Promotion + Birthday + Father's day= Matt week

The second week of June was quite the week for Matt.  He was promoted to Major on Monday, had a birthday on Thursday and Father's day on Sunday.  In between all that we took a trip to Italy.  I will blog about Italy later, for now we will focus on what we call "Matt week".

Getting ready for the ceremony to start.  We are very excited for Matt, and feel very proud and blessed that he has succeeded so well in his career of choice.  He really does love his job!

 Matt's boss is wonderful.  Here Col. Mendelsen is giving a short blurb about Matt.

The Matt blurb.

 Having his promotion orders read

 There were a lot of pins, patches and tags to change out.

I think he actually had 5, the perfect number for each of the kids to do one.

It was a mad jumble of kids!

Jack got to help put the new rank on Matt's berett

 being sworn in.

 He got me and the girls each a bouquet of flowers.  The girls loved that...I think they take after their mama.  The boys each got an army coin.  We have since lost one...

 So proud!

 I was insane and decided to have his promotion party right after the Ceremony.  Most people wait a few days, weeks or even months before they throw their party.  We were just getting so busy with the move coming up, I decided it was now or never.  So we went for it.  It was pretty stressful, and I don't think I will ever have a promotion party right after a ceremony again...but luckily I have some pretty awesome friends who helped me pull it off!

 I couldn't have done it without them!

 Then it was on to Matt's big birthday!

He turned 40 this year, over the hill, ha ha!

I actually put 40 candles on his cake...

He is going to get me so bad when I turn 40!

 Amazingly he blew out every single candle!  I am not kidding, every one!  We even have it recorded for Posterity on video tape.

 Can you see that plume of smoke after he blew out his candles?!!!

We also had a wonderful time for Father's day, hiking through the Cinque Terre region of Italy and relaxing on a beach.  I think he had a pretty good Matt week, it will be hard to top next year!