Phone Call #2!

Well Sunday I got another call from Brian! It was supposed to just be a business call to just get the drivers license numbers and dates of birth for everyone going to basic training, but we managed to get in a little bit of a conversation in the midst.

He is sounded like he was doing better, and since I was somewhat expecting (well really just hoping) for a call again I took it much better and didn't cry! Thank you to those of you who have written him. He did say that the letters from home have made things better. He reads the letters before he goes to bed at night, and he said that if "lights out" comes before he's done reading that he takes the letters into the bathroom to finish reading them there! So funny that he has to read the letters in the bathroom. I hope he is just "reading" them there instead of them being "reading material" if you know what I mean. haha

For those of you who know our eating habits you know that well, we aren't the easiest eaters to please. In spite of everything he said that he is eating well there. He eats a salad, main course, and a fruit for dessert at his meals. He also got the most perfect job for him there! He was assigned to the kitchen, which means that twice a week when he works there, he gets to have ice cream and sugary things. They are really meant for the TI's, but the kitchen workers get to eat from the forbidden luxuries.

He said that even though his flight is filled with guys right out of high school he is managing to make some friends there. There are a lot of country boys there that he gets along well with. He said that the evenings are his favorite parts of the night because everyone in his flight gathers in a group (even the TI's) and they just sit around talking and relaxing. That is something that they have earned recently and the guys all enjoy actually being able to relax instead of being on their toes.

I asked how his performance was going and he said that he is doing well. Most of the guys have around 20 marks against them (he used a specific name for it, but I can't remember it) and he only has 1 (that he got blamed for something that someone else did). He actually is learning to "cheat" the system. Apparently you only have so long, after the get out of bed trumpet sounds, to get dressed. So, he started hiding his socks under his bed so that before the trumpet sounds he can get out his socks and put them on while still in bed to buy him a few more seconds!

Well this is the start of his Week 4 of basic. Which means, Friday is his official half way through mark. I must say it is quite a relief to see that day come. He also said that this week they earn their name tag on their uniform. Which means that the TI's can visually see how long they have been there and don't give them such a hard time anymore.

Oh - and he did say that they started something new with his group. Now they do "night raids" (where people raid their dorm at night going through all of their things to make sure that everything is folded nicely and everything is spotless) every night. They used to only do this ridiculous thing like once or twice a week, but now it's every night. I don't think I would be able to go back to sleep after something like that.

At the end of our conversation we decided that I will be joining Brian at Tech School reguardless of duration or location. So, I will either be moving the last weekend in October or the first weekend of November. It is exciting, but a little crazy since I won't know where I am going for at least another 2-3 weeks. It is nice though, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, if anyone is wants to head on a road trip, (probably to Wichita Falls Texas) let me know and come with me!!

Lucas and I are doing well, I just haven't written on here much because I write Brian about it every day and it just feels so redundant.

Please keep all of us in your prayers, especially Brian. He could use any extra pull we have! :)

Brian called home!!

Well that super long awaited call finally came! When I heard my phone saying that a 210 (texas area code) phone number was calling my heart nearly leaped out of my chest as I darted for the phone leaving Lucas eating raisins in his high chair. I tried to hold it together but just hearing him say "hey" got the water works flowing.

He is missing home naturally, and says that it is REALLY hard, but he is doing ok. His TI's (insturctors) are really tough and they get in trouble a lot because there are some guys in his flight that really don't care to be there. They are so strict that he they haven't let them mail any letters home. If they are caught sending a letter home without permission they can get recycled (held back) a week.

He said that they have to run for 30 minutes straight and then they get a little break and then they have to do sprints. He is doing ok with the running but he said that on his physical test thing they do that he needs to improve his time on the mile and a half. Apparently he has to run it in 11 minutes or less and he is at 12, but his chins and calves are killing him so he is praying for rain! (when it rains they don't have to run - thus giving his calves time to heal) He says that he has lost some weight, but that he is getting a six pack with all the sit ups so it's ok.

He did say that he is only allowed letters and NO packages of any kind. So, feel free to write him even though he won't be able to respond.

Finally a picture

Well today I got an email from the service missionaries at Lackland and there was a picture of Brian!! It made me feel so good to see him, but yet so sad that we aren't there together. Although I really am doing alright. I get sad at night, but during the day I am really so busy with everything going on just don't have time to think about it.

I have written him a few letters but still no word from him yet. The missionaries said that writing home and calling is a "priveledge" that has to earned.