Totally Wiped Out

Well, the lunch was a HUGE success yesterday. I was at the hall with all the other PO wives and we had everything set up and beautifully decorated. I spent Saturday baking all of the desserts. Six gooey butter cakes, four brownies with frosting, and a DOZEN other cakes with different frostings.

It was quite hilarious that the Marshals actually fought over who got to take one whole gooey butter cake with them! Talk about a compliment!! :)

There was one thing that took me by complete and total surprise and made me very sad, besides the obvious. When the family came in, so did my friend from the department. (She dated my cousin for many many years and we became close during that time.) She looked distraught and after the events calmed down a bit, she came over and gave me a huge hug. She proceeded to tell me that she was with the Marshals serving the warrant that day. I had forgotten that after she made Detective, she was assigned to the Violent Offenders Unit. She is the officer who actually put out the aid call and helped carry him out of the house. I was so sad for her. I just hugged her and told her that she was one of the strongest women I know and that I was going to keep her in my thoughts and prayers and reminded her to take care of herself and her two beautiful kids. She told me she had cried so much she couldn't cry anymore but that the visits with the Psychologist will start on Tuesday and she is on leave for a bit so she knows she will make it. What a reminder of how difficult a job and all of the things that can go wrong in an instant.

Hubs and my bro came down when their shifts ended and ate and hung out... one of the highlights of the day was after the Marshals were "feeling good" (ahem).. they all decided that the pipers would switch instruments!! The pipers took the drums and the drummers took the pipes.. it was HI-LAR-IOUS!!! Got good video of that.

They also played three great little sets (the right way, ha ha) and it was just amazing.

I think the most amazing part of my day was when Stacia Hylton, Director of the US Marshals came into the kitchen and with tears in her eyes told us how thankful she was for all we had done. She said, "You know, these Marshals don't get to live near their families.. so when you ladies get together and do things like this, it reminds them they really DO have a family, no matter where they're at.. thank you all from the bottom of my heart. We were completely overwhelmed to see all that you were able to do with only a couple of days notice. Your time, effort and care mean more than I can ever express."

She was just an amazing woman. I don't think the day could have ended any better than that.

I call it a huge success!