Part Three Continued- Letters from home.

Again, this post might be a little choppy and unorganized because boot was such a crazy journey, and there are SO many things that were going on, and it's hard to keep up with every little detail. But I am trying my best to break it up in a way that it makes sense.

I had his training matrix printed off and hanging next to my bed. Every night before I went to bed, I'd grab my bright red marker and cross a day off. It made me feel like I kicked that days ass, and I was ready to take on the next one. When I started crossing off the days, it seemed hopeless. Then as weeks started passing, it seemed as though the matrix just kept eating up these red X's.

I always sent such random things in my letters. I'd send jokes, quotes, poems, song lyrics, and most of the time since I am such a phenomenal artist (KIDDING!) I'd draw him stick figure drawings of him and I :) He loved it, I knew it. I remember one letter I sent him I included a tic-tac-toe board. We played it back and forth until it was over. He won, of course. I wasn't surprised that he still kicked my ass in every game we played even from states away. His Drill Instructor ended up finding it, and told him it was "Gayer than aids". Haha, I still laugh to this day when he tells me the story about it.

I feel a little sad sometimes when I go through the boot camp letters. This is the first time I have actually went through and read them in almost a year. It was such a huge experience in our relationship. When I think back to boot camp, I am amazed. It blows my mind that for 13 weeks our relationship survived soley on LETTERS.

I started spending A LOT of time with his family while he was at boot camp. It made me feel closer to him in every way. They always had me laughing, to the point where I would be in tears. His parents always told me I was so easily amused. One of the most important messages I have ever gotten and will forever stay in my heart is one from his dad that said,

"Hello Erin
Both Hope and I are in agreement, it seems as though you are hopelessly in love with our popeye as he is you. So with that, a heartfelt welcome to the family is ado God Bless."

(Popeye is Ian's nickname, I'll explain that all in the next couple posts- Pinky promise!)

I told Ian about that in one of my 80 somethin' letters, and he was shocked too. From that day on I always felt apart of his family, sometimes they were more of a family then my own. Like I always say, they are truly heaven sent!

Before I knew it, we were getting down to the end. It was heading into November, only three short weeks until he graduated! It was so hard to believe that we were almost finished with the boot camp journey, especially because there were days where it seemed like it would never end!


Okay, okay I need to stop going off on these random rants, but  anyways- Letter Number 19, I got on November 5th, 2009. It was after his BWT week, (Basic Warrior Training) I believe it was Week 10/11 on the training matrix. He qualified as a sharpshooter, and he wrote at the top of his letter, "P.S I kept a picture of you with me on the rifle range, it helped calm me down to shoot better".  I like sharing parts of my letters just because it is what our relationship was for three months. It's what motivated me every single time the mail man brough me a letter. 

Two days letter I got another letter, and he said it would probably be his last letter because he was starting The Crucible. He was nervous for it, and I felt sort of overwhelmed that the first part of our journey was coming to an end. I mean, in 11 days I would be on my way to Parris Island. It was absolutley unreal.  But, to my surprise, on November 12,2009 I got another letter from him. He basically was telling me how he was nervous for the crucible, how he is so excited to see me, and how much he as to tell me. My favorite part of this letter was, "You will be getting a call from me on Sunday, so stay by your phone! I love you!". So that was it, that was the last letter ever during boot camp. It's crazy to think I was sad in a way that it was over. But I was so unbelievably excited to see him, to finally be able to throw my arms around him and just hold him.

I can't believe I just pulled out all those letters and re read through all of them. It's so strange to think we have come this far. It seems like just yesterday that I was stalking my mailman waiting for letters.

Since I finished up majority of the boot camp part, I think I will be able to finish part three, later tonight when I write. I want so badly to be caught up to the present day! Hahah! I'm getting closer.

Next post, I'll start with the beginning of The Crucible because I've gotta admit, I was nervous too! :)