I don't know if you were able to see this dress, but it is from Afghanistan!  Ben got it at a market before he even met Emily!

Here are a few photos of Steve as he's leaving to report to Basic, then one of him emerging from his first opportunity to excel in the gas chamber, and then a photo after graduation when one of his platoon buddies came over to him in the restaurant where we were having a pizza and thanked Steve for all the laughs--told me he'd been assigned by the Drill Sergeant to give a joke of the day for the platoon, and that it had really made a difference for all his platoon mates. Steve should have a few 'war stories' for the Christmas gathering, and he looked great when I got to see him.

See you all soon. Love, Dad