Happy Birthday USMC

November 10, 2012 marked the 237th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Each year, Marines all over the world recognize and celebrate the occasion. Last night, my Marine and I celebrated the birthday by attending his ball in downtown San Diego.

Hair

I usually just wear my  hair down, so I decided to get an up-do done at the salon for a change. My hair style wound up being somewhat messy buns pinned back with braids on the side. It was nice to be able to just get my hair done and then not have to worry it!

Dress

Since the ball is a pretty formal event, women typically wear long gowns. I (as usual) had a hard time finding a long dress, so after coming up empty-handed after a few shopping trips, I decided to take a risk and rent a designer dress from Rent the Runway. I’m totally not a girl who can just buy clothes without trying them on and have them fit, so I was a little nervous about ordering a dress I’d never seen in person (and getting it just a day before the event at that). It certainly didn’t wind up being perfect – it was too tight in the chest and smushed my girls,  plus it was too long on me, even though the website specified that anyone over 5’4″ should get a long size. I’m 5’6″ and wore 3-inch heels, yet had to pick up the fabric every time I walked to prevent myself from tripping over my dress. But, I made it work for the night, and that’s all I needed it for so I’ll call it a success!

I really enjoyed the ceremony at this ball. They put on a great show summarizing the history of the USMC, from the Revolutionary War up to 9/11 and now:

The Marine Corps is so rich in traditions and customs. One of the things that they do at every single ball that takes place is have an empty table to commemorate those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It’s a symbolic way of honoring fallen Marines. Another tradition is to have the oldest and youngest Marine each take a bite from the ball cake. At last night’s ball, the oldest Marine has been active duty for 30 years and was 48 years old, and the youngest was 19 years old.

 Side note: This was the biggest ball I’ve been to, and the cake was HUGE. This is what it looked like towards the end of the night…

What a waste huh?

At each ball I’ve attended, I always feel this great sense of pride. Proud to be an American, proud to be a military wife, proud that my husband went down this path to serve his country. Being in a ballroom filled with people who are all involved in the Marine Corps, there’s a very palpable feeling of strength and camaraderie. These are people who have endured deployments and are devoting their lives to serving America. Being a military wife has changed me, and I’m definitely glad I’ve gotten to be a part of the USMC family!