Monday, November 8, 2010

My Marine (recruit) Monday



HAPPY HALLOWEEN    OCT 31ST, 2010

DEAR FAMILY,
YO YO!
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I HAVE STILL NOT GOTTEN MAIL!  IT SUCKS, BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WILL BE GETTING IT TONIGHT. WE ALSO NEVER RECEIVED OUR PHONE CALL, BUT THAT SHOULD ALSO BE SOMETIME THIS WEEK.

SOOOOOO, WITH THIS LETTER I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ASKED IN THE LAST ONE YOU SENT.  SUCKS.  BUT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON : )

NOW, HERE IS THE UPDATE - 2 WEEKS LEFT!  HA HA, THIS WEEK IS FINALS WEEK.  MONDAY IS FINAL DRILL, TUESDAY IS FINAL TEST EXAM, THURSDAY IS FINAL PFT AND WE PREP OUR UNIFORMS FOR THE REST OF THE TIME AND GET READY FOR THE CRUCIBLE.

LAST SUNDAY I WAS MADE 1ST SQUAD LEADER : )  THERE ARE ONLY 4 SQUAD LEADERS AND TO BE 1ST WAS MY GOAL!  ITS BEN WAY COOL & HARD.  WE ONLY GET 2 MINUTES TO EAT AND ONLY 6 HOURS OF SLEEP TOPS, BUT IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD IN MY SERVICE RECORD BOOK.  ALSO MY POSITION HAS CHANGED IN FORMATION.  I'M IN THE FRONT   : )

I JUST WALKED BACK TO THE HOUSE AND FOUND OUT WE GOT OUR MAIL, BUT I MISSED SINCE I AM PRAYER LEADER AND HAD TO BE TO CHURCH EARLY.  I DIDN'T WANT TO RE-WRITE THIS ALL, SO I'LL WRITE ANOTHER LETTER ONCE I READ THE MAIL!

I'M ALSO REALLY WANTING TO RUN THAT 5K WITH YOU ON THANKSGIVING MOM SO IF YOU COULD REGISTER ME, THAT WOULD BE GREAT!  : )

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO WRITE ABOUT SINCE I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES  HA HA.  BUT I AM DOING AWESOME AND AM VERY HAPPY!

I'LL WRITE AGAIN SOON!

LOVE AND MISS YOU GUYS

-RECRUIT CATMULL
'SEMPER FI'

We got this letter on Wednesday, and of course no phone call.  A little bummed about that, but am thrilled with his squad leader position.  If you know me at all, I am a tich competitive.  'dawg is EXACTLY like me that way.  He went into boot camp determined to be a leader.  He had goals about how he wanted to perform with his rifle tests, his exams, and his PT - so far, it seems like he is hitting his marks.  I couldn't be happier or prouder of him.  He's the prime example of our family motto:  "Go big or go home"  : )

This week is the Crucible.  I am hoping he goes into it with all his wits.  Ration his water, listen to his muscles and body and make them work for him!  I hope he keeps his head where it needs to be.  Focused on his goal and know that when he reaches the top of the mountain, he will belong to an amazing new family.  A family that few earn the right to join. 

 I hope he looks around at his new brothers and loves and respects them.  I hope he looks at himself and realizes all that he has overcome to be there.  I hope he is as proud of himself as I am of him. 

Semper Fi

10 comments:

" Hit It......." said...

You will be amazed at how important his buddies become. When Todd was home; it was ALL he talked about. Kind of "the no man left behind."

Once he gets throught he Crucible, he will have an unbelieveable amount of self pride. Todd spoke of that accomplishment a great deal.

Two weeks left my friend and you will see your boy. I am so excited for you.

Jamie said...

You have so much to be proud of. What he has accomplished is a big deal, for him, for your famiy, and for our country. Your last two paragraphs made me cry.

wendy said...

Go BIG or go home. Awesome. You...competitive???nah (tee,hee)

Hey two things stuck out for me ..as a mom...in his letter.
He said I am doing AWESOME and HAPPY......that's all a mom wants to hear.

wendy said...

HEY, you need to ADD to your November calendar
NOVEMBER 30....meet up with Wendy in West Jordan

email your phone #
I promise, I won't prank call you

gigi said...

Awesome! Makes me proud just reading yur letters! Just GO BIG!!

Just M said...

Water is the one thing that you NEVER have to ration in bootcamp. Trust me. There is plenty and they make sure you drink your fair share of an ocean worth of it while you are there for three months.

Hooray for the Crucible. It sucks and you come back tired and sore, but that Eagle Globe and Anchor ceremony at the Iwo Jima Statue is worth every last second of it.

I'm sure that Dawg is smart and won't be one of the guys that passes out at the ceremony for not drinking enough water. :)

Congratulations Marine Mom.

tammy said...

He will do amazing. I just know it.

2 minutes to eat a whole meal? It takes me 2 minutes to eat 2 bites. I am a slower eater.

Mae Rae said...

wow...it is SSSOOOOOO close. When you arrive all his mail will be there.

Pedaling said...

accomplishing sooo much in this little window of time.
Much of these posts remind me of when Ted was at boot camp---
I love these posts!

LKP said...

i'm a loser and JUST reading this today, wednesday. =(
hope he's handling this week well. i have half an urge to write him but i'm not sure he'd get it by the time graduation occurs. so if you do get that phone call, or if you happen to write him at all this week, please pass along our love here in washington! daisy down last week, and me down this week has really put a massive cramp in my pen-pal style. love you guys!
(p.s. most everyone else hasn't gotten a comment from me in DAYS, so know that you're all UBER loved! and with that i'm off to soak in the tub, and pray my aches & pains go away.)