Duty Days...

One of the (many) dreaded aspects of sea tours, aside from deployment and looooong hours, are duty days.  For those that aren't familiar, a duty day is basically a 24 hour shift at work.  Think of it this way, the military never "closes", it is not a 9-5 establishment and therefore it is not a 9-5 career.  Right now Leif has duty once a week.  Of course it has fallen on a weekend for the past 2 weeks, so Aiden and I have made the most of it by taking Daddy dinner on "his ship".  Aiden and I are still adjusting to not seeing very much of Daddy so it was incredibly exciting for Aiden to see where Daddy goes everyday.  My sweet boy has been so worried about his Daddy.  "Where does Daddy sleep on the ship?"  "Does Daddy get to eat on the ship?"  It seems like Daddy is missing so much right now so I was really anxious for Aiden to see just how important Daddy's job was.
Visiting Daddy for the first time...Aiden's very first visit to a war ship outside of my belly...

Quarterdeck photo

Daddy's picture...

Top Bunk...

Daddy giving Aiden a bullet shell!

In the CO's chair...

With the big 5 inch gun!

Hard at work...

Wearing Daddy's "radio"

Checking out the vertical launching system!

Aiden LOVES visiting Daddy's ship.  While Daddy was giving him a tour he said "WOW this is so cool" and when the tour was over he started to cry and said "But Daddy, I want to see everything".  I am so thankful that Leif isn't deployed right now.  I think that these visits to the ship will help Aiden "imagine" where Daddy is when he does deploy!
I think the cutest thing that Aiden has done so far is his adorable little salute.  The guard at the gate salutes me as I drive in and now Aiden has started saluting him back and saluting Daddy when he meets us at the truck...I have yet to get a picture of that...oh well, there is always next weeks duty day!