A Special Visitor

I will finish blogging our Spring Break trip, but I wanted to share about a special visitor we had come to our base this past weekend.

When the opportunity presented itself for us to go hear him speak Russ and I knew it was a once in a lifetime chance and jumped on it.  We had to get there very early in the morning and had to go through numerous security checks before we could get in.

Russ was separated from the girls and I as he had to sit, in uniform, behind where the President was standing to speak.  Once we got inside the gym where he was speaking everything was very planned and organized.  Right down to where each of the different service members had to sit in the bleachers behind the stage.

The lady in the pink jacket was in charge of making sure everything looked good for the pictures. 

Russ is right in the middle of this picture.

Russ took a selfie of the crowd as we were waiting.

We knew it was almost time when they let the press in.

After standing and waiting for a VERY, VERY long time he finally arrived.

The girls and I were fortunate to be in the very front of the gymnasium.  We were right in front of where he stood to speak.  He spoke to us for about 15-20 minutes.

The man in the suit is the US ambassador to Korea, Mr. Sung Kim.  If you look at the very left edge of the picture, the third row up you can see Russ.

After he finished speaking he came down the greet the crowd and shake hands.  Since we were right in front he shook both girls and my hands.  He even stopped for a brief moment to talk to the girls.  Taylor asked him how the bowling alley in his house was.  He responded that it was good and asked them both a few questions about bowling. 

Secret Service clearing the way for him to greet people.

Russ took this picture from where he was standing in the bleachers.

Here he is shaking Taylor's hand and talking to her.

And here he is shaking Lucy's hand and talking to her.

He seemed genuinely happy to be talking to us.

And soon after that he left the building and we heard his helicopters leaving the base. 

Meeting the President of the United States-a once in a lifetime experience for sure.