Rites Of Passage

Les has been going through this thing call Initiation with the Coast Guard. It's kind of hard to explain but I'm gonna give it a go. In June of 2011 Leslie made the rate of E7 which is basically "Chief" and he got the pay of a Chief's rate, his guys called him Chief but in the eyes of other, Initiated Chiefs, he was just an E7.

Initiation is this process of nine weeks where a bunch of non-Initiated E7s are grouped together and put though a bunch of tasks. Some of the tasks have been community service, some of them have been about military history, some of it has been silly institutionalized hazing. Les has had to make two projects out of wood-from scratch. One to hold some of his paperwork from this process and one to hold his dress uniform hat.

It has been taxing and stressful. It has been especially hard because I have been all migrainy (yes that is my term and I'm sticking to it), he has had to do this Initiation and take care of the family and a me. He has had to take over driving Ev to all of her gymnastic nights. He has done all of the grocery shopping. Most of the cooking. The cleaning. Getting me to the Neurologist once a week. Getting by while I was in the hospital not only once, but twice. Surviving a hurricane evacuation. I just can not tell you how much pressure he has been under and he has been wonderful through it all.

As of last night Les is no longer an E7. He is really and truly a Chief. All Initiated and Official! We all get to go to a fancy dinner tonight to celebrate. Like I get to wear nylons! Ev is wearing some too- the very first time she is doing so!We are all so happy and proud of our Papa.

Chief Papa.
Chief Dillon.