After months and months of waiting and wondering when this nightmare of separation would be ending, we can now look ahead and see the light waiting for us at the end of the tunnel! Scott starts his final phase of training this month on the 15th! We were worried after finishing his Intel training that he would be at a stand still waiting for a SERE (survival training) date, but once again God surprises us and reminds us that He’s always looking out!
We have much to do over the next couple months with Scott finishing his training in the middle of next month, going to Florida for a 3 day training, then coming home to do the Recruiters Assistant Program and move me with him to our first Air Force base! It’s going to be a little frantic but we are looking forward to the wonderful reward of being together again!
Dates are being scheduled for the movers to come! I can’t believe after all the lonely nights of waiting that we are finally here! Well, almost. At least now we can start setting it all in stone! As each new thing gets scheduled reality sets further in. I can now allow my hopes to build up and my excitement to bubble over! I’ve been shoving them down for so long, as to not be disappointed, and now there’s nothing to dampen my mood!
We’ll be together soon!!!!!!!
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” -Romans 5:3-4
We recently found out that we will be stationed at Hurlburt Field AFB in Pensacola Florida! We couldn’t be happier! We were told that it would be nearly impossible to get your #1 pick on your first dream sheet but Scott did! God blesses us!!!
Scott’s sister lives near Tampa Florida and we’re thrilled to be so close to Karen and her hubby Matt! Even though it’s a 6 hour drive at least it’s doable on long weekends and for Holidays! Family is very important to Scott and I, and being close to them makes moving to a foreign place much easier.
On top of being close to family we also have a handful of friends being stationed at the same base.:
Scott’s friend he’s been with all the way through tech school will be joining us on our move. I’m so thankful for Chris and the friendship he has given Scott over the last few months we’ve been apart. He’s been such an encouragement to Scotty and it’s given me peace knowing Scott isn’t lonely.
I have become wonderful friends with an Air Force wife whose husband was in Scott’s Basic Training Flight. Francesca and I have talked ever since 2 weeks into basic training and there hasn’t been a day that has gone by without us talking. Who would have guessed that after 7 months of texting and calling that we would be getting stationed at the exact same base in Florida! It’s amazing how God looks out for our needs and emotions!
I also have a friend I went to youth group with who’s getting stationed with her husband at Eglin AFB which is 12 miles from us! AMAZING! What are the chances?! I have so much fun with Tifanie and we can’t wait for many many beach dates!
I can’t believe how wonderful our Lord is to give us all these instant friends at our new home! There is always a divine plan and this is proof of it! We’re ready for some beach time and to switch up our daily routine. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in this coming year! We still don’t have a date for our move but it will be anytime between the middle of February to the end of April. We can finally see the end in sight! Be praying that our patience will stay strong! ;]
AH!!!! I’m so gosh darn excited! SCOTT COMES HOME IN 15 DAYS!!!
He’s been gone since June 4th! By the time he is home it will be a week and a half short of 7 months. Golly, it’s been a long long road! God has continued to be so faithful even through the moments where we were so low and the light at the end of the tunnel seemed so far away. Although this isn’t the end of the separation it’s a nice break where we can just relax and fall back into a daily life routine, even if just for 10 days. We have to soak it all in and enjoy every sweet moment!
Scott has been very clear that he doesn’t want to make any plans. He wants to play every day by ear because he’s so used to a strict schedule where every moment is accounted for and planned out. I can understand him wanting the freedom of flexibility. He’s most looking forward to seeing his friends and family, sleeping in his own bed, playing with Clover, and meeting our new doggy Darcy. So many great memories will be made this visit!
I’m most excited to roll over in bed and have him there, to cook him his favorite meals, show him the projects I’ve completed in his absence, decorate the tree, listen to Christmas music while sipping wine, cuddle, and be able to call down the hallway to him. Honestly, just all the small things that make up a regular boring day in the life.
Everyone keeps asking me what I want for Christmas and I can say with no delay..nothing! I have all my wishes coming true just with having Scott come home! I keep getting butterflies thinking about picking him up from the airport and watching him walk into our apartment. This is another one of those moments that has kept me going through the days I just didn’t have the energy to put a smile on. I’m not gonna lie, I’m also very thrilled that I didn’t have to travel this month. I’ve become a bit burnt out on airports, lay overs, rental cars, and hotels. It’s nice that after traveling once a month for the last 6 that he’s the one coming to see me! :]
I’ve been trying to keep really busy for the last two weeks before he arrives. This week I have had something going on everyday and it’s helped to keep me from just staring at the clock. (Yes, I do count down the hours to being another day closer.) 9:11 am on the 22nd can’t come soon enough!!
So very thankful and as always…God is good!!!
Ps: Merry Christmas from Darcy and Clover (and us of course too)!
OCTOBER!!!! I can’t believe you came and went! Even with the sadness of separation the time still seems to be moving at a quick speed. Doesn’t seem like it when you’re living the day to day but when you’re in the next month looking back it shocks you.
I started the month with a huge project that I expected would take me 3 weeks. I knew I needed a little something to keep me busy as missing Scott has become even more difficult as this time goes on. You would think that it would get easier but it doesn’t. You just get better at ignoring the feelings. Anyway, I purchased a table from the 1950’s and wanted some unique chairs to go with it. I found 6 chairs on craigslist and then went to my cousin’s shop, Tangle, on main street to get some cute fabric. I had to spray paint the gold at the top of the chairs silver to match the chrome table. I then reupholstered the cushions. I busted this whole project out in 6 hours. My hands ACHED for 3 days. I get a little too determined and stopping makes me anxious. I hate procrastinating, almost to a fault. I was very pleased with how they turned out. Here they are!
The coming weeks were completely normal besides a fun girl’s trip to Denver with my Mom-in-law and Mom. We had so much fun shopping and visiting. I feel very blessed to have two amazing moms!
After coming back from Denver things were low key and then the 22nd hit. Boy, this day came out of nowhere, like a giant semi truck crashing in on us. The day was boring but I planned to go to see Mitt Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan, speak at the college that night with my friend Danielle. We got our tickets and walked about a thousand miles (slight exaggeration) from our car to the gym where the assembly was taking place. We found some great seats exactly center from the stage so we had a great view! We were pumped! I then got a phone call that ruined the experience for me by quite a bit but for the sake of telling about Paul Ryan I’ll get to that in a bit. Paul Ryan was awesome! So cool to see yet another political figure speak. I truly pray and hope that this is the team that goes to the White House for the next 4 years but I’m not going to get into the politics now, you’re welcome. Last election I got to see both Sarah Palin and John McCain speak, plus shake his hand. Pretty cool for the first election I was old enough to vote in. It was neat to see Ryan speak though it’s so important to get involved and find out what you believe regardless of if it’s different from my opinion. VOTE!!! :] Here are a few pics, we could see him very well in person but we couldn’t get any decent pictures because of the bright lighting and his white shirt.
Now, back to the phone call I mentioned earlier. Just as we found our seats I received a phone call from a friend of mine whom we had given Hazel to. I could barely hear because of the crowd noise but I was able to make out that Hazel had been hit by a car and was being taken to the emergency pet hospital. I had no idea what condition she was in or how severe it was. I decided to sit tight because I knew there really wasn’t anything I could do but be in the way. Luckily the event was only about 30 minutes long and the moment we got out the door we started for the pet hospital. When we arrived the Vet didn’t have high hopes for her. He said that there would only be a 25% shot of her making it after the $3000-$5000 surgery. At that point Stephannie decided the most fair thing to do for Hazel was to let her pass. I completely agreed because her body was so broken and her organs were misplaced inside of her. It was more humane to let her go peacefully. Putting a dog down is one of the hardest things you can do for a little creature you care for so much. I was glad to be near to comfort her and tell her all she meant to us. Rest in peace Hazel!
Going through something as heartbreaking as that was I just wanted Scott home. I needed him to hold me and reassure me. We had to settle for sharing tears on the phone and holding on to the fact that we would be together in 3 days. I traveled to see Scott on Thursday and spent the weekend with him. I love our time together but as always our monthly visits go by all too quickly. I came back home on Monday and celebrated my Dad’s b-day with him and my mom, at Olive Garden. It’s always nice to come home after a trip but when your hubby is hundreds of miles away it just feels like an empty house.
That Wednesday, after I returned, Scott FINALLY started his classes! He’d been waiting 2 months!!! PRAISE GOD! This is what has been holding us up and now he’s finally moving forward again!
I also made a trip to Delta on Wednesday to adopt our new doggy, Darcy. We started the process of adopting her from a rescue about 2 weeks before Hazel passed. Although the timing wasn’t ideal we decided to go through with the adoption because she was such a wonderful dog and I knew that we were capable of giving her the home and love she needed. Also, Clover had been so lonely since Hazel went to another family and we wanted to find a new addition that would fit in well with our lifestyle and family. Darcy is what they call a Catahoula cattle dog. I’d never heard of this breed before but from people I know and the research I’ve done it’s a smart, loving, gentle, and loyal breed that make great family dogs. She’s perfect for us! She’s so well behaved and we’ve had no trouble with her besides hating car rides. [haha]
Well, there it is, that was our October. Although it had a rough middle the beginning and end were great. God continues to be good even through the tough times!
When going through the basic training experience I thought I was in the worst stage of our Air Force journey…OH BOY, was I in for a cruel awakening! Tech school is BY FAR much more difficult than Basic. How you ask? I’ll tell ya! Basic was difficult because you couldn’t talk everyday and you constantly were wondering what your future Airman was up to BUT you always knew what to expect! Everything was laid out. You could almost always count on a phone call on Sunday, you would get a love letter a week, and you knew the exact day you would be together again. It was reliable. I’m a fan of reliability!
Tech school on the other hand is the opposite of reliable. We know nothing 99.9% of the time. The first part of Scott’s Tech training was a breeze! He went straight in after BMT [basic military training] and finished on time. This second part, he’s hung up on though, is not a breeze by any definition. He arrived at Goodfellow at the beginning of September and STILL hasn’t started. They haven’t even given an estimate of when he will start. There’s been no reason for the delay given and no hints have been dropped. It’s so frustrating. He’s just been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, and I’ve been praying, praying, praying. We both don’t enjoy being apart but knowing the end would help. We were under the impression that we would be stationed together in December but with the delay it’s looking more like February or March. That seems so much unfairly longer.
Patience is still not something that comes easily to me, it probably never will, but God’s working on me. I’m gonna need to learn to be content with every step of this journey and learn to smile through the rain!
September has been a blur of time spent in airports, cars, packing, and unpacking. I can honestly say that I will not miss living out of my suitcase.
I brought in September in San Antonio Texas. I love love love love that city! I don’t necessarily love the traffic but the city is well kept and the people are friendly. There is so much to do and the Air Force base is huge and really beautiful. Scott had amazing friends there that were very welcoming and I felt like we’d been friends with them for years upon years. One of the best things about military life, that I have discovered, is you have an instant connection with everyone in this lifestyle. You see them as your lifeline, someone to relate with. We’re all in the same boat and we have to make the best of it. When I see Scott making these amazing friendships it just furthers my faith in the fact that we’re precisely where we are meant to be. God is good to us!
When I got back to Grand Junction I was able to take a break from travels for a week and a half and then I packed my suitcase for a trip to Denver. My parents and I went up to see my brother for his 22nd birthday. I hate hate hate hate hate that 4 hour drive! It seems like so much longer and I am always anxious to see David (my brother). We had such a good time seeing him and celebrating with his girlfriend and his roommates. We also had the “privilege” of going to see the mineral museum. (Please notice the sarcasm dripping from that last sentence.) The only minerals I like come in jewelry form. ;] All the same, we had a wonderful weekend and I already miss my brother.
We got home again to Grand Junction and I started packing my bags for yet another trip on the upcoming weekend. Soon after I left San Antonio Scott was moved to his next tech school in San Angelo, Texas. We were both sad to see him move but we have to see it as the next step bringing us together. Once this tech school is over we will get our first duty station assignment and we will live together again. PRAISE GOD!!! We still have a bit of a wait as he still hasn’t started his classes here but patience is key.
Scott really wanted me to come for his birthday as it will be the first birthday he has had away from home. I was already planning on it but when he expressed how very important and crucial it was to him it became an urgent hurried search for flights. EEK! Flying into that tiny little airport comes at a pretty penny, but the time we have together is priceless and the money means so little in comparison.
San Angelo is a small town with not a whole lot to do but the weather is a little less humid than San Antonio, which I really appreciate! We went to the mall and ate at the restaurants around and that was about it. The rest of our time was spent in the hotel, on base, watching TV and movies and visiting. The hotel was really nice though. We had a little kitchen area, living room with TV, bedroom with TV, and a bathroom (of course). It kinda felt like living together again. We celebrated his birthday at Red Lobster and had cake and presents at our hotel. That marked the end of my trip as I left in the morning.
Goodbyes are hard but we just keep focusing on the goal of Scott having his career and being stationed together sometime soon! I for one, am very excited to store my suitcase for a full month and take a break from it so that I’ll be refreshed and ready to travel back to my sweetheart at the end of October! These monthly visits are our sanity! Thanks for the continued prayers and support. God is our strength!
Disclaimer: I amaze myself sometimes, not in a positive way. I go from one extreme to another with this blogging. I either don’t blog because I have nothing interesting going on to post about, or I don’t blog because I can’t find the time because I have so much going on. AH! No happy medium with this girl. So, here is the blog I owe on Scott’s graduation even though it’s about 3 weeks overdue. Woops.
August 1st, the day I’d been waiting for, was finally here! It was time to jump on a plane! Traveling was easy and pain free until we landed in San Antonio and there was a bomb threat in the terminal. They kept us on the tarmac for 1.5 hours while they secured the airport. Talk about a buzz kill. All this build up to finally be there and you’re stuck on a plane with 100 sweaty people with no estimate of how long you’d be trapped. One up side to sitting there for that period of time Scott got a little free time and was able to call so I was able to tell him we were almost safely there. It was an amazing feeling to know I was only miles away from him verses the hundreds of miles that had been separating us. He said goodbye and we were finally able to exit about 10 minutes after. Thank goodness that trial was over!
We found Starbucks and then set out to find our rental car and hotel. It was good to finally be able to relax at the hotel after a day of travel. I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping well that night with the anticipation of seeing Scott the next morning. AHH! I was like a small child on Christmas eve, much too excited to sleep for fear that I may miss out on something wonderful. I’ll never forget those nerves I felt.
Thursday morning arrived and the nerves hit even harder!!! I was a wreck. I cried over my hair like the girly girl I am. I wanted to look fantastic but the humid San Antonio weather was my worst enemy. I laugh looking back on that morning because I made such a big deal out of such a small thing. Scott didn’t care, why would he?! [haha.] Finally we got in the car and I forced myself to calm down because my anxiety was sky high! My emotions sat comfortably between bursting into tears or jumping up and down in excitement. I’ve never had such turmoil inside my core.
The first activity of BMT (Basic Military Training) Graduation is the Airman’s run! OH MY! How fun!! All the family and friends of the graduating Airmen stand on both sides of this road and cheer on their loved one. It’s the first time you will see them if you’re lucky enough to spot them running by. Lucky for me, my mother has a Scott radar and she found him before I did. It was so exciting to see him even if he wasn’t able to see us. (He says he THINKS he saw us cheering, but who really knows?) Here is a picture and video of him running by. In the video his flight runs by at 2 mins 40 secs. Try to find him. ;]
After the Airman’s run we walked to the grounds where they do the coin ceremony. This was HOTTTTTT and they made us wait in the sun for an hour. I think all of my cuteness melted off my face while I sat there. At that point I didn’t care, I just wanted to see my man! All my nerves had turned into excitement! I was also excited because I finally met Francesca at the Airman’s run. We have stayed in contact and helped each other through this whole experience. It was amazing to finally sit next to her as we waited impatiently to see our husbands.
The coin ceremony is a tradition that marks the trainees becoming official Airmen as the coin is put into their hands. It was emotional to watch and of course I cried some more. I was so blessed watching with such pride in my husband. In the video Scott receives his coin at 1 minute. He is third from the right in the back row. :] (Forgive me cutting his head off when I started cheering.)
After the coin ceremony we were able to “tap them out”. This means that the men have to stay at attention until someone runs up and hugs them or shakes their hand. Some Airmen have no family to tap them out so you have to keep your eye out for them so they aren’t left standing there. Breaks my heart to think of it.
I was sooo excited to find him! I was pretty sure I knew where he was but I wasn’t certain from the back side. If you watch the video closely you can see me check his name tape before jumping on him, just to make sure it said “Dearborn”. I didn’t want to jump on a stranger. [haha.] This is by far one of the top 3 moments of my life!!! It was perfect and I’m so glad that my mom video taped it because it’s something we will enjoy remembering and watching for the rest of our lives!
Scott was then able to have some free time on base. It was fun having him show us around and he was thankful for the down time. We spent the day taking pictures and enjoying things he missed like soda, gum, subway, and other treats.
In the afternoon my dad and brother joined us and spent some time shopping with us as the BX, which is a small mall on base. Due to the joy of traveling troubles Scott’s family wasn’t able to get to the base till dinner time. Here is the video of them seeing Scotty for the first time.
At 7 we had to drop Scott back to his dorm for his curfew. That was the end of Thursday for us all and we awaited seeing him again after his graduation on Friday. We all went back to our hotel and had pie at a nearby restaurant.
Friday morning we all had to get up early to catch the shuttle to the graduation grounds. Luckily our seats were shaded because it was once again really hot and sunny. If you ever have the chance to see one of these graduations DO IT! It’s wonderful and makes you feel so patriotic! Scott’s flight is the grouping right below the American Flag.
He is the fellow marching 4th back, closest to us.
We then went to find him and “tap him out” again. I asked Karen if she wanted to do it because I had done it the day before. She took full advantage of her power and kept teasing him with lots of pictures while he was frozen. I was able to tap out an Airman who didn’t have any family. I was happy to do it and he thanked me later that day for “unfreezing” him.
Here Scotty is showing off his Marksman ribbon.
Then of course we had to do the family picture thing.
We then rode back to Scott’s dorm where he had to have a briefing before he was free to go off base for the first time in 2 months!! Here he is with some of the guys in his flight. They have their “tough guy” looks on. [haha.]
Scott chose to have his first meal of freedom at Cracker Barrel. He’s holding a huge bag of candy that his sister blessed him with. He got VERY spoiled that weekend. He milked it for all it was worth.
After lunch we went back to the hotel to rest up. He was thrilled to just take a nap and watch some Olympics. After he was rested we went to the mall to kill some time before the baseball game we attended. The deal was that if Scott went to this baseball game he was able to stay out until 11 verses the 8 o’clock curfew he was scheduled for. We jumped at that opportunity! Here are a few pictures from us goofing around at the game.
On Saturday we decided to adventure out to the river walk and to see the Alamo. If you’re in San Antonio please don’t miss out on either of these tourist attractions. The river walk is beautiful and the Alamo is such a big part of our American history.
We even took the boat tour.
Sunday was the last day and Scott had to stay on base. We only had till 3 with him so we shopped at the BX for things he needed for tech school and ate at the pizza joint on base. It was a hard day and Scott had a hard time focusing on anything other than the fact we were all leaving soon. Here we are putting on our brave faces.
All too soon it was time to say goodbye. Talk about a small taste of Heaven being ripped away from you. My heart broke as I saw the tears fill his eyes. Before we started the waterworks we squeezed in a picture together and he got a few pictures with 2 of of his buddies in his flight.
The trip was short, but boy was it sweet! These are the moments that make the waiting and tears so worth it! I cling to the time we get to spend together and never take those moments for granted. Looks like there are quite a few months more of being apart but I know we can make it through. I get to see him in 10 days! I can’t wait to hop on another plane on my way to him! I miss him something terrible but the phone calls, texts, and skype dates make it 212323453 times better than Basic Training! So glad to be done with that chapter in our life! I’m so proud of my husband and I can’t wait to be with him again!
We’re almost at the end!!! Some moments have blown on by and others have been the slowest of my life. All I can really say is, I’m glad to be on this end of it!
By the time I jump on a plane I will have written 57 letters. Jeeze, so many days and memories my husband couldn’t be part of. I can’t wait for the new memories that will make up our lifetime together. The strength we have acquired through this tough time will give us the tools and courage to conquer all the difficulties this lifestyle will bring. I have been saying that it’s kind of like a boot camp for wives too. We have to learn to get all the usual things around the house done that a husband does. Since Scott has been gone I’ve done every man-like chore you can think of. I didn’t think I would ever be able to figure out some of the things Scott does for me. I’m pretty proud of myself though! I still would much rather have a husband to deal with the cars and trash but I know that in his absence I can handle it. Freeing and exhilarating at the same time.
The last two months of my life have been filled with so many tears that I think I could fill a whole bathtub, two times over. I’m thankful that this stage is over! Although we still won’t be living in the same home, we will have so much more communication! I can’t wait to be able to send him a text again. (Not that I didn’t try. 10 text messages have been sent to his turned off phone. Habits are hard to break.) The simple things I miss the most. I want to go grocery shopping with him again. Spend Thursdays cleaning our apartment. Watch the rain fall. The things that make up a normal day are taken for granted until you do them without the one that made them special in the first place. I miss the normality of having Scott home. I constantly feel like I’m out of my element. I never understood fully what it meant to be “one” until I was missing my other half. It always feels like you have a giant hole in your life. You always wake up feeling like you’re forgetting something, like something is missing and the feeling never fades. The hurt is deep but it’s so very fully worth it!
As I start packing my bags to fly out Wednesday I feel giddy! It feels like a first date. I get those little butterflies flying around in my core. I imagine the moment I first see him. What I should wear. How I should act. Every stupid thought our minds take when we over think a situation. I’ve been living for this moment. Focusing on it to just make it through. I want every outfit to be perfect and to look my very best! I’ve been working out like a crazy lady just hoping to tone those areas that drive a woman mad! I want his jaw to drop and to realize what he’s been missing. My mom made the point that I could probably gain 400 pounds and he would still be excited to see me. This is true because I have a loving husband who thinks the world of me, BUT it was more of a goal I set for myself! I have started seeing improvements making the work outs seem like it’s worth the sweat and time. Thank goodness. I just want to be at my best.
The second I see him will be very similar to our wedding day, walking down the isle. With every step you think of all the struggles and joys that brought you to this very moment! It will be emotional and the tears will come flooding out. (Reminds me, I need to pack tissue. ;]) I can’t wait to see him in the uniform that he’s told me he so proudly wears. I can’t wait to see that smile he saves just for me. The feeling of his arms around me. ALL OF IT! I have been striving to look forward to this day. A day that is now only 4 days away! I hope the last days fly by and the moments we share in San Antonio drag on! I also pray that we remember these feelings and never forget how desperately we love and need each other.
Our God is good and He brought us over another mountain!!!!
I was certain that people were just trying to make me feel better when they told me that after the first few weeks of Scott being at Basic that time would start moving more quickly. I couldn’t picture this separation moving by any more speedily than at a snail pace. Don’t get me wrong, it has had it’s painful moments of dragging but now that we’re over the halfway point and on the speedy downward countdown it’s not so horrid. Less than 30 days now! I still miss him with such intensity that it hurts but at least the days no longer feel like years.
I have really taken my time here alone to work on myself and work at becoming a stronger woman. I feel stronger than I ever have been. I love that! It is only through my mornings and evenings filled with spending time talking to God and in the Word. I had purchased a military wife devotional book (Faith Deployed) before Scott left and it’s the best money I’ve even invested. It encourages me because the women who wrote the book are either previous or current military wives. It helps to get the advice from others who know exactly what I’m going through.
I haven’t been great to blog through this first part of the Air Force experience because it would have been a bunch of whining at the beginning and then a log of all the boring activities that I have filled my time with recently. I have been very proud of myself that I have been able to write to Scott every night before bed and send it out in the mornings. I set that as my goal and I haven’t missed a single night. He really enjoys getting the mail, makes him feel like he’s not missing out on anything in his absence from home.
I promise that blogging will become more regular as we set out on more adventures. I can’t wait for Scott to be at tech school so that we can talk on a daily basis and I’ll be able to visit him. Count your blessings and enjoy the small things!
On Monday we drove Scott over to MEPS in Denver. My friend Danielle volunteered to come with us to keep me company. I planned on not being able to see the road through all the tears I’d be draining on Tuesday so we figured she would drive us home. We grabbed some pizza and then dropped Scott at his hotel. We weren’t able to stay at the same hotel due to regulations. Danielle and I went and did a tiny bit of shopping at the mall and then retired to our hotel. We wanted to get in the hot tub but when we got down there the darn thing was closed. Back to the room we went.
In the morning (Tuesday) we got ready, checked out of the hotel, and set out to find the MEPS station. STRESSFUL!!!!! We found the address and began the search for a parking space. We found a lot but they didn’t accept check , debit, or credit so we tried to find another, no luck. When I was at my wits end and freaking out a bit, I spotted an ATM across the street. I pulled a few illegal driving maneuvers, jumped out of the car and started running across the street. I was wearing heals and a dress, and the wind was blowing that day, so I had a few Marilyn Monroe moments with trying to keep my dress down. Apparently a few guys got that same impression because Danielle made me aware that there had been a few whistlers, how embarrassing. With cash in hand I darted back across the street and we were finally able to pay $12 to park in the original parking lot. Hallelujah!
We made it into the MEPS office with about 10 minutes to spare. We then were shown to the family waiting area where we sat and watched Maury. About an hour into sitting an alarm went off and we were told to exit the building. Great. All of us filed down the stairs and outside. They then had all the recruites/shippers get into formation while all of the friends and family stood idly by. Scott later told us that we caught more attention with our blowing skirts. Note to self: check weather report before wearing another dress. Scott said that some of the guys behind him in formation were talking about Danielle and I saying “Hey, look at those hotties standing over there.” Haha. Scott just laughed to himself of course. He gets a kick out of these sort of situations. After about 40 minutes we were given the clear and let back inside. Thank goodness!
The fire alarm delayed the whole operation of getting everyone’s paperwork done, so once again we were left sitting, but this time for about an hour and a half. Finally they brought us into a room with wood paneling, and lots of flags, that’s where I found Scott standing in formation with about 7 others. They then swore in. (This is a very cool ceremony and if you ever get the chance to be there I would recommend it.) I had such pride in my husband as he took the oath, I had never felt anything like it.
Once we congratulated Scott, and he went to fill out some more papers, we were able to sit with him as he ate lunch. He was too nervous to eat but we enjoyed sitting with him, praying, and giving him words of encouragement. Lunch finished and he had to go watch some kind of movie. He then grabbed his backpack and was lined up with his fellow Air Force shippers. We almost missed saying goodbye to him because they didn’t tell us it was time. Luckily one of the Army guys took mercy on us and let us squeeze into the tight hallway and say goodbye. “I’m sorry,” the words my husband spoke as we said our final goodbye. That was the last time I’ll feel his embrace, touch, kiss, and see his face for two full months.
August 1st, you can’t possibly come soon enough. I held in my tears and emotions all day. I had two minor slip ups when we said goodbye and again when I came home to an empty apartment. Once I was alone, and my friend Danielle had gone home, I came apart at the seams, bursting into a thousand tiny pieces. I forced myself to unload the dishes and take out the trash, small things that I had hoped would distract me from the heartache I felt. I debated sleeping on the bedroom floor to avoid the empty bed. I finally braved my bed and laid down to write my first letter to my handsome airman in training. I was too afraid to go to sleep because I was so anxious for a phone call that would only be about 30 seconds long of only info. I finally gave into sleep and curled up to one of Scott’s shirts. Within that 24 hour period I was transformed from a 23 year old woman back into a 14 year old school girl.
The rest of the week has been hard but nothing compared to the first day. I have been able to keep pretty busy and I welcome the distraction of working. I know God will help me through this. I am just hungry for the sound of Scott’s voice. I just want to know that he’s doing ok and I want to encourage him. I hope to get a phone call today but patience is something I’m having to learn. For now I’m going to have to appreciate writing a letter a day and hopefully my mailbox will have something filling it soon.
The Dear Adventure 