Answer

The following pics are in answer to my Aunt Kay's question in yesterday's comments. They were taken last night about 6:30 pm. I'll post better ones after Jess uploads the ones from her camera.

Matthew has my GPS, so I got lost, drove past their bus and police escort going the wrong way, sobbing because I was going to miss them, then the gate was closed and I had to park across the street and then wait for someone going out to slip in the closing gate.

I made it because they had to check in their guns and gear before coming out and Donovan and Trevor were at the end of the line.

And in case you are wondering why I didn't just follow Kristina or Jessica, who knew where they were going, you will see in the pictures that Brandi also has on a uniform- I was coming from here.

And you won't see Ethan and Jacob in these pictures

because they were here

(second place today!)

And Matthew was in here

In Cedar City with Whitney

That's why he has the GPS and not me

Now back to the answer pictures

Trevor, Brandi, Donovan

Trevor, Jessica, Donovan

Hunter, Donovan, Kristina, Jordan

Hoo- ra

Semper Fi

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Indeed.

Family Day at MCRD

Motovational run in the morning. Trevor is on the outside, 4th from the front (in green) {also, click on it to view it larger. I know it is dark, after Jess lightens it, I will repost it}

Marching in for the Awards Ceremony. Again, 4th from the front.


Trevor receiving his Eagle Globe and Anchor pin. This is when he actually becomes a Marine instead of a recruit.


Fixing his uniform after showing us how to do chinups.


Isn't he handsome?


I love my Stripling Warrior!

"Serprize, Serprize, Serprize"!!

I know it isn't spelled correctly, I spelled it the way Gomer Pyle always said it on the Andy Griffith Show and on Gomer Pyle USMC. Why?, you ask. Because I just got the best Serprize of all, Trevor just called me from MCRD- Marine Corp Recruit Depot (where Gomer Pyle was actually filmed and Trevor is training).

At first I was a bit nervous about why he might be calling me. When Donovan was there, he called the first day and then the next time I heard from him was after leave when he called to tell me he was injured. But it was actually a good call this time. I guess the platoons are allowed to call home before they head north for their 4 week training at Camp Pendelton, but Trevor's platoon got short-changed and so they let them call today when they are back at MCRD.

It sounded so good to hear his voice, but I was taken aback when I heard that first tenative "Mom?" I miss him soooooo much. 22 days until I see him again. School is going to have to do without me for a week, because it would take more than wild horses to keep me from going to pick him up.

From the halls of Montezuma

My third child, second son leaves in 75 minutes to go to San Diego to MCRD (Marine Corp Recuit Depot). This is the second time I have sent a son off to become a Marine. Somehow this time is harder.
Maybe it is because last time I could fool myself into believing that he was just off to scout camp and then life could take over before I missed him too much.
Maybe it is because last time I had 3 days between when he graduated from high school and his actual leaving.
I think it is because last time he left on a Monday and I had daily things to keep me occupied and not thinking about his leaving.
This time, I have had time to think about all the things I am going to miss. He already went to scout camp and came home. He is leaving on a Sunday. I always cry at church during the sacrament song. Today I promised I would not cry until I dropped him off at the recruiting office and was back in my car.
I started crying when I was trying to put my makeup on. I should have just not put any on because by the time the opening song was over, I didn't have any on anyway. I really wasn't going to cry. At least I didn't have to give a talk or anything like that.

Then to make matters worse, our bishop announced that we were going to have a musical sacrament meeting. Our ward does this once in a while. It is kinda like testimony meeting. The congregation thinks of a song that has a special meaning to them, you go to the pulpit, tell the meaning of the song in your life and then we sing it. Well, the spirit wouldnt' let me sit this one out. No, I had to get up. I tried ignoring the feeling, but you know how that goes. But I couldn't think of any song to sing that wouldn't make me cry harder. No matter. So I stood up and think I spent a year just crying at the pulpit. I am not even sure what I said, but we sang my family song, Hymn #250 "We are all Enlisted" (ironic, I know).

I am proud to be the mother of one Marine and one Marine recruit. In 12 1/2 weeks I will be the proud mother of two Marines. I will get my boy back for 10 days while he is on leave and then he will be gone for another eight weeks at SOI (school of infintry), at Camp Pendelton. So in all he will be gone almost six months. He will come home on leave the week after General Conference and then be gone until after Thanksgiving. But he will look so handsome in his dress blues.