Welcoming Home the USS Bainbridge

Yvonne met a Navy mom on Navy4moms.com who wanted us to meet her son. So when his ship came back from deployment we were pier side to meet the ship.

It turned out to be a cold, rainy day, but the excitement and camaraderie among the family members on the pier were not dampened in the least!

There was the traditional tent set up for those of us less hardy folks...

and coffee and snacks for the families while they waited for the ship.

And of course there have to be flags and streamers to welcome the sons and daughters, and husbands and wives back from deployment.

The Navy fleet band was on hand to help liven things up too!

.Then you should have seen everyone when the ship came into view! You could feel the energy level skyrocket!

It always fascinates me to watch the little red tug boats push around those huge naval vessels.

I met a couple of brand new sailors, I mean so new their uniforms still had the original starch in them. When I said that, they sheepishly said, "Yea, this is only the second time we've worn them!" They were just reporting to the Bainbridge, their first duty station. I gave them each one of our brochures and invited them to the house whenever they could. They seemed pretty interested. I hope we'll see them again.