Punctuation, Birthdays and D + 80

My wife (hereafter referred to in Army shorthand as Household 6) recommended that I add an exclamation point to the blogs title, as in "Let's Go!" She has a point as it is a rallying cry and source of inspiration for those privileged to have served, or those now serving, in the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment . It's supposed to motivate you, and paratrooper motivation is ALL CAPS! All that being said, I am throwing caution to the wind and opting not to take Household 6's advice. My reason for doing so stems directly from why I named this blog "Let's Go" in the first place. When I post here, I invariably think of Dave. He lived his life out loud, skydiving, skiing, dog sledding, you name it he did it. But while Dave was a man of action, and an Airborne Ranger to his core, his intensity came from a source deep within him. Dave isn't a primal scream of "Let's Go!" He's an unblinking stare into your eyes when it's time to execute, motivating you with a quiet nod and the terse statement, "Let's Go."

All this talk about punctuation is now making me think of my son. He's a huge fan of Schoolhouse Rock, especially the song about interjections ("show excitement/or emotion..."). He would wholeheartedly support the adoption of the exclamation point as the capstone of this site. He's nine now. We celebrated his birthday this past weekend with about 30 of his closest friends with a party complete with a treasure hunt around the house and yard. I'd like to think that a good time was had by all, but I know he had fun. Being a soldier and a self-styled amateur historian, I find it interesting that he shares his birthday with the anniversary of the liberation of Paris in August of 1944. I can see my bride's eyes rolling at that last sentence. Bear with me here, because I'm trying to make what is, for me, a heartfelt observation of how I feel about my boy growing up. The Allies liberated Paris on what was known as D + 80 (ie, 80 days after the 6 June D-Day landings). Historians of the Normandy campaign basically agree that D + 80 marked the end of the campaign. The Allies had a long way to go to win, but a milestone had been reached. It was time for a new phase. I feel like this particular birthday was my son's D + 80. As a nine year old, he's halfway to adulthood. This is the last year his age will be recorded with one digit. He's growing and starting to shape his personality: a geography whiz, a budding golfer, a ninja turtle fanatic, and an unabashed patriot who loves America enough to trick or treat dressed as the US Capitol Building. This birthday was his D + 80. There's a long way to go, but he's reached a milestone. Happy Birthday Son. I love you.