Ball 2010

The Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I didn't forget!
The Marine Corps Birthday Ball for this year took place in October, a whole month earlier than the actual Marine Corps Birthday. But this was planned accordingly so the ladies and gentlemen and families of VMAQ-3 could enjoy it just like everyone else before they left on their deployment. But the funny thing was...we didn't hear much about it up until the day of the event. Usually these things are planned well in advance with invitations sent out, tickets purchased, plans made, plans CLEAR, etc. etc. This year we were enveloped in a cloud of doubt and uncertainty whether or not there really WAS going to be a ball or if so-and-so simply assumed that other-so-and-so had it down when actually other-so-and-so assumed so-and-so was handling it. You see the problem. So it was with a slight hesitation that I got my hair done up on Sunday afternoon (I know...a ball on a SUNDAY??), it was with a slight hesitation that I got into my dress and it was with a little more than a little slight hesitation that I arrived at the "pre-party" at a local restaurant's bar that was supposedly reserved for mingling before the ball. We open the door. We walk in....and...there's literally like ONE person there. My heart sank. At that moment, I lost all hope in the ball. I just resigned myself to believing...it's going to be a complete bomb.
Well people...the Marine Corps, as tricky as it is, completely had me fooled. After some awkward mingling and a few snapshots with friends at the Harvey Mansion bar, we made our way over to the convention center for the main event. We stood in line for about 100 years, got our drink wrist bands (mine was sized for a small moose) and got into ANOTHER line for ball pictures. If you've never attended a ball, I imagine it's a lot like prom (although I've never attended a REAL prom)...except huger, much more of a big deal, and the guys are WAY hotter (uniforms over suits any day). Then again...the women are WAY hotter as well. Ball pictures are a BIG deal. Everyone and their dog (almost literally at times) gets them and seeing as I wasn't sure if my husband would even be AROUND for the Marine Corps Ball, I was tickled pink standing in line for ball pictures. After trying to make all of our friends laugh during their pictures, we had our turn and I could feel myself beaming; this was my first Marine Corps Birthday Ball picture as a Marine Wife. That's probably not a big deal to some...and it's really not a big deal in theory...but...to me...right then...and even before (I cried when I found out John might not be around for the Marine Corps Ball and I couldn't even tell you why), it was a big deal.
We found our seats after getting a drink and getting pictures and the ceremony quickly started. I have to say, the Marines really put on an awesome ceremony and party. Here I was expecting some bomb-show because it sounded like it was planned so last minute...but this was the best ceremony I've seen and that part of me that wrestles inside of my chest every time the national anthem plays was undeniably proud to be standing next to my husband.
Could I go on and on and on and on? Yes. About how I requested "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga and they didn't play it for like FOUR HOURS, how mid-dancing the music switched to "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus and it was like a bomb went off...the dance floor was suddenly NAKED except for me and John...but we didn't care so we jammed out embarrassingly hardcore because we honestly didn't care who was pointing and laughing, how the party stopped mid-way because of a medical emergency, how Kevin has the smoothest head in the WORLD, how I got a lot of impressed tattoo glances, how we were one of the last couples to leave....it was an amazing night with my best friend.