Do you think there are ever moments in our lives where if we had done just one thing different, no matter how small, we wouldn't be where we are today?
Think about that.
Now do you believe that our lives are on the courses they're on because that's the way its always been planned? Maybe not destiny per say, but regardless of the decisions we've made, we are exactly where we're supposed to be? Even if we had taken the left fork of the road instead of the right, we'd still end up in the same place?
I've always had the mantra of "No Regrets!" because without every single one of the decisions and choices I've made, the people I've let into my life, I wouldn't be the person that I am right now. I've also been raised with the belief that our lives, our families, every obstacle that is thrown in our way, was CHOSEN by us, for us before we came down here to do the whole Earth thing.
I chose to lose my babies?
I chose to be raped?
I chose to not be able to have kids?
Most of the time, that is REALLY hard for me to reconcile myself to but I think deep down, I still believe it.
Back in the summer of 2009, Mr. Superman was gone at BMT and I was living with my parents in Arizona. I ended up having surgery and getting my gall bladder and appendix removed about 3 weeks before I was to drive the 17.5 hours from Gilbert, AZ to San Antonio, TX to attend his BMT graduation. While living with my parents and confined to the couch, I tried to acquaint myself with the military world. I read everything I could, blogged about my end of the BMT experience and posted his letters, discovered military blogs, joined military spouse forums and found a military spouse Facebook group that allowed you to connect with the significant others of the people that were also at BMT and would be graduating the same time as your loved one.
After weeding out the whiners and crazies, or so I thought, I began regular correspondence with 4 military wives whose spouses were going through BMT at the same time as Mr. Superman and who would all be graduating the same weekend as him. It was a HUGE relief to be able to talk with other wives that were going through all of the same emotions as I was and as his graduation drew closer, I got more and more excited to not only see my husband but to also meet these girls who seemed so nice and who had made this experience a tad easier.
Now at this time, I had never even heard any of the stereotypes regarding military wives and tales of infidelity, contract marriages, drama llamas and I had NO idea what a tag chaser was.
My good friend guest blogged for me a while back and actually inconspicuously shared her thoughts about this very thing. Drama Llamas and the very people involved in this story which you can read HERE. She says it perfectly. As new spouses to the military lifestyle, you develop friendships and trust very quickly despite the oft times shallow and superficial nature of the people in the relationship.
Oh naivety.
I think I just automatically assumed that other women going through this huge lifestyle change and transition just like me, would be sweet, kind, and full of pride and love for their husbands. Little did I know that one of these women would soon be a part of the most horrendous thing that has ever happened to me.
I made the long drive to San Antonio with a friend and the few days spent there were so much fun. Seeing Mr. Superman at the Airman's Run was a shock. That crazy kid had lost 35lbs and 4 1/2 inches off his waist! Watching his flight at the Coin Retreat Ceremony was the first time I experienced that overwhelming pride inside my chest. The sting of tears in my eyes, my heart beating and racing so fast I thought everyone around me could hear it, the smile so huge my face hurt. I've felt that same pride innumerable times since then and it has got to be one of the most incredible things that comes with this military lifestyle that I am SO grateful for. Being able to come down from the stands and search for my man was chaotic but the minute I saw him and got that first tight hug, everyone and everything disappeared.
In the course of all of the events that weekend, I was able to meet up with two of the four wives I had been corresponding with and it just so happened that one of them had a husband who was in Mr. Superman's Brother Flight. She was a bit young but seemed to love her husband and told me she couldn't stand to be away from her husband for another 3 months while he attended Tech School in Wichita Falls, TX so she was renting an apartment down there. I was a bit envious so without giving it a second thought, I jumped at her invitation to pay half the rent and come down there too.
See Mr. Superman every weekday for an hour or two and longer every weekend? Yes please! Plans were made for this girl to drive down to Wichita Falls and leave her belongings and car with a friend, get on a flight to Arizona where I would pick her up and she would drive with me from Arizona to where our husbands were. She made a point to let me know flying was never an issue because her mom was a flight attendant. Nice! After driving the 17.5 hours from Lackland AFB back to my parents house in Arizona, I packed everything up, picked up this new friend from the airport, loaded my car, and began the 24 hour drive to Shepard AFB.
Looking back now at my choices leading up to me being in Wichita Falls, TX on October 4, 2009, I view everything differently. Every single conversation, every single thought and nagging feeling. Certain things seem so clear and obvious now while others, I don't know if I'll ever truly understand. I told you that I have a hard time reconciling myself to the belief that before I left God, I chose to live this life I'm living. The hurdles placed in my path, the hardships I've faced, and the heartache I've felt... I chose all of it. Regardless of what you or I believe, none of us has the power to hit the rewind button or the delete button. The things that have happened to us, the things we have done, the years that we have behind us, they happened, they were, and that fact won't all of the sudden cease to be.
I was naive.
I was betrayed.
I was raped.
I was choked nearly to death.
I was humiliated.
“But the past cannot be changed, and we carry our choices with us, forward, into the unknown. We can only move on.”
―
Libba Bray,
The Sweet Far Thing
To read the other posts where I open up about my attack, they can be found on my 'I Am A Rape Survivor' page.
Showing posts with label Air Force BMT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Air Force BMT. Show all posts
5.21.2012
4.21.2010
Prepping for Air Force BMT (How To Get You BOTH Out Alive)
Now keep in mind that as always, these are my opinions, thoughts, and tips which I derived from my own and Mr. Superman's (the person who actually went through BMT) experiences.
Now that you and your man (or woman) have made the decision to enlist and have probably already made several trips to MEPS, gotten your ASVAB score tucked safely under your belt, and turned in your job selections, its time to wait and prepare. Whether or not you have been selected for a job yet, its never too early to start preparing yourselves for those 8 1/2 weeks of separation and hard work.
When Mr. Superman turned in all of his paperwork he had submitted a list of five jobs he was highly interested in. Our situation was a little different because of his birth certificate being in Alabama, us being in Utah, all of his medical records in Arizona and our wedding certificate and my birth certificate MIA. It was stressful to say the least. To read about our experiences with all of our pre-BMTstress work hassle preparation (it is seriously lacking but just in case you are interested), you can do so here. The bottom five posts are from before he left. Long story short, he ended up being able to submit an additional 17 job choices and was selected for Munitions Systems (MUNS) which just happened to be his number five choice. It went hand in hand with what he had wanted to be doing after his finished his BS in Mechanical Engineering.
Always keep in mind that even if your loved one is selected for a job before BMT it is subject to change before they leave, while they're gone, before Tech School, during Tech school, pretty much anytime. The number one thing you need to cement in your mind from your first step into the world of all things military is that nothing is certain. NOTHING.
From the time we found out his job assignment to the date we had been given that he would be leaving for BMT we had something like 2 months. I don't really remember exactly because we had a whole lot of things happen but it felt like it was going to be a forever wait. Boy was I wrong. The last weeks I had with him before being separated for the first time since being married, flew by. They went by way too fast.
Things we did to prepare ourselves for BMT were mainly for Mr. Superman. He knew he'd have no problem with the classroom stuff because... well, he's a genius. Ha! Really though he was just wanting to try his best to get physically fit before going. He wasn't terribly out of shape but he had been sitting at a desk job for the previous two years. He started working out and would purposely run in the 110 degree Arizona weather to try and get used to the hell that would be San Antonio, TX. Even though he was in decent shape when he left, he lost 35 lbs and nearly 4 1/2 inches off of his waist by then end of BMT. It was more due to the 110 degree 90% humidity everyday more than the PT (physical training) regimen. We also made a budget plan for me to follow while he was gone. You always want to make sure that when your loved one leaves, they have written down all of the important phone numbers and addresses. You want to make sure that if you guys co-own a car or a house and are planning on selling them or anything else important, that all of the legal paperwork is done. Power of Attorney's are always a great thing to have done just in case.
For us, we were apart for 9 weeks and 2 days but that was because of extenuating circumstances. The length of BMT is 8 1/2 weeks and even though that length of time may seem daunting, you can do it! Thousands of people do it every year not to mention the incredible people who live through long separations due to deployments. The key to making it through with as little misery as possible is to STAY BUSY. Seriously. Work, go to school, learn new skills, clean, visit friends, spend time with family, take up a hobby, do anything and everything you want to and can do and the time will pass reasonably fast.
Also, write your man (or woman) everyday! Mr. Superman said my letters are what helped him through when he was homesick or worried about me. I wrote him some crazy long letters every day. It was therapeutic for me to still have the "how was your day today sweetie, mine was ___" conversation even if it was on paper. Don't hold out for phone calls but always be prepared to get them. Some people I know were unbelievably lucky and got one or two phone calls a week. Others were very similar to my experience which was two "official" 2 minute phone calls and I think 4 other phone calls where we were actually able to talk. I went 12 days without hearing anything from him but then when I needed his letters the most, I'd find them in the mail box. He also got one extended phone call because I had had surgery. Just be prepared for anything and everything. Stay calm, stay busy, and you'll be more than fine.
If you are curious and want to sort of follow along with your loved one during BMT I included a link below but I followed this one on my own when Mr. Superman was gone. Check it out here.
Notes:
MEPS: Military Entrance Processing Station. Useful information on MEPS and what to expect can be found here
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Great link to get more info on the ASVAB right here.
BMT: Basic Military Training. Great link on BMT general info right here. (It's older and gives an overview of the old 6-week program but it gives you the right idea of what goes on.)
Just keep in mind that you are now a part of the Air Force (military) family and it really is an incredible thing. There are always resources to discover and research and always new things to learn.
♥ Mrs. S.
Now that you and your man (or woman) have made the decision to enlist and have probably already made several trips to MEPS, gotten your ASVAB score tucked safely under your belt, and turned in your job selections, its time to wait and prepare. Whether or not you have been selected for a job yet, its never too early to start preparing yourselves for those 8 1/2 weeks of separation and hard work.
When Mr. Superman turned in all of his paperwork he had submitted a list of five jobs he was highly interested in. Our situation was a little different because of his birth certificate being in Alabama, us being in Utah, all of his medical records in Arizona and our wedding certificate and my birth certificate MIA. It was stressful to say the least. To read about our experiences with all of our pre-BMT
Always keep in mind that even if your loved one is selected for a job before BMT it is subject to change before they leave, while they're gone, before Tech School, during Tech school, pretty much anytime. The number one thing you need to cement in your mind from your first step into the world of all things military is that nothing is certain. NOTHING.
From the time we found out his job assignment to the date we had been given that he would be leaving for BMT we had something like 2 months. I don't really remember exactly because we had a whole lot of things happen but it felt like it was going to be a forever wait. Boy was I wrong. The last weeks I had with him before being separated for the first time since being married, flew by. They went by way too fast.
Things we did to prepare ourselves for BMT were mainly for Mr. Superman. He knew he'd have no problem with the classroom stuff because... well, he's a genius. Ha! Really though he was just wanting to try his best to get physically fit before going. He wasn't terribly out of shape but he had been sitting at a desk job for the previous two years. He started working out and would purposely run in the 110 degree Arizona weather to try and get used to the hell that would be San Antonio, TX. Even though he was in decent shape when he left, he lost 35 lbs and nearly 4 1/2 inches off of his waist by then end of BMT. It was more due to the 110 degree 90% humidity everyday more than the PT (physical training) regimen. We also made a budget plan for me to follow while he was gone. You always want to make sure that when your loved one leaves, they have written down all of the important phone numbers and addresses. You want to make sure that if you guys co-own a car or a house and are planning on selling them or anything else important, that all of the legal paperwork is done. Power of Attorney's are always a great thing to have done just in case.
For us, we were apart for 9 weeks and 2 days but that was because of extenuating circumstances. The length of BMT is 8 1/2 weeks and even though that length of time may seem daunting, you can do it! Thousands of people do it every year not to mention the incredible people who live through long separations due to deployments. The key to making it through with as little misery as possible is to STAY BUSY. Seriously. Work, go to school, learn new skills, clean, visit friends, spend time with family, take up a hobby, do anything and everything you want to and can do and the time will pass reasonably fast.
Also, write your man (or woman) everyday! Mr. Superman said my letters are what helped him through when he was homesick or worried about me. I wrote him some crazy long letters every day. It was therapeutic for me to still have the "how was your day today sweetie, mine was ___" conversation even if it was on paper. Don't hold out for phone calls but always be prepared to get them. Some people I know were unbelievably lucky and got one or two phone calls a week. Others were very similar to my experience which was two "official" 2 minute phone calls and I think 4 other phone calls where we were actually able to talk. I went 12 days without hearing anything from him but then when I needed his letters the most, I'd find them in the mail box. He also got one extended phone call because I had had surgery. Just be prepared for anything and everything. Stay calm, stay busy, and you'll be more than fine.
If you are curious and want to sort of follow along with your loved one during BMT I included a link below but I followed this one on my own when Mr. Superman was gone. Check it out here.
Notes:
MEPS: Military Entrance Processing Station. Useful information on MEPS and what to expect can be found here
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Great link to get more info on the ASVAB right here.
BMT: Basic Military Training. Great link on BMT general info right here. (It's older and gives an overview of the old 6-week program but it gives you the right idea of what goes on.)
Just keep in mind that you are now a part of the Air Force (military) family and it really is an incredible thing. There are always resources to discover and research and always new things to learn.
♥ Mrs. S.
9.15.2009
Here we go again!
We'll kick this post off with a photo. Why? Because I have tons of them. Mr. Airman First Class and I at the Community Center last weekend.
Hopefully this will be the last semi-over due large update post and I can return to my blogger roots. Hopefully.
Well the day, or rather evening, that I got back from San Antonio I started throwing things into boxes and suit cases but was so exhausted I quit and just went to bed. I woke up early, continued to pack, picked Kimmy up from the airport (she flew to AZ so she could drive with me to TX), finished packing, then we gassed up, prayed, and drove.
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
It was lots of fun. It was lots of stress. It was pretty awful towards the end. We did have a pretty huge (ginormous) scare when just a little while after the New Mexico border, we encountered not one, but TWO tornadoes. We were freaking terrified I'm not going to lie. We had been watching this monumental storm building up for at least three hours then out of nowhere we see these two black clouds touch the ground and start spinning. Ha Ha, um... they weren't clouds. We hit this strip of the highway where cops had everyone pulled over. I about peed my pantalones. I can laugh at it now but man oh man I was a mess. Kimmy got some pictures but she is not here at the moment. I will have to get those posted. It was a super long drive and we stopped twice to try to get some sleep. I slept for maybe an hour total. I was so exhausted by the end of that drive. We didn't sleep when we got into Wichita Falls though. We got a shower and started apartment hunting. We were praying like crazy that we would get approved for this certain one because it was the nicest, cheapest, and best one suited for us. That was nerve racking but we got it in the end and moved all our stuff in before freshening up and heading to base to see our Airmen!! It was fantastic to see Cody again. We just talked for hours then he had to head in for curfew. The next few days were spent unpacking and seeing Cody as much as possible.
Now here is the rundown on Tech School. It's going really good so far. Cody aces all four quizzes every night and did his first test with no issue but that's not a surprise at all. He wasn't supposed to start classes until the 16th but started early. He did get stuck on swing shift though so that's a bummer. On Mondays and Fridays I get to see him from about 11 am to 4 pm and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I get to see him just for 2 hours because those are his PT (workout) days and he has class Monday through Friday from 5:30 to 1:30 am. Weekends will be different because he won't be stuck on any details and he won't have class so I get him pretty much all day and up until tonight his curfew on weekends had been 10 pm. There are 3 phases in Tech School. Cody phased up tonight so he is now Phase two. Phase 1 he had to wear his ABU's all day and had an early curfew and just not a whole lot of respect. Phase 2 is where he can leave base with me, start driving, wear civilian clothes when not on duty and his curfew for weekends goes to midnight. Everything is a little different for him since he is night shift. Phase 3 is when he can stay the weekends with me and that starts sometime during the first week in October.
I've looked for babysitting stuff but there isn't much at all in the way of that. I am applying to a few places on Base but we'll see. I am also going to start donating plasma this week. That should bring in a good amount of extra cash every week. I figured, "Hey I don't mind getting stuck with needles so I may as well get paid for it right?" There is church on base but everything with the Military is non-denominational so there are just two standard chapels and the different churches meet there when its their turn. Its odd but good.
Here are a myriad of pictures. Enjoy!
Beautiful sunrise coming into Texas
Its so weird to see nothing but flatlands all the way to the horizon.
More nothingness.
Driving off base the other day there was a gorgeous sunset (nothing comparable to AZ of course)
Attempt number two at catching it. FAIL.FAIL.FAIL.
Cody's angry face. Ha ha he hates pictures.
His even skinner chicken legs. Cute right? :)
His paparazzi block
Sideways glance. I cannot get over how physically different he is. So flippin skinny!!
Clueless? Nah, he's Mr. ASVAB 99.
The last 3 days have been sunless. I.LOVE.IT. The clouds are thick, low, and fast. Black and gray are the skies colors of choice and the rain has been completely and totally endless. LOVE! This picture doesn't even capture it.
More of the same.
Ha he is actually really irritated in this picture. Probably moreso when he sees that I posted it.
The North Texas State Hospital resides just a mile down the road from me. Ha ha scary!!
Yay for genuine smiles!! *sarcasm*
Cody's BCG's aka birth control glasses. These are standard issue for PT and other hardcore training for BMT. Sexy much? Also present is Cody's downs syndrome face. He enjoys making that one.
These are his beautiful gas mask inserts aka frog man glasses.
Standard car photo.
Jenga in the library. Ha ha, the things we did to stay occupied on base. This is me demonstrating my master skills. Cody kept begging me to just let him give up because he was scared of it crashing down.
My new brown hair! Cody picked the color. My blonde was really grown out so it was time to give it up until we can afford extras like pretty hair. Ignore Cody's creepy face.
Here we go! A good smile at last! It was freezing and rainy so we had to pull out our hoodies. We love our hoodies.
So my battery died like 3 or 4 days ago. AWFUL. Every time we went to drive we'd have to hook up to Kimmy's car and jump start it. The very first time though, we jumped it and went driving for about an hour to try to recharge it. Just wanted to try everything before going in for a new one. We were on a main road and I see this flash of color in the pouring rain. I follow the road and this is what we see. I threw up a little in my mouth. EWIE.
Last but not least, finally a Steele Family 2009 photo. This is from like 3 weeks after my March surgery. Cody and I both look so different now. Crazy!!
Hopefully this will be the last semi-over due large update post and I can return to my blogger roots. Hopefully.
Well the day, or rather evening, that I got back from San Antonio I started throwing things into boxes and suit cases but was so exhausted I quit and just went to bed. I woke up early, continued to pack, picked Kimmy up from the airport (she flew to AZ so she could drive with me to TX), finished packing, then we gassed up, prayed, and drove.
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE DROVE
It was lots of fun. It was lots of stress. It was pretty awful towards the end. We did have a pretty huge (ginormous) scare when just a little while after the New Mexico border, we encountered not one, but TWO tornadoes. We were freaking terrified I'm not going to lie. We had been watching this monumental storm building up for at least three hours then out of nowhere we see these two black clouds touch the ground and start spinning. Ha Ha, um... they weren't clouds. We hit this strip of the highway where cops had everyone pulled over. I about peed my pantalones. I can laugh at it now but man oh man I was a mess. Kimmy got some pictures but she is not here at the moment. I will have to get those posted. It was a super long drive and we stopped twice to try to get some sleep. I slept for maybe an hour total. I was so exhausted by the end of that drive. We didn't sleep when we got into Wichita Falls though. We got a shower and started apartment hunting. We were praying like crazy that we would get approved for this certain one because it was the nicest, cheapest, and best one suited for us. That was nerve racking but we got it in the end and moved all our stuff in before freshening up and heading to base to see our Airmen!! It was fantastic to see Cody again. We just talked for hours then he had to head in for curfew. The next few days were spent unpacking and seeing Cody as much as possible.
Now here is the rundown on Tech School. It's going really good so far. Cody aces all four quizzes every night and did his first test with no issue but that's not a surprise at all. He wasn't supposed to start classes until the 16th but started early. He did get stuck on swing shift though so that's a bummer. On Mondays and Fridays I get to see him from about 11 am to 4 pm and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I get to see him just for 2 hours because those are his PT (workout) days and he has class Monday through Friday from 5:30 to 1:30 am. Weekends will be different because he won't be stuck on any details and he won't have class so I get him pretty much all day and up until tonight his curfew on weekends had been 10 pm. There are 3 phases in Tech School. Cody phased up tonight so he is now Phase two. Phase 1 he had to wear his ABU's all day and had an early curfew and just not a whole lot of respect. Phase 2 is where he can leave base with me, start driving, wear civilian clothes when not on duty and his curfew for weekends goes to midnight. Everything is a little different for him since he is night shift. Phase 3 is when he can stay the weekends with me and that starts sometime during the first week in October.
I've looked for babysitting stuff but there isn't much at all in the way of that. I am applying to a few places on Base but we'll see. I am also going to start donating plasma this week. That should bring in a good amount of extra cash every week. I figured, "Hey I don't mind getting stuck with needles so I may as well get paid for it right?" There is church on base but everything with the Military is non-denominational so there are just two standard chapels and the different churches meet there when its their turn. Its odd but good.
Here are a myriad of pictures. Enjoy!
Beautiful sunrise coming into Texas
Its so weird to see nothing but flatlands all the way to the horizon.
More nothingness.
Driving off base the other day there was a gorgeous sunset (nothing comparable to AZ of course)
Attempt number two at catching it. FAIL.FAIL.FAIL.
Cody's angry face. Ha ha he hates pictures.
His even skinner chicken legs. Cute right? :)
His paparazzi block
Sideways glance. I cannot get over how physically different he is. So flippin skinny!!
Clueless? Nah, he's Mr. ASVAB 99.
The last 3 days have been sunless. I.LOVE.IT. The clouds are thick, low, and fast. Black and gray are the skies colors of choice and the rain has been completely and totally endless. LOVE! This picture doesn't even capture it.
More of the same.
Ha he is actually really irritated in this picture. Probably moreso when he sees that I posted it.
The North Texas State Hospital resides just a mile down the road from me. Ha ha scary!!
Yay for genuine smiles!! *sarcasm*
Cody's BCG's aka birth control glasses. These are standard issue for PT and other hardcore training for BMT. Sexy much? Also present is Cody's downs syndrome face. He enjoys making that one.
These are his beautiful gas mask inserts aka frog man glasses.
Standard car photo.
Jenga in the library. Ha ha, the things we did to stay occupied on base. This is me demonstrating my master skills. Cody kept begging me to just let him give up because he was scared of it crashing down.
My new brown hair! Cody picked the color. My blonde was really grown out so it was time to give it up until we can afford extras like pretty hair. Ignore Cody's creepy face.
Here we go! A good smile at last! It was freezing and rainy so we had to pull out our hoodies. We love our hoodies.
So my battery died like 3 or 4 days ago. AWFUL. Every time we went to drive we'd have to hook up to Kimmy's car and jump start it. The very first time though, we jumped it and went driving for about an hour to try to recharge it. Just wanted to try everything before going in for a new one. We were on a main road and I see this flash of color in the pouring rain. I follow the road and this is what we see. I threw up a little in my mouth. EWIE.
Last but not least, finally a Steele Family 2009 photo. This is from like 3 weeks after my March surgery. Cody and I both look so different now. Crazy!!
9.11.2009
Major Catch Up Time!!
NOTE: Really Really Long!!
Alright alright, its time to have a fully loaded blog post. Hopefully Blogger photo uploader is having a good day today cause I got tons!!
My post-op went well and I was told to just take it easy, keep stress minimal, and not to work out until I got back from Texas. No biggie because I wouldn't have been able to find the time to work out. I did come down with a cold which was major bummin' but I was bound and determined to be okay to go to BMT Grad.
We had a family get together to celebrate the August birthdays which was crazy and loud and fun and packed full of kiddies (best thing ever) just like always. Good desserts, swimming, and conversation dominate the Organ Family get togethers. After the party I did some hanging out with friends.
Dinner with two of my all time favorite people in the world. Spencer & Erin!
Shaycee Marie bein her sassy self
Parker struttin (since he can now)
3 out of 4 of my crazy brothers bombing the kiddies in the pool
Cute cousins Shay & Aiden!
Aaron holding the newest addition Mr. Colton.
Parker opening his presents with the help of his oh so "glowing" (yep, she's pregnant!) mama Katie.
I thought this was cute, so I stole a picture. Justin and Gin cuddling.
A bunch of the cousins sharing in the excitement of birthday presents!!
Me & cute Colt.
The August Birthday Kiddies!! Parker's expression just cracks me up. Jalen turned 11, Bailee turned 7 and Mr. Parker turned 1!!
Most of the kids enjoying their fantastic cake and homemade ice cream!
Before Erin & I headed out to San Antonio there was so so so much to do and I was stressed beyond belief. I was also pretty sick and nervous and didn't have any idea what to expect. The day before we left, I stayed up all night and did laundry and packed. I crashed on Tuesday around 10 am, slept until 2 pm then crashed again around 3 until 8. I finished packing and got all the last minute things done. Erin and I took off at 11:30 and got on the freeway at ten til midnight. We drove and drove and drove. I had to switch with Erin twice for about an hour each time just to keep from passing out but I did pretty well. We got to our hotel in San Antonio at 5:15 on Wednesday.
I was a nervous wreck on Thursday morning getting ready. We attended an orientation at 7 that morning which is where I finally got to meet in person the two wives I had been corresponding with online. Kim is the one I am now living with and Libby is the other one. Libby's husband is Reserve and was in a completely different squadron than Cody. Kim's husband Alex, was in Cody's Brother Flight! Very cool. They also are both doing Munitions Systems aka AMMO. After the orientation everyone (thousands) line up along this road to wait for and then cheer for our Airman on the Airmen's Run. You try and spot yours but its so hard because they all look the same. Erin spotted Cody and I couldn't believe my eyes!! He looked so different!
After the Airmen's Run we had about 3 hours to kill on the bleachers waiting for the Coin Ceremony and Retreat. We met a really neat couple from Pittsburgh who had a son in Cody's same flight. It was so fun talking with them and getting to know the people around us. The Coin Ceremony is where they officially swear in as Airmen, receive their Airman's Coin, and a few other things. I had chills the whole time watching Cody, this whole new man, be apart of this ceremony. I bawled, of course, and when it came time to go down and greet them, I was so shaky. They have to stay in formation and you go to them. It was incredible guys, absolutely incredible to see him and hug him and kiss him after nearly nine weeks of separation. Phenomenal.
The first thing he says to me? "You're here!" Ha ha, yes ladies and gents, my beloved Cody doubted my ability to get to San Antonio. After that, we (Erin, Cody, and I) went to lunch and got to sit and talk. It was by far, the most awkward, stinted conversation I have ever been a part of in my entire life. You could feel the awkwardness in the air. Cody later apologized he just didn't know how to act. Ha ha, it was okay. After lunch we explored the BX (Base Exchange) for a couple hours and ran into a lot of his buddies. Getting introduced to these guys was for lack of a better word, weird. They already knew everything about me so I felt a little strange. They are all great guys though. Cody loves 'em. After the BX we went bowling. Now for anyone who knows me knows I DO NOT bowl. I have been bowling once in my life and was so awful my mom put the bumpers up. Ingloriously terrible. Well we bowled with one of Cody's buddies Sepanik and his family. I was dominating the entire time until the last two frames then Cody and Sepanik killed it. Oh well, I beat like 5 other people. Ha ha. We went to a mini BX eatery place after that and ate some more then we got lucky enough to meet Dibley aka Dibbs. He is the coolest kid ever. He hung out with us lots off base too.
Friday consisted of another very early morning then driving to a parking lot on base and walking about a half mile to get to the Graduation Parade Grounds. Erin and I sat with Kim, her mama, and her brother. We also got lucky enough to sit next to Fortunado's parents again and then Robyn and Matt came right before it started. It was a great ceremony and I was so overwhelmingly proud to see my baby with his stripes on!! He looked so handsome. After greeting them on the field, we took a few pictures then walked back to Cody's squadron where he was able to show us where he lived for 8 1/2 weeks and meet his TI (training instructor). That was kinda the point where everything turned from being surreal and detached to becoming this real thing. I was finally able to see where he had been sleeping and living and doing everything. Strange. After that we went back to the hotel for Cody to get a real PRIVATE shower and vegged out for a couple hours in civi's (civilian clothes). We met up with Robyn and Matt downtown and walked the Riverwalk which was pretty and ate and did some shopping. We ran into a few people we knew and just had a good time. After that we went back to the hotel to get changed and then back to the base to grab some umbrellas at the BX (it rained so its a good thing), then swung by another hotel to pick up Nix aka Georgia Peach and then headed out to a minor league baseball game. It was a fun time. We didn't watch the game at all, just enjoyed each others company and hung out with Dibbs and Nix and then later Sepanik and Langford joined us. Seriously those guys are hilarious. I'm glad those were the guys Cody aligned himself with. They are all a bit younger than us but a blast to be around.
Saturday was a major veg out fest. We went to breakfast with Dibbs and Cody then Dibbs and Erin hung out while Cody napped. Fun right? Ha ha. Later we went to Sea World. OH MY GOSH. It was so small and packed and dirty (like everything in San Antonio) and nearly all the shows were closed. I got sick and we left. Lame.Lame.Lame. We went shopping, had dinner, then took it easy on base. Sunday was more of the same. Food, Airmen, hanging out, and trying to soak up as much time with Cody as much as possible. It was really sad when we dropped him off. He had his duffel bag I had stocked full of civi's for him and it was awful just having to say goodbye again. His buddies were all there so I got some pictures of them then we drove off. SAD DAY. That night, Kim crashed with Erin and I, we ordered pizza, and acted like a bunch of crazy girls. On Monday early morning we left San Antonio. I was able to shave like an hour and a half off our time so it wasn't too horrible. Here are the pictures from San Antonio!!
Airmen's Run!!
Some of the guys during the Coin and Retreat.
More of the same.
Can you spot Cody??
Um... ha ha Sepanik being Sepanik?
Cody's Flight marching in review at the actual Graduation Parade.
Cody standing next to his locker and bed. His ABU's and exceptionally shiny belt buckle. His slice of heaven at Lackland. HA!
Me making fun of his ever present cheesy fake picture taking smile. That's one thing that didn't change.
Erin & Nix
Cody & Chelle
Cody with Nix and two other guys from his flight, I have NO idea of their names.
Cody, me, Dibbs, Erin & Nix
Erin laughing at Dibbs. Chances are, he just said something spectacularly clever and funny. This kid's the bomb.
Dibbs, Cody, me, and Erin trying to squeeze in
The one Sea World show we did see and it was fantastic! The Balooga Whale one.
Cody & I at Sea World
My bestie and I
Erin tryin to calm herslef down so she can make her crazy eyes
Erin's crazy eyes.
Erin & Chelle
Kimmy and her hubby Alex with Cody & I.
Last dinner together on Sunday night.
LOVE HIM!!
Aren't they so freaking good looking in their blues?!? Its Cody, Dibbs, Langford, and Sepanik.
Good looking men.
Kimmy!!
Sleepover!!
One of my favorite pics of Cody! He has a real smile and he's so handsome in his blues!!
Alright alright, its time to have a fully loaded blog post. Hopefully Blogger photo uploader is having a good day today cause I got tons!!
My post-op went well and I was told to just take it easy, keep stress minimal, and not to work out until I got back from Texas. No biggie because I wouldn't have been able to find the time to work out. I did come down with a cold which was major bummin' but I was bound and determined to be okay to go to BMT Grad.
We had a family get together to celebrate the August birthdays which was crazy and loud and fun and packed full of kiddies (best thing ever) just like always. Good desserts, swimming, and conversation dominate the Organ Family get togethers. After the party I did some hanging out with friends.
Dinner with two of my all time favorite people in the world. Spencer & Erin!
Shaycee Marie bein her sassy self
Parker struttin (since he can now)
3 out of 4 of my crazy brothers bombing the kiddies in the pool
Cute cousins Shay & Aiden!
Aaron holding the newest addition Mr. Colton.
Parker opening his presents with the help of his oh so "glowing" (yep, she's pregnant!) mama Katie.
I thought this was cute, so I stole a picture. Justin and Gin cuddling.
A bunch of the cousins sharing in the excitement of birthday presents!!
Me & cute Colt.
The August Birthday Kiddies!! Parker's expression just cracks me up. Jalen turned 11, Bailee turned 7 and Mr. Parker turned 1!!
Most of the kids enjoying their fantastic cake and homemade ice cream!
Before Erin & I headed out to San Antonio there was so so so much to do and I was stressed beyond belief. I was also pretty sick and nervous and didn't have any idea what to expect. The day before we left, I stayed up all night and did laundry and packed. I crashed on Tuesday around 10 am, slept until 2 pm then crashed again around 3 until 8. I finished packing and got all the last minute things done. Erin and I took off at 11:30 and got on the freeway at ten til midnight. We drove and drove and drove. I had to switch with Erin twice for about an hour each time just to keep from passing out but I did pretty well. We got to our hotel in San Antonio at 5:15 on Wednesday.
I was a nervous wreck on Thursday morning getting ready. We attended an orientation at 7 that morning which is where I finally got to meet in person the two wives I had been corresponding with online. Kim is the one I am now living with and Libby is the other one. Libby's husband is Reserve and was in a completely different squadron than Cody. Kim's husband Alex, was in Cody's Brother Flight! Very cool. They also are both doing Munitions Systems aka AMMO. After the orientation everyone (thousands) line up along this road to wait for and then cheer for our Airman on the Airmen's Run. You try and spot yours but its so hard because they all look the same. Erin spotted Cody and I couldn't believe my eyes!! He looked so different!
After the Airmen's Run we had about 3 hours to kill on the bleachers waiting for the Coin Ceremony and Retreat. We met a really neat couple from Pittsburgh who had a son in Cody's same flight. It was so fun talking with them and getting to know the people around us. The Coin Ceremony is where they officially swear in as Airmen, receive their Airman's Coin, and a few other things. I had chills the whole time watching Cody, this whole new man, be apart of this ceremony. I bawled, of course, and when it came time to go down and greet them, I was so shaky. They have to stay in formation and you go to them. It was incredible guys, absolutely incredible to see him and hug him and kiss him after nearly nine weeks of separation. Phenomenal.
The first thing he says to me? "You're here!" Ha ha, yes ladies and gents, my beloved Cody doubted my ability to get to San Antonio. After that, we (Erin, Cody, and I) went to lunch and got to sit and talk. It was by far, the most awkward, stinted conversation I have ever been a part of in my entire life. You could feel the awkwardness in the air. Cody later apologized he just didn't know how to act. Ha ha, it was okay. After lunch we explored the BX (Base Exchange) for a couple hours and ran into a lot of his buddies. Getting introduced to these guys was for lack of a better word, weird. They already knew everything about me so I felt a little strange. They are all great guys though. Cody loves 'em. After the BX we went bowling. Now for anyone who knows me knows I DO NOT bowl. I have been bowling once in my life and was so awful my mom put the bumpers up. Ingloriously terrible. Well we bowled with one of Cody's buddies Sepanik and his family. I was dominating the entire time until the last two frames then Cody and Sepanik killed it. Oh well, I beat like 5 other people. Ha ha. We went to a mini BX eatery place after that and ate some more then we got lucky enough to meet Dibley aka Dibbs. He is the coolest kid ever. He hung out with us lots off base too.
Friday consisted of another very early morning then driving to a parking lot on base and walking about a half mile to get to the Graduation Parade Grounds. Erin and I sat with Kim, her mama, and her brother. We also got lucky enough to sit next to Fortunado's parents again and then Robyn and Matt came right before it started. It was a great ceremony and I was so overwhelmingly proud to see my baby with his stripes on!! He looked so handsome. After greeting them on the field, we took a few pictures then walked back to Cody's squadron where he was able to show us where he lived for 8 1/2 weeks and meet his TI (training instructor). That was kinda the point where everything turned from being surreal and detached to becoming this real thing. I was finally able to see where he had been sleeping and living and doing everything. Strange. After that we went back to the hotel for Cody to get a real PRIVATE shower and vegged out for a couple hours in civi's (civilian clothes). We met up with Robyn and Matt downtown and walked the Riverwalk which was pretty and ate and did some shopping. We ran into a few people we knew and just had a good time. After that we went back to the hotel to get changed and then back to the base to grab some umbrellas at the BX (it rained so its a good thing), then swung by another hotel to pick up Nix aka Georgia Peach and then headed out to a minor league baseball game. It was a fun time. We didn't watch the game at all, just enjoyed each others company and hung out with Dibbs and Nix and then later Sepanik and Langford joined us. Seriously those guys are hilarious. I'm glad those were the guys Cody aligned himself with. They are all a bit younger than us but a blast to be around.
Saturday was a major veg out fest. We went to breakfast with Dibbs and Cody then Dibbs and Erin hung out while Cody napped. Fun right? Ha ha. Later we went to Sea World. OH MY GOSH. It was so small and packed and dirty (like everything in San Antonio) and nearly all the shows were closed. I got sick and we left. Lame.Lame.Lame. We went shopping, had dinner, then took it easy on base. Sunday was more of the same. Food, Airmen, hanging out, and trying to soak up as much time with Cody as much as possible. It was really sad when we dropped him off. He had his duffel bag I had stocked full of civi's for him and it was awful just having to say goodbye again. His buddies were all there so I got some pictures of them then we drove off. SAD DAY. That night, Kim crashed with Erin and I, we ordered pizza, and acted like a bunch of crazy girls. On Monday early morning we left San Antonio. I was able to shave like an hour and a half off our time so it wasn't too horrible. Here are the pictures from San Antonio!!
Airmen's Run!!
Some of the guys during the Coin and Retreat.
More of the same.
Can you spot Cody??
Um... ha ha Sepanik being Sepanik?
Cody's Flight marching in review at the actual Graduation Parade.
Cody standing next to his locker and bed. His ABU's and exceptionally shiny belt buckle. His slice of heaven at Lackland. HA!
Me making fun of his ever present cheesy fake picture taking smile. That's one thing that didn't change.
Erin & Nix
Cody & Chelle
Cody with Nix and two other guys from his flight, I have NO idea of their names.
Cody, me, Dibbs, Erin & Nix
Erin laughing at Dibbs. Chances are, he just said something spectacularly clever and funny. This kid's the bomb.
Dibbs, Cody, me, and Erin trying to squeeze in
The one Sea World show we did see and it was fantastic! The Balooga Whale one.
Cody & I at Sea World
My bestie and I
Erin tryin to calm herslef down so she can make her crazy eyes
Erin's crazy eyes.
Erin & Chelle
Kimmy and her hubby Alex with Cody & I.
Last dinner together on Sunday night.
LOVE HIM!!
Aren't they so freaking good looking in their blues?!? Its Cody, Dibbs, Langford, and Sepanik.
Good looking men.
Kimmy!!
Sleepover!!
One of my favorite pics of Cody! He has a real smile and he's so handsome in his blues!!
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