Miguel (Gil) was in the Army (actually only 7.5 years) and got out finally June 2008.  He spent a tours traveling abroad to Kosovo then a tour to Afghanistan and two tours to Iraq (the last one being 15 months long).  He felt that that was enough and since he had always wanted to study Media Arts and go to a school in Orlando (Full Sail) he would go back to Iraq as a contractor to make the money to attend the very expensive school.  Dawn and I made a deal with him to finance the school if he would stay here and begin right away.  Of course, it was his dream come true and took us up on the deal.  He just graduated in Recording Arts there at the end of October 2009.  His curriculum was intense in that he went six days a week and that is for 12 months (no breaks).  The classes go around the clock so it may be with a classes that is in session at midnight.  Usually the classes were during the daytime but historically were scattered from mornings to late evenings (depending on the class).  Full Sail has 150 acres of recording studios and about 50K students going at any given time (and growing).  They have a graduation class and a new group beginning each month.  Placement is very active and like any other school it depends on the grades as to the marketability and opportunities.  The school is very well affiliated with alumni blended around the world in various Hollywood, Nashville, Vegas, New York and points in between.  It could be with movie production, music production or just private recording art studios.  There is a constant demand for high tech recording arts graduates and some have been very well placed.  He is actually beginning with a friend to open their own business to work on computers, process video and mix sound.  There are many possibilities for him now and hopefully it will open the door to a rewarding career.

The oldest is married to a high school sweetheart.  Eric and Sarah just had our first granddaughter December 28, 2008.  Her name is Marlee Wren Ballmer and lives in Jacksonville, FL with her parents.  Eric finished school in Civil Engineering from UNF May 2009.  Sarah is also a Civil Engineer from Baton Rouge and she got her degree several years ago at LSU when Eric was also suppose to get his.  We found that us paying for five years at LSU was just not sufficient to get his degree and decided to finish when his wife expressed her desires (good for her).  Anyway, they should be set for a good life very soon and are living happily ever after.  Oh yea, they thought having our first grandchild was important enough to have her just before graduation…I think that is what they said.  They both seem to be doing fine and happy in the life they are sharing together.  That is the most important thing to us.  Eric graduated but was having problems getting a job in Florida (for several months) so he checked out Baton Rouge to find out LA DOTD wanted to hire him (and did several months ago).  Last month his wife and daughter moved home and they reunited in Kenner, LA to procured a very good job there.  So far so good and they should be in good shape from now on and we are happy for them.