Here is the back story. Joe Martinez was our employee and friend for many years until last October when he suddenly passed away. Over the years we had never met his mother, Irene, or her husband, Alex. Although we sometimes had contact via phone and e-mail we never met in person...until Joe was in the ICU. An instant bond was formed that week. And after we all said goodbye to Joe at his memorial service we vowed that we would keep in touch, starting with spending our Spring Break 2013 in Fort Benning, GA.
Joe touched our lives in a way that I cannot fully describe either verbally or on paper. He continues to do this through the wonderful family that he left behind. We spent the week telling stories, sharing memories and having the time of our lives. Irene, Alex and Joe's brother Gabriel were the most amazing hosts. They went out of their way to plan fun activities, awesome accommodations and catered to our every desire. It was a trip that our family will never forget...and without this guy, we would have never experienced it!
The trip started at Fort Benning, GA, where Alex is stationed as a Major in the Army. I have never been on a military base before and it was WAY different than I imagined it would be. First off, it was HUGE. Secondly, the family housing was like being transported to Beaver Cleaver land. All of the houses were neatly placed on serene streets where the kids played together, without adult supervision, until the street lights came on. It was such a different life from the one we live in Albuquerque. We visited the Infantry museum, where we learned about all of the American wars, got to do the Black Hawk and Humvee simulators, and dressed the kids up as little soldiers.
We spent the majority of the week at Uchee Creek, which is located on the grounds of Fort Benning but on the Alabama side. I was under the impression that a week on the Chattahoochee River was going to be hot and we would be spending lots of time in the water. Which is probably why I packed more bathing suits than sweat pants. Boy was I wrong.
Other than the alligators (and yes we saw one) it was a super fun glamping spot. You know, camping luxuriously.
We still managed to keep it rugged with wine in plastic cups and our favorite family game...Ghettopoly!
Another reason why this trip was so special was because the kids got to experience many things for the first time.
1st Time Roasting and Eating S mores
1st Time at Legoland
1st Time Fishing
1st Time at Disney on Ice - Front Row!
The adults also had some firsts. We visited a Confederate solider cemetery where we saw rows and rows of Confederate flags. Definitely a new experience.
We also visited Centennial Park, located in Midtown Atlanta and the home of the 1996 Olympic Games. Tony actually attended the games that year so it was only a 1st for some of us!
I cannot say enough how much fun we had getting to know our new "family." We left with smiles on our faces as well as some heavy hearts. I was thrilled to have remembered that I had taken video of Joe back when we were auditioning for the trash hauling reality show. To be able to tell a mother that she will be able to hear her son's voice again...when she never thought it would be possible was an amazing feeling. And they gave us a gift too....Joe's NY Yankees hat that we immediately came home and hung by the front door. It's our way of saying that he will always have a place in our home.
Alex, Irene and Gabriel
