Emily recieved RJ's another letters today 4-19-08

Today I got a 3 page letter from RJ. It did not have a date on it. This could possibly be the mushiest letter I’ve ever gotten. I’ll try to spare you some. The red is my writing and the white is his.

“I read your letters all the time. They make me happy. I thought about you all day and in PT (physical training) this morning we had to run 2.5 miles in 20 minutes and I pushed myself and when I wanted to stop I thought about things that make me happy, like you, then I’d smile and speed up. I would love to hear your voice so the next time I get a phone call I’m calling you first” Sorry Guys…Im doing my best to encourage him to call/write his parents. “I see a lot of guys mopeing around and I do it to then I read the letters I’ve been sent and I smile knowing people care” More extremely mushy stuff “I wake up at 4:30am and go to PT til 6:30 then I go to chow time. After that we change into ACU (Army Combat Uniform). Last week it was Land Navigation and this week it’s First Aide. I like this week a lot more than last week. But next week I’m shooting my M16. YAY!!!” Is it okay that I’m kinda worried?

And before you read this next part know I’m not too weird. In one of my letters I told RJ that if your pee is clear then you’re well hydrated and that’s good. And if not, to drink more water so he’ll start to feel better faster, not to mention being healthy. I only know this because my moms a nurse. “So funny story, about 2 hours before I got your letter I was using the tree line and I was like ‘dang I must have drank lots of water cuz my pee is clear.” Good to know he’s healthy right?! “Please send pictures. I need them.” More disgustingly mushy stuff… “The day I called you at 3:30 in the morning was absolutely amazing” 3:30 am on a FRIDAY and I still had to get up and go to school. We talked for about 45 minutes. “You will see some of the training I went through. There is a 1st lieutenant that takes videos and pictures of some of the stuff we do. Please don’t go crazy while I’m gone. A lot of people are going crazy. There s a guy that’s going home Thursday. He says he’s suicidal but he’s not really. He just really wants to go home. I want to go home but not yet. There are 3 people from Michigan n my platoon. People keep saying they want to go home, I say after my 11.5 weeks I will. More about boot camp: every once in a great while we get smoked when we screw up big time but we’re all pretty good now. Thanks for the quotes, there really good” On the bottom of some of his letters I write quote I’ve looked up about courage and strength and anything else I can find that’s inspirational.

“So what did josh say to you about it?” I’m not sure what he’s talking about.. “I miss you a lot and when I say a lot that’s a major understatement. I’m glad you’re keeping busy. I am too but I don’t have a choice in the matter. When I first got your package I was happy then I was depressed because there weren’t any envelopes inside with letters. Then I opened the notebook and I was soooo happy I almost cried. I wish I talked to you a lot more but I will now? What?? “When I opened the notebook and read the 1st line ‘I cant even tell you how proud of you I am’ I was extremely happy and I almost cried through the whole 1st page. Yeah right the ring doesn’t matter!! It is the meaning behind it but it matters” I told him I didn’t care about the ring. “I’m in Alpha Company 1st platoon. When I got your letters I was ecstatic. When I wake up its freezing then when I change into my ACU it’s SO hot. I envy your roommate. Just that he gets to see you everyday and I don’t. My nightmare just became the 2nd best time in my life.” I think he’s referring to something I wrote to him but I don’t remember what, I’m kinda confused. Now he goes on to discuss wedding stuff. I’m telling you, this kid has what he wants in mind!!! “my dad and josh are coming down here for mine and Justin’s graduations”……(details details details)….

“you can contact Josh any week, weekend, day, hour, second.” At this point I’m confused. Why exactly am I suppose to contact Josh?.. “Tell josh to call my recruiter and ask him about hometown recruiting. I need to go study, I have to stab my battle buddy with a needle IV tomorrow. Don’t forget the yellow borders and my roster number (137) on the envelope”

I left out quite a bit of the sappy stuff. I figured you didn’t want to hear it. Sorry I may hog the next phone call. I have been encouraging him to write to his mom and dad