Staff SGT Donald Wayne West, Jr., enlisted in the United States Army National Guard on September 11, 2001. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Company A of the 150th Combat Engineers served active duty Aug 29, 2004, until Dec 30, 2005. SSGT West returned to college in January, 2006. He married Lauren Ritchie June 9, 2006, at Seaside, Fla., and they have three children. SSGT West completed military service at Camp Minden, LA on Aug 23, 2009.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Day 123 - Tatum Connor McCormick


Welcome the latest addition to the McCormick clan, Tatum Connor McCormick, pictured here in the arms of his "Poppy."

Connor was born Thursday, May 19, 2005, in Dallas to Heath McCormick and his sweetheart, Sherlyn. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 19 inches long. Doctors pronounced him healthy and rarin' to go!

Online baby name dictionaries define his names like this:

Tatum = From Old English origin, meaning "cheerful bringer of joy."

Connor = From Celtic origin, meaning "wise, brilliant, desire, and wolf or hound-lover." (Wolf-lover? Uh, no. Hound-lover? Maybe.)


Ours is just one of many family events soldiers miss while they are deployed. We miss their sharing with us, too.

posted by RebeccaMcCormick at 9:34 PM

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