Miss Priss and lil sweetie: Senior to Soldier

Jay's brother, Matt, graduated from James F. Byrnes High School on Tues, May. 26th. On Wed, Sept. 2nd he graduated from boot camp at Fort Jackson in Columbia.

I took so long to post his H.S. pics on here that I finally decided to wait until the boot camp graduation and combine them into one post.

Here are the pics from these two monumental moments in his life. Please keep him in your prayers, along with all of our armed forces, as he plunges into a life of the Army Strong. He is training to be a combat medic in Texas for 18 weeks and then will be attached to a unit either stateside or abroad.

Graduation cake

Matt and Celeste
Celeste's son, Tony, is also a combat medic and is currently deployed.

Outside festivities

Grandmoney, Celeste, and Amy/Mia

Jay and Matt

Jay, Joni, and Matt

Amy and Matt

Joni and Matt

Graduation night

Teachers entering

The band

The graduating seniors entering the ceremony

Here is Matt walking up to the platform with his row to receive his diploma.

Matt receiving his diploma

The seniors raise their fist to end of the Alma Mater. "Loyal sons and daughters true of James F. Byrnes High."

After the graduation ceremony Matt posed with his proud Mom...

his brother, Jay and myself...

a hug from his dad, Scott...

posing with his dad and granddad, Kelly...

his proud dad, Scott...

and his granddad again.

These pictures are from the boot camp graduation. We took both girls and had a wonderful day. It was a short ceremony filled with pride, honor and strength. Matt was part of the Alpha company and he did very well during his time at boot camp. Afterward, we signed Matt out and headed to California Dreaming for lunch.

Georgia waiting on the ceremony to begin

Jay and Katie Jo

Matt standing in formation with the Alpha company

Walking out in formation after the ceremony

Matt hugging Joni

Matt hugging Katie Jo
*I will have to say, on a side note, that Katie Jo found this all very fascinating. We talked at length before the graduation about what to expect and what it meant to be a soldier. We got a photo in the mail from Jay's mom of Matt. It's his official Army photo and we hung it on the fridge. Not a day goes by that Katie Jo and Georgia don't point it out and say "Uncle Matt." So when I look at this photo I don't see Katie Jo hugging Uncle Matt I see a little girl who was sooo excited to see her Uncle, the soldier.