Marshall is 8!!!

We're taking a bit of a break from our Thai trip to celebrate Marshall's birthday!
Our sweet boy turned 8 on March 3rd.  We are of course left wondering how time
went so quickly and where our little baby went.

We started the day by going over to the Parade Deck to see the
USMC Silent Drill Team and The Commandants Own Drum and
Bugle Corps

If you've never seen the Silent Drill Team in person, you
really should try to.  You can hear a pin drop and not a single
command is uttered.

I love the slow deliberate walk of a Marine in
dress uniform.

How did these legs get so long?

Kids always find a way to entertain themselves.

A Marine's entire body posture changes in the presence of a flag.

Jeremy was in NC for the 10 days in before Marshall's birthday.
We waited (not so patiently at times) for him to come home.  At
8:05 he finally landed at our local airport, only 5 hours later than
we were expecting to see him.  I gave the kids a midafternoon
snack so no one was complaining about being hungry.  I had
Marshall's dinner of choice (Stromboli) ready and waiting.
 We rented MegaMind and had a relaxing dinner & a movie.
(Photo Credit: Amelia Beaven)

The boy, his presents and his special request cake...
chocolate with peanut butter frosting.
(If it hadn't been 10 pm by the time we got around to cake and presents,
I may have noticed all the pizza sauce on his face!)

Amelia bought Marshall a book from his favorite series.

And Abby found a little stuffed shark that he loves.

All in all it was a great day and we are super
blessed to have this young man in our lives!