blew it somehow in the past couple of days, he has had a successful week and WE GET TO SEE HIM!

We are leaving in the morning... well, I guess I should say we are leaving later this morning, as it is 2am Thursday already. We'll drive the 6 hours (not including stops) to our hotel, which is 30 minutes from DRA (which is strategically placed in the middle of nowhere!). We'll spend a very anxious evening in/near St. George, and on Friday at 10am, we'll be at DRA with bells on, so to speak.

On Friday and Saturday, we get seven hours with Matt: four hours onsite and three hours offsite. We'll be breaking the day up in blocks: two hours on, three hours off, and the final two hours on. Because DRA is in the middle of nowhere, we can expect that the three hour visit will basically be driving to a restaurant in another town, eating, and returning to DRA. Friday will be awesome and I have a hunch that Saturday will be heart breaking - particularly those last two hours when we know we'll have to say goodbye again.

The camera is packed and we're ready to go. Matt will finally meet his little brother and we will finally get to wrap our arms around him. It will be very hard to let go.

bad video of the cousins

Ok, no judging the videographer! I kind of forgot the fact that when you turn the camera sideways, even if you THINK you are getting swanky angled shots, you are really just turning the victims... errr subjects... of your video shoot sideways. You can still see the boys cooing and being cute little babies - you are just looking at them sideways. Or, you can turn your head sideways and move on.

Brief Matt Update

Matt went up for his next level this past Wednesday and was successful. This means that he has earned extra priveleges, he can now 'buy' photos from the student commissary if he wishes, and more importantly - he can now have a visit once he has had two successful weeks on this level! So, unless something goes really wacky, we'll be visiting him the weekend of the 14th!! We will get two days (we'll probably be doing Saturday and Sunday), seven hours each. Four hours can be off-campus and three hours are on-campus each day. We are SO excited. Matt was able to call John for five minutes on Wednesday after he passed the level, and he told John that he is starting to like it there and it's starting to feel more like home than like a program. We are so glad. :-)

North Carolina visit

Last Tuesday, Lex, Kyan and I boarded an eastbound plane and headed for North Carolina. We wanted to see Jeff, Alex, and ~ did I mention our new little nephew Quinn? Our flight over was wonderful (huge relief!) our visit was fantastic, and our return flight was a little more adventurous than the trip over, but we got home safe and sound late last night. Here are a few (many) pics from the trip.

Kyan's first flight... saving up his energy so he could stay up all night on east coast time!

Once he crashed, he crashed!

Uncle Jeff with his new little nephew...

Tell me I don't have the cutest little nephew in the world!

Lexie having some down time with her brother - just before he pee'd all over her.

The boys enjoying (???) some tummy time. (That is Quinn's work-out 'do - trying to catch the ladies!)

Kyan's turn, as Quinn relaxes and shows off the abs. I think Kyan was more into hanging out than working out.


Playing in Quinn's Bumbo. I think he has a ways to go before he fits and can sit upright in this thing!

Alex's parents, Ervin and Diane, came out to visit from Savannah. I wish everyone could meet them - they are the nicest people... I'm glad they are my brother's in-laws. :-) (Oh, and they brought some killer cookies with them from Savannah!)

With the boys in Beaufort's historic cemetary

Alex and her baby boy...

Hey baby, what's shakin'??

Alex and Kyan - I love this picture!

I think this was the ONLY time that BOTH boys were happy and smiley in the car at the same time!

Heading home...


Side note: Did anyone know that they sell REAL urinals for little boys in toy boutiques? If I wouldn't have had to fly it home or pay to ship it, I would have bought it - just because that is some funny stuff.