My Marine (recruit) Monday

(I love this picture)

Got two fantastic letters from him this week!

10-10-10

DEAR FAMILY,

WHAT'S GOOOOOOOOOOOD?!?!?

ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN A VERY FULFILLING WEEK.   FRIDAY WE HAD RIFLE QUALIFICATION, AND LIKE I WANTED TO, I SHOT RIFLE EXPERT.  IT'S THE HIGHEST MARKSMAN AWARD FOR THE M16A4 RIFLE.  I AM PRETTY STOKED ABOUT IT TOO!  : )  I'LL BE SHOWING YOU GUYS MY AWARD WHEN YOU GET HERE.

SPEAKING OF HERE, IT'S REALLY COMING UP FAST!  THIS COMING WEEK IS MY LAST WEEK OF PHASE 2!  AFTER THIS "FIELD WEEK", WE HEAD BACK SOUTH TO MCRD TO FINISH THE 3RD & FINAL PHASE : )

OUR SERIES COMMANDER TOLD US THAT THIS WEEK IS THE WEEK THAT WE REALLY FEEL OUR TRANSFORMATION FROM CIVILIAN TO MARINE.  THAT FEELING HAS ALREADY HIT ME.  IT STARTED LAST WEEK AND IT FEELS SO GOOD.

THIS "FIELD WEEK" WE ARE ABOUT TO TACKLE IS WHEN WE SLEEP OUTDOORS AND GO OVER COMBAT TACTICS, LAND NAV, COMPASSES, ETC.  IT WILL BE COOL I AM SURE.  I AM GIDDY TO GET IT OVER WITH THOUGH  : )

THIS LAST WEEK I GOT SOME REALLY GOOD MAIL FROM FRIENDS & FAMILY!  IT REALLY HELPED ME STAY MOTIVATED.  I AM SAVING ALL THE MAIL SO I CAN SHOW YOU MOMMA.

OH AND AS FAR AS FLYING & SEA WORLD AND ALL THAT?  AS SOON AS I LEAVE MRCD, I AM ON LEAVE, SO WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT!  SEA WORLD WOULD BE AWESOME : )  I WOULD LIKE TO BE HOME SUNDAY OR MONDAY THOUGH.  I MISS HOME AND JUST WANT TO RELAX WITH THE FAMILY  : )  I'LL JUST DRIVE BACK WITH DAD & THE BOYS TO SAVE MONEY, AND YOU CAN BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS WITH SIS.  THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T PAY FOR OUR FLIGHTS BACK, UNFORTUNATELY.

I AM WAY PROUD TO HEAR ABUOT YOUR MARATHON!!  I BET YOU DID SO GREAT MOM : )

I HOPE YOU LET YOUR BODY RECOVER 100% THOUGH.  I'VE LEARNED THAT IF YOU DON'T, IT REALLY CAN EFFECT YOU.  SOME KIDS HAVE GOTTEN DROPPED FOR PUSHING THROUGH PAIN INTO STRESS FRACTURES.

I HAVE BEEN LEARNING QUICKLY WHO THE REAL FRIENDS ARE AND AREN'T.  NOT A BIG DEAL TO ME.  I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS STILL WRITING AND I HAVE MY FAMILY & PRINCESS.  THAT'S ALL I CARE ABOUT  : )

LIKE I WROTE TO DAD, YESTERDAY WE HAD AN 8 MILE HIKE IN FULL GEAR (HELMET, ARMOR, CAMIS, BOOTS, 85LB MAIN PACK) ETC.

I DID SO GOOD.  I ENDED UP AT THE VERY FRONT AND DID NOT FALL OUT ONCE.  I KNEW THAT ALL THE HIKING I DID BEFORE WOULD PAY OFF!  I'M GLAD I DID IT!

I'VE BEEN STARTING TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO WHEN I GET HOME AND IT ALL INVOLVES THE FAMILY, SO I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE DOWN TO RELAX AND EAT FOOD FOR A FEW DAYS!  HAHA

ANYWAYS, I HAVE ALOT TO DO TODAY BEFORE WE HEAD OUT TO THE FIELD TOMORROW SO I BETTER HEAD OUT FROM CHURCH!

I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS SOON AND THAT YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

MISS & LOVE YOU GUYS

-RECRUIT CATMULL

'SEMPER FI'

PS - SEAWORLD WILL BE FREE OR REALLY,  REALLY CHEAP SINCE I WILL BE A MARINE ONCE WE GO : )  IT GETS US GREAT PERKS

PSS - LET ME KNOW THE DETAILS OF TRAVEL PLANS AND PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND

He doesn't know that I already booked his flight coming home.  And I doubt that the airline will let me do anything about it without a fee.   I am happy to know that he is thinking about finances, but I also want him to be able to spend more time with his daughter, which flying will allow him to do.  I sent a letter today letting him know, and giving him the choice.  I'll figure something out if he really wants to drive with the boys.

WHAT'S UP DAD?!?

HOW ARE THINGS GOING??  I'VE BEEN MEANING TO WRITE YOU, WE HAVE JUST BEEN SO BUSY AND RESTRICTIONS ON TIME.  NO WORRIES ON THE CAR RIGHT NOW, I GUESS I DO NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS TAHT DO NEED TO BE FIXED ON IT.

AS FAR AS MONEY GOES, I HAVE OPENED AN ACCOUNT WITH THE MARINE PACIFIC CREDIT UNION.  THEY HAVE THE BEST RATES FOR CAR AND HOUSING INTEREST LOANS SO NO WORRIES ON WHERE I DO MY BANKING.  I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE CHASE TOO MUCH ANYWAYS.

I HAVE RECEIVED A DEBIT CARD AND THE DI'S MAKE US USE IT OCCASIONNALLY FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE ALL USE AS A PLATOON, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I AM SAVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  WATCHING THE YOUNGER RECRUITS BLOW THEIR MONEY REMIND ME WHY I SHOULDN'T HAHA.

WHILE ON THE TOPIC OF MONEY, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOW MUCH YOU & MOM ARE HELPING OUT.  YESTERDAY WE WERE ON AN 8 MILE HIKE WITH FULL GEAR (HELMET, BODY ARMOR, WEAPON, AND 85 POUND MAIN PACK) IT WAS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE TOUGH ON MY FEET AT ONE POINT AND THEN I FOR SOME REASON THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU & MOM ARE HELPING WITH AT HOME AND IT MADE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER.  REALLY MADE ME GRATEFUL FOR HOW GREAT OF PARENT I AM BLESSED TO HAVE!

I HOPE THINGS AT HOME ARE GOING WELL FOR YOU!  I AM DOING AWESOME HERE AND AM WAY STOED TO SEE YOU WHEN I GET HOME.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK DAD!

-RECRUIT CATMULL

'SEMPER FI'

I find it interesting that his letter to his Dad was mostly about money.  You can tell what focus Splenda Daddy has tried to instill in our boys.  Fiscal responsibility.  Splenda sent off a letter letting him know that we did get his car fixed and sold, so one less thing he needs to worry about.

And NGL - nice warm fuzzies when he expressed gratitude for us. 

We are about 4 weeks away, and I am getting very excited!!!

Semper Fi