Last blog post we left off in week three so it's only fitting we start there:
WEEK THREE
October 11th-October 17th
10/11/2020
HER
Today is Sunday, so the start of your third week. Can you believe by the time you actually get this letter
you’ll be about or slightly over half way? Crazy. I feel like things were kind of slow but everyday since you
left I’ve been busy and/or not left alone which I am also grateful for and the days may feel long (especially
the letter receiving day) but the weeks are flying.
10/12/2020
HIM
Last night I was on EC duty (entrance controller). It can be an intense job during the day but this shift
started at 2000 (8pm) and ended at 2200 (10pm). Lights out at 2100 plunged the world in darkness. My
cheap battery light died so I couldn’t read like usual.
I had the hour to kill so I decided to play a movie in my head. Well the only movie I’d say I know well enough for that is the Princess Bride. I replaced the actors with you and I for the beginning of the book part of the movie.
10/14/2020
HER
Today was a wild frenzy of making sure I was drinking enough, eating enough, getting to my families on time, getting to my appointment on time to donate plasma, peeing quickly, answering the questions before being tested, testing my blood with a finger prick for protein and iron levels and all that and for nothing. I had too high of blood pressure to donate today. I guess there was one positive...I was wearing the dark Air Force shirt and the lady at the counter told me the Air Force rocks and how her husband was in the Air Force. I told her (very proudly mind you) that you were in your third week at BMT. She then again told me that the Air Force is the best and I felt like you were with me. :) Also the guy you was drawing the blood and all that (I’m pretty sure) was a name I recognized from a family members name. I drove back to my family's house disappointed where I finished reading your letter-a surprise I got in the mail this morning before my appointment. I was confused and wondering what lesson I had to learn from not being able to do today's appointment but it wasn’t as clear as the first time I got it canceled on me (when you called) but the next day (10/15) I figured it out when I went for another appointment which all went beautifully! Both my pinkies are now sore from testing my blood yesterday (10/14) and then again today(10/15) and I have a hole in my right arm but I’m happy! I did it! And I even got a little teary as I donated because this was meant for someone. I was helping someone. I am fortunate enough to be able to do this and I had the courage to greet my fears. I am so incredibly proud of myself and my body! The lesson I learned? I’m learning about ‘ME’. I’ve learned how to notice my body more and when it is dehydrated vs hydrated. I can feel it in my veins. I’ve learned that my emotional wounds will get tied into just about anything and will open up again but that doesn’t mean I lost my progress, it’s a part of it. And then yesterday and today I learned that I rush through life and put an unnecessary strain on my body. It’s okay to get things done and even more okay to do things on time but they don’t have to be ‘rushed’.
10/15/2020
HIM
Guess what I was issued today? My blues and my OCP (occupational camouflage pattern).
They started by fitting us with jackets, like a suit jacket, followed by colored short and long sleeve shirts,
light weather jackets, and then a heavier weather jacket, almost like a trench coat. It’s impressive because
they stand us in a line and as we walk into the room they size us up within literally two seconds. So I
walked through for my jacket and she says “40L” so that’s what I found on the rack and it fits perfectly.
At least the way they want it to fit. They did this for everything and had to make only slight adjustments.
Then a man sized us up for slacks. I’m a 35” long. To him at least. I thought it was way too baggy but,
oh well. In the waist I mean. Then we walked around the corner and up onto a stand where these ladies
fitted the legs of the pants to fall exactly where they needed to when wearing our low quarters- the shiny
black shoes. They marked them and within the hour all 39 of us had our pants sized to the correct length.
They can do it that fast. I haven’t worn the entire thing together. It was always a combination of PT gear and blues. After it was all done and stuffed into our duffel bag, which is an awesome bag by the way, then we moved onto the OCP. There were originally two camo patterns. There are the OCP and then a blue-grey pattern that was camo but had a different fit. I think I prefer those but the Air Force recently stopped issuing them during basic. Lackland is a joint operation so they have Navy, Army, and Marines here as well. They wanted everyone to start looking the same.
We are one military but different branches.
So they fit us with our pants, once again a bit too big in the waist but the size down was too small. They guy just said, “well you were issued a belt right? You know how to use one?” Which of course I do but with a wide waist fit makes the legs wider too which just makes everything else look baggy. Oh well. It is what it is for now. I can get them fitted in tech school. So pants, shirts(coats, because we have shirts underneath) then second cap issue, gloves, and finally boots. It was pretty cool to see that our boots were Goretex. I got to tell a couple of guys what Goretex was. Most of them thought Goretex was just a type of boot insert or brand. I love wearing the OCP, despite it’s bagginess on me. We got to wear them for dinner chow and it was fantastic. So much better then wearing the physical training gear all the time. It was the first time I felt like I was in the military. Marching to and from chow with all of the facing movements, saluting, and everything else is just better. We’ll see how I feel when I’m wearing my “blues”.
10/16/2020
HIM
I want to make sure I write this down for you because right now the last I heard I get 1 minute on Saturday. There is an app called “Aim High” where you can search by flight and see pictures of us. I know I’ve had a few taken. There may also be a website. Another Trainee told me about it so I’m not sure about the accuracy of this information, but, photographers have been floating around since the beginning and I know there are a few taken like I said. I’m surprised they haven’t told us anything about it. The MTI’s act like they don’t see them. Which is probably by design.
And, hey, guess what?! I’m no longer a chow runner! When we form up for chow, right after we are sized up which there is a whole process for that, the dorm chief or an MTI will yell, “chow runners, GO!” and we then echo as loud as possible. Then the two chow runners quickly fall out after relying, “Proceeding sir/ma’am”. So when another Trainee and I fell out and we were heading to the door our MTI said, “I don’t want to see anymore of your faces. We need new chow runners.” So I did it one last time and am a free man. Though by the end it wasn't so bad. I just had a really bad start to it all.
Something else I did on Wednesday was go with probably half the flight to a briefing for my specific job. We had a very large group so we didn’t even really get to the actual processing part. They sat us in a room to explain our jobs, write down what we were told, and then they explained what we still needed to do. They told me that I needed an interview even though I already had an interview and a follow up interview but there are two different databases and sometimes they don't correspond well. Since I didn't really do much I'll find out more when they call us back again.
10/17/2020
HER
Luckily there was nothing really going on today because I was really tired and antsy. You know since it’s Saturday and I was hoping that the Saturday call pattern continued. We did wake up and get to the farmers market early for our vegetable box and then we went to the park with our Relief Society President again. Then we went home and I made lunch and ate it and no call from you. Your past two calls were at 11:17 and 11:24 our time. Once it was past 11:30 I started to become very bummed and then I remembered how I was just talking to Bubba about being happy for what he got. When we were leaving for the park Bubba and I decided to not bring our water bottles but Baby wanted to. She was prepared because both Bubba and I were thirsty after the park. Baby was nice enough to share a drink but then she was done sharing. Bubba was upset and telling Baby she was mean. I told him that she didn’t “have” to share. She made the choice to bring her water, “we” didn’t so now we are learning that it’s a good idea to bring our water bottles next time. She decided to give him another drink but apparently it was “just a drop” and he was upset again. I went over with him again that she didn’t “have” to share, that she did all the right things. She shared even when she didn’t have to, she brought her water bottle, and she set up her boundaries to make sure she got the water she brought. Bubba and I were learning from her and from our experience and now we know we should ALWAYS bring our water bottles. Then he was mad at her and when I asked him “for what?! She did everything right?” he was just on repeat. I tried to tell him that I thought he was mad at himself but he wouldn’t take it. Then when we got home he complained about the amount of Gatorade I gave him. “Couldn’t you just be happy for what you did get?!” I asked and here I was upset that I didn’t get a call. Shouldn’t I just be happy for the letter I got that morning?” I prayed for forgiveness. Letting that go was hard but I did. Then I fell asleep and napped off and on on the rug when “Off we go” started blasting! At first I thought it was an alarm (like I told you on the phone) but I quickly woke up and realized it was YOU! At 1:20pm our time. I was so excited to hear you! I felt like our call this time was much more business like this time. We talked about your ballot coming in the mail, money transferred and withdrawn from the account, “blood money” (because of donating plasma) , our letters we’ve written or that are coming, you talked to the distracted children, and we were even quiet for a minute. Like we didn’t know what to talk about. I just liked being on the phone with you but it felt like a waste to not talk about “something”. I even remember thinking “who even are we anymore?” But not in a negative tone, more contemplative. I think it’s because this alternative lifestyle has “settled” and now it’s time to redefine what this means. The thing is it’s too temporary to define just yet. I was super excited to learn that there were pictures of you and that you got your uniform!
10/17/2020
HIM
This morning for PT was our 3rd week of training test. 1.5 mile run, push ups, and sit ups.
I shaved off two minutes of my run time, but I still have to get better. My push ups improved but my sit ups
were somehow worse. I’ve asked to get help with my run so we’ll see what happens. Then we rushed off
to the showers and then breakfast. WE were rushed through that so we could make beds and do details
(clean) which we do twice a day. Then we headed out for more graduation practice. It was nice outside.
Since getting up it was cloudy with more of a heavy mist than rain. I was trying really hard to practice my
discipline. We had to stand completely still for about 20 minutes. I breathed in the rainy air and imagines
little kisses on my face. We had some study time and then we were picked out for bearing and discipline.
I missed my reporting statement which I instantly knew I did but I at least knew the answer to the question
I was asked. I just answered too quickly. Then I was able to call you. The sound of your voice is more
wonderful than anything, of any sound, I could hear here.
I don’t want to speak but just hear your voice.
