Matthew's school hosts some wicked fun activities for the kids, from father-daughter princess dances, mini-golf tournaments, class picnics, and now mother-son boot camps. I was highly charged to spend a fun night with just Matthew. I feel like we don't get enough time just the two of us. To start off the night, an honored airborn Major talked about the military and his experiences, such as jumping out of helicoptors, starting out as a cannoniere, his job now as comptroller, and how being a Christian has helped him through everything. He showed us videos, taught the kids how to march to the correct jargon (about face, halt, etc), and brought some of his offical gear for the kids to look at and try on.
Then it was off to the mess hall for some chow and our mission assignments
After our fill of pizza and ice cream, it was time to start the "mission in action, aka MIA". They split everyone into groups based on age, gave everyone a map, a different starting point, and sent us on our way. They had different missions set up all throughout the school that the kids needed to solve in order to save an army guy. The first one we did involved figuring out a code (by solving simple math problems), giving it to the guard so he knew we weren't enemies, and then use the key he gave us to open the lock and search/rescue for the hidden army guy.
The very first army guy rescued thanks to excellent effort on Matthew's part
As our first mission took place in the same place as the Major's presentation, we took that opportunity to really check out the neat army gear
Finding clues for another mission, which were spread out on different doors, and then we had to put them all together to figure out the code
The code then directed us on which wires were to be cut on the "bomb jail bags" so we could save the army guy inside without causing the bomb to blow up
There were a total of 7 missions, which were marked with the mission posters on all three floors of the school building
One mission in which the soldiers needed to watch out for alligatores and IEDs, following a marked path to extract puzzle pieces which then formed the map showing where a missing army man was being held captive
Taping the map together to save the army man
Of course one of the missions involved target practice! After successfully hitting all six targets and then figuring out the secret code, we were able to rescue another poor army man
This boot camp was extremely thought out and well done! Matthew had fun with the army crawl mission where they had to knock down a tower after crawling to the designated spot
After running all around the school saving the lost/captive men, it was off to the gym for an army-style obsticle course-woo hoo!
Matthew pulling around one of his teammates, Luke, on a little scooter
One of the obstacles where we had to jump and roll on a big mat and then put a sticker on the notecard with their name on it
At the end, it was time to line up for their dog-tags, which every single little soldier definitely earned. It was definitely a night that Matthew and I are going to remember and cherish
