Letters # 7 and #8 + a Phone Call!

Sorry I've dropped the ball on last weeks update....it was a busy week. But, I GOT TWO LETTERS LAST WEEK!! Wahoo! I got my normal Wednesday letter, but then opened my mailbox on Friday to see another letter!! Josh got some extra time off on Veteran's day to write another letter. What a treat!

Let's see, letter #7:

• I've been here 46 days and have 12 left! I'm so anxious to see everybody.
• I'm taking tests all the time and studying a lot to keep up.
• I have gas chamber tomorrow. Nervous. Very nervous.
• I had my performance test yesterday in front of the CO Commanding Officer of the Navy Admiral Roughhead. HUGH! Performed in front of 5,000 people. I was in the very front! So nervous, but I did just fine.
• I wasn't moved up to E2 or E3 because my recruiter never sent in the paperwork for the recruits I got in. That sucks pretty bad!
• My first paycheck was only $271 because of all the stuff I had to buy. That sucks pretty bad too.
  

Moving on...letter #8:

• It's a Tuesday today, and also Veteran's Day. So we get like 4 hours to ourselves to get caught up on things: folding, studying, and ironing. I had to make sure to write you though.
• I pray you're okay and healthy. I miss you so much. I ONLY HAVE 10 DAYS LEFT! So close! I can't wait to see you and family! I wont be hard to find due to being in the front row of everyone.
• I hope your dad isn't working too hard on the house...bet it looks awesome!
• I wish I could write more, but I really need to study. Love you so much!

WELL, ONLY 4 MORE DAYS UNTIL I SEE HIM!!! I work at the salon on Thursday until around 7 or so, and after that I'll drive to Chicago to meet up with his parents and one of his brothers. I believe Josh will have the rest of Friday off after his graduation, and most of Saturday and Sunday to do whatever he pleases. I'M SO EXCITED!!! Three days to spend with him and some of his family. Sounds pretty exciting to me! I bought the cutest new dress to wear Friday...you'll just have to wait and see pictures next week...but it's just too darn cute! ;-)

I can't believe 60 days has almost gone by. I know through it all it seemed to go by slower than a snail, but now that I look back on it....MAN THAT WAS FAST!!! I sent my last letter this past Saturday. Which ironically was a little sad. Don't get me wrong, I'm so excited to not have to rely on snail mail for our communication, but it was pretty neat to send letters back and forth. Since I only got them once a week, I would live for Wednesdays! Throughout the day I would always log in my mind things I needed to tell Josh about in that night's letter. It's just so different! Couples now-a-days just don't write or send letters unless they are forced to. I feel blessed to have been forced to have this time apart. It really has been a great time of growth spiritually and within my relationship with Josh. It's definitely been a crazy, and long 60 days, but I'm thankful for them.

4 DAYS TO GO...WAHOO!!!

******UPDATE ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008******

Oh how I love to look at my phone and see a missed call from a number somewhere in IL. Yup, I definitely missed a call from Josh yesterday. BUT DON'T FREIGHT! He called back about 10 minutes later and we got to talk for 45 minutes! He's officially a Navy Sailor! ;-) He's completed boot camp and is now just waiting for graduation to come on Friday. They are still having them clean and things like that, and of course still yelling at them, but done with tests and the daily physical things. At then end of boot camp, all recruits must go through what's called "Battle Stations". He called me right after that was over and sounded SOOOO tired. Battle Stations is boot camp’s ultimate test. It’s an exercise of 12 different scenarios incorporating what you have learned during the previous weeks. He was up for three nights I believe and after it was all said and done, he was presented with his ball cap. At that moment, he was officially a sailor! How fun huh? Well, I'm just so proud of him and can't wait to see him. He was so sweet on the phone to tell me that he wouldn't have made it through without me and that we did this as a team. He said I gave him a reason to do his best so he could use this to provide for us. He's just so sweet!! I leave tomorrow evening after I get off of work to head to Illinois and meet up with his parents and brother, Ryan. Pray for safe travel for myself and his family. I look forward to updating you all with PICTURES GALLORE!!!

Letter #6!

Oh how nice it was to receive letter #6! He said he just finished "Hell Week", so they say, and it was his favorite week so far! haha Ironic. They call it that because there are so many inspections that are really tough and people just get reamed for every little thing wrong.

He had mentioned in a past letter that the trainers don't really remember his name...which is a good thing there! If they know your name it's because they yell at you a lot. So, it seems like they don't ream him too much. When we talked on the phone he chose not to tell me about some of the things they have yelled in his face because it's pretty disgusting. So I guess when they yell at him it's not for screwing up....just the normal yelling. Anyway, he succeed this week again in not giving them a reason to know his name. Only to remember it for being impressed I hope!

He scored a 5.0 (highest you can get) on ALL his inspections! Ya that's right...he'll be doing the cleaning and bed making in our house...I'll just remind him he does a 5.0 job and I don't! haha

He got his uniform tailored and took his picture. He said, "I looked real good Lane...I mean REAL good!" haha They always say, "You gotta love a man in uniform!"
I guess we'll find out right!?

So I sent him something kind of embarrassing...you know those sound cards?? Now they have them where you can record a 10 second message.

Um, DUH! I totally got one of those to send him! haha He said they played it in front of everyone several times. OOPS! I wasn't mushy in my recording, but it did play some corney love song at the end of it! Although, he did say it was good to hear my voice and he liked it a lot....just not everyone listening to it over and over again!

He was also so sweet to offer his bank info in MO so I can access money if I needed to. He's precious I tell you. I turned him down on that because I want him to save all of that, but still thought it was so sweet he wanted to make sure I was okay on money.

And to answer my friend's question from her comment on my last blog...YES! I DO love him so SO much! I'm so proud of him and just can't wait to see him and move forward with our relationship!

It sounds like he's feeling much better and things are speeding up. ONLY 15 MORE DAYS!!!!!!

Letter #5

Well, this letter wasn't so nice to read. I knew Josh was sick, but he kept saying that if he went to the doctor that his graduation date could be pushed back, so he wasn't going to go. And for Josh to give in a go to the doctor is a MAJOR MAJOR deal! I can't stress that enough. HUGE DEAL!

But he ended up going to the doctor and was ordered a 2 day SIQ (Sick In Quarters). Which means he has to stay in bed all day long. He didn't say anything about it extending his stay there, but I'll ask and find out next week hopefully. Please pray for him...it sounds as though he's very sick. The doctor even said he was really tough and was clueless to why he hadn't come in there sooner.

His letter was written on the back of a letter I had previously sent him. He said he has very little spare room to put his personal stuff, so he'll slowly be sending letters back for me to keep so he isn't forced to throw them away.

He's not enjoying boot camp (but who is suppose to enjoy it right??) and can't sleep at all. He said he thinks about me when he feels really bad (which is a lot!!). He said he imagines us sitting around my house watching a movie together and it helps him not feel so bad. He received a card from my parents and thought that was really nice.

He's having a hard time with studying. That's never been a strong point of his...hence him not finishing college...just not his thing. He said he can't remember things very well and it's just not sticking. His Aunt Terri sent him some pictures of us from his birthday/going away weekend at the lake with his whole family. He said all the guys saw it and though I was cute..hehe. Then he randomly went into health care stuff. He said that when we get married I will have full health care and we can add dental on it for like $15 (how do you like that mom?! ha!). He's had a lot of bills this month...totaling $800...which is taken out of his pay in the end. He wasn't too thrilled about that at all.

I sure hope he gets to feeling better soon. I hate that he's sick and not able to do his best. He wants to graduate top in his class, and missing days will put him behind. I pray for a fast healing and the ability to catch up and do well in his studies.

The BEST Phone Call EVER + Letter #4

On my way home from work today, I prayed to hear from Josh soon. I just really needed to hear his voice and to hear how he is really doing. I walked into my apartment at 6:00, and my phone rang at 6:15. And yes, it was my sweet Joshua! We were blessed to talk for 30 minutes!!! GOD IS SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!

He started the conversation off talking so fast. He wasn't sure how long of a call he was going to get, so as soon as he started, there wasn't much stopping him. He sounded different. First off, his throat is hurting him bad, so that had to do with it sounding different, but there was something else to it. More mature I believe. He explained things to me he has written in letters that I didn't quite understand. Like the importance of being in the Honor Guard and exactly how awesome it is that he's in the 900 division. The Honor Guard means that he gets to carry rifles and it's quite an honor to be in. Also, they hand pick 78 guys (1 already quit...so now it's 77) to be in the 900 division. Being in this is an honor, but also means they move through things faster, are expected to have more leadership, and have more tests (therefore having to study harder). Which it sounds like he's doing well on all the tests...physical and classroom tests. He's made good friends with a guy, Snodgrass (they don't go by their first names, so he's not too sure what it is....he has an idea, but I forgot what he said). Snodgrass is actually going to be going to Pensacola afterwards as well. I'm glad he'll have a buddy there...maybe they can room together or something.

I called Dana, his mom, after we talked to fill her in on everything and she told me some things he wrote in the last letter they received. I think everyone's favorite line is, "I can make my bed better, take a shower faster, and shine my boots brighter than the other 76!" Boy doesn't lack confidence does he? haha

Okay let's see...what else did he say. He'll be graduating, if all goes well, on the 21st of November. He can only have 4 people come to his graduation and has been told he'll have two or three days afterwards to hang out with family. He still hasn't heard from the people in Pensacola yet to know if he'll get Thanksgiving off, but will let me know when he does. I'm praying he does!! I'm also praying time off of work for me. As of now, I have to work the salon on Saturday the 29th and have yet to find out when I'll be off of nannying. I'll figure all the nanny stuff out tomorrow. Pray I'm able to get some good time off to see Josh, his family, and of course mine as well.

I think that's all for now. ;-)

**UPDATE TO COME WEDNESDAY EVENING AFTER MY LETTER COMES!**

Okay, so his letter this time wasn't very long, but it was super sweet! I sent him a fill in the blank sheet a while back with some questions on it so he could tell me everything I was curious about. So he filled that out with a little note on the back.

He said:

• Never have a moment go by without me not thinking of you. It gets harder as we go on. I stress pretty much all the time. I'm ready for it to be over! I'm just trying to stretch it through. I think of you and my family whenever I'm getting down and it helps me.
• I asked him what normal day looked like, and this was his response: Everyday is different. I wake up at either 4am or 6am, shower and eat, drill hard, stand all the time, and go to classes. Classes are on slopes (dunno what that is), aircrafts, sexual harassment, and a bunch of other junk. Workouts include running A LOT! It's new everyday.
• I asked if he feels like he was lied to about how things would be going into it: YES! I was definitely lied to. Some of it's the same, but a lot is different.
• I also asked if he had made any friends...which he answered on the phone.
  
• And of course, I asked how much he REALLY loves and misses me! hehe He said: More than you know. This paper isn't big enough to explain how much I'm in love with you!

He's so sweet! That's all for this weeks letter! Thanks for keeping up y'all...I adore you all!!

Letter #3...The Best Yet!

Well, today was a LOOOOONG day working at the salon. When I mean long, I mean from 9 to 9....ya. STINK! Also, my mom called me while I was at work to inform me that my Papa Kenny (her dad) was being rushed to the hospital for a possible heart attack. She called back later to tell me it wasn't a heart attack, they had treated all his symptoms, but notice bleeding internally and they don't know where it's coming from (if I understood all that right). They are doing many more tests in the morning, so please say a prayer for him.

My letter didn't come yesterday like normal because of Columbus Day, so I got home to a lovely letter from my lovely this evening. Just what I needed to perk me up. And this time, the letter was 3 pages long!!! THE BEST YET!!! In the past, it's only been 1 because he hasn't had much time. This time around, a friend of his that went to boot camp with him, and actually got put in his division, was on duty that night and let him write a letter! How sweet huh?!

So, I know you're probably dying to know what's in the letter.

RIGHT??

Oh right, that was just me...ALL DAY! Wanting to get home asap to read my letter!

So here it is...some quotes from "The Best Yet":

• I'm doing better. I can't tell you how I'm changing. I don't have the time and if I got started I wouldn't be able to stop.
• I love you Lane so much!!! I could write you all day. I'm going through a lot and it's about time. It's all good changes. I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I hope you're doing okay. Tell everybody to send more letters...it means so much.
• I just past my swimming test...easy. I'm not getting much sleep, which sucks. I have a PE Test tomorrow...hope it goes well. I think I've gained 10 pound....of fat. I'm not getting a good workout yet. 1 guy already quit.
• I got a job in my division. PLO! Tell my dad that, he will laugh.
• I noticed my hair grows faster than everybody else's.
• I enjoy ironing...I ironed 76 handkerchiefs today. (YIPPIE! He'll be doing the ironing!)
  
• We are busy from 5 am to 10 pm every night.
• I cry at night when I read everybody's mail...I'm alone it feels at times.
• My sinus' suck. I NEED DRUGS!
• OH MY GOSH! I FORGOT! I got a penicillin shot 3 days ago...I passed out and started sweating bad. My rear end was on fire for 2 days!
• I'm not crazy about Chicago's weather. Rain and cold wind. The wind is bad!
• The food here isn't that bad, but I think I'm so hungry it doesn't matter.
• By the way, when I write you guys I'm tired and can't see very well or think straight, so bare with me. (hehe...I can't definitely tell he's tired...I revise a lot of what he writes on the blog so it makes sense!)
• I like all the verses people send me. Reading my bible is very hard to do at night. I don't have the ways of getting a hold of it. I have to sneak it. I pray before every meal and I think it's catching on. I also sing out loud at chapel and Sunday's...that really caught on. Everyone around me is singing now and loud with a smile.
• I was told if all goes well I'll be out by the 21st! I really hope so (right before Thanksgiving)!
• I was thinking you could send me a picture, no bigger than a baseball card - like one of the ones from facebook that I said I liked. I have to show my recruiters. I just had to throw away all my newspaper clipping of my Dad's OBU stuff...it's dumb. (This coming from the boy who said NO PICTURES and NO MUSHY talk in the first letter...hehe)
  
• I miss you so much and think the world of you. My dad thinks you're great, and that's saying something! Tell your parent thanks for the prayers. LOVE YOU and think about you more than anyone.
  
• BE SMART! I want you to be around when I get out! (that line made me laugh...but sweet at the same time.)
  
• Love, Josh - your man.

Heheh...he's so cute! Thanks to all of you for your prayers and for keeping up with us! Love you all!!

Letter #2 - I'M SO MAD...I'M SICK!

I got my second letter today from Josh. The first thing I read is...."I've been here over 15 days and haven't got a letter from you....every night the letters are passed out...Josh never gets one."

I'M SO MAD I COULD THROW UP!!!!!!!! I immediately called his mother to tell her the address was wrong. Come to find out, they received an official letter from the Navy with the correct address, didn't think much about it (HOW DO YOU NOT THINK ABOUT IT?!?!), and never informed me about it either. They too have been sending their letters to the wrong address. So, my dear love hasn't received a letter from anyone the whole time he's been there. That just breaks my heart!

I started calling the recruiting offices in Springfield, as well as the actually Training Command Center that he's located at. I left messages and will hopefully hear back first thing in the morning....ya riiiight....but you know I'll be calling again in the morning!! Surely those letters, probably 15 total from his parent and I (not including aunts and cousins that I know have sent some too), are somewhere! I just hope their policy isn't to throw them away if sent to the wrong place. That would just make me sad all over again if they have been thrown away. I hope they are stored somewhere or being sent back to the senders.

AH, I'M JUST SO MAD!

Anyway, the update from his letter sounded much better! He's doing better, he misses me a lot, he hates the glasses he has to wear, and got some really cool boots. (He's pretty random in his writing...all over the place.) One thing I was SOOOO happy to hear was that every night before bed, a group of 25 of the guys (about 1/3 of them) gather together and pray as a group. HOW COOL!!!!!! How blessed is he to have a group like that there! I couldn't believe what I was reading. It just lit up my face!

I will say, for a moment, I forgot the first line of the letter when reading about the prayer group!

But then, of course, I remembered about the first line of the letter and once again, got frustrated and very upset.

So I end my day with writing a 3 page, small writing, large pages, letter to my sweet dear with the correct address on the envelope! And you KNOW I'll be overnighting this one so he gets it before the weekend! haha

It's now 1:15 AM and I go to work tomorrow from 9:15 AM-8:3o PM. Thursday's are my long long day, so pray going to bed this late and being stupidly stressed over this dump situation doesn't make for an even longer day tomorrow.

MY FIRST LETTER FROM SWEET JOSHUA!

So at the beginning of this week I began to get very anxious to receive an address of Josh's location. His mom, Dana, had tried to get it several times from his recruiter, but he wasn't helpful at all. On my drive home from work Wednesday I got frustrated about it all! It's not like his recruiter didn't know what it was, he just wouldn't return Dana's calls and avoided her...ugggg. I get home, look in my mailbox...nothing. :-( But wait, I walk in the door to see my roommate sitting there. She usually works nights, but called in sick that day. Thus, she had already picked up the mail. THERE IT WAS!!!!!! The most beautiful thing I've ever received in the mail. My very first letter from Joshua! And yes, I say that name with so much sweetness in my voice. I just miss him so much.

I've had my good days and I've had my bad days. Mostly I just get emotional laying in bed at night talking to God about it all. Although, when I catch myself just having a pity party because I'm lonely and want to talk to him, I snap out of it asap. I think about Josh being the one in the new place with so many new changes. All I changed was not getting to talk to him on the phone. A big change for us since it's our main connection, but still...he's the one going through so much. I'm just so thankful I'm able to have great support from family and friends. I tell ya, Lauren Frazier has been the best friend a girl can have. She checks in often, prays for Josh and I over the phone, and is such an encouragement! God has blessed me for sure!

So, you're probably wanting to know if the letter was sweet and mushy....NOPE! haha First off, he's just not like that normally. Secondly, they read everything going out and coming in. And if they find something good to read in front of everyone to embarrass someone, they don't hesitate. So here it is...I'll share it all:

Dear Lane,
Wow, I can not tell you how different this is than I expected. I was way wrong. It's hard, very hard! I love you very much. I am trying very hard to stay focused. I have been told by the Petty Officers they read letters in and out. So there is a lot I want to say that I just can't...please understand. I have to keep things to a minimum. When you write back remember they read. So just tell me how everything is going, not how you feel to me....I know and you know how we feel. I wake up around 5:00 and sleep at 9:00 for now. I'm in around 10 days of processing, so it's not as bad as it will get. I don't have much time and can only write on Sunday's. I think about my family and you very much. Very excited to get out of here. I hate it. I'm yelled at and made fun of everyday...they find a way for everything. Tell my family I'm not sick...I called my dad the first night and told him I was throwing up and sick. By day two I was fine. I have a lot of things to tell you, so in one week I will try to. PS: NO gifts or pics!! :-(
Love Love, Josh Whitlock

So as you can tell...he needs LOTS of prayers. What he means by 10 days of processing is that he was in the first group of people to arrive at boot camp and would have to wait 10 days before everyone else got there. Therefore, yesterday (Friday) or today (Saturday) will be his official first day of boot camp. I believe he's doing a lot of cleaning, some physical stuff, but mainly dirty jobs. So really, our 8 weeks starts now.

In my letter back I reminded him of everything we've heard about boot camp from those who have been there. The first couple of weeks are really hard, but if you can make it through week 3, the rest isn't so bad. I'm so proud of him and I know he can do it, but I recognize it's going to be a big struggle for him...and I hate that. Only good can come out of this though! It'll make him stronger in a lot of areas. Before he left he told me that he's been holding a lot of his love back that he has for me because he knows it'll be so much harder while he's away. He said that he just can't wait to get out so he can show me more of the love he has for me...and of course I can't wait for that either! Hopefully he'll get more romantic...haha! DOUBT IT! Anyway, please please please continue to pray for him through this time. I talked to his dad, David, after getting my letter and we read ours to each other. There was only two things David was told of that I wasn't. He's in a "performance group"...which he's been told is much harder than normal boot camp. I'm not sure what the details are of that and how he got put in it, but we do know it's an honor to be part of a performance group. Also, he said the first day he was there (when he was pretty sick) he passed out in line and threw up when he came to. He said he was pretty embarrassed, but mainly just glad he's not sick anymore. His dad has also so nicely reminded me of the awesome bed making skill Josh will acquire and maybe he'll take up that chore in our home! I'll just hope for that!

That's all for now....more updates to come later. I love you all and thank you for your prayers!