Thursday, July 17, 2008

The big 5-0

Fifty posts in just a little under four months! I'm amazed, even though I haven't kept up as well as I should have these last few weeks. Turns out, the boys can use government email like it's AIM and no one cares, but when Booth wants to update her circle of friends on how her life is going it's way uncool.

Sorry, unintentional third person usage. 5-yard penalty.

Everything is much the same in this part of the world. We're prepping to go back to the ship in a few days (blecch), and my newbie Aerial Gunners are finally getting some decent training. Now, if only we could keep our planes flying, everything would be money.

I submitted a drawing for the squadron's deployment patch that is actually going to end up on a t-shirt, which may actually be a cooler end result. And I'm finally going to try to get some patches made just for the heck of it, for myself, that I've spent the last two deployments not getting. So maybe I'll have some souvenirs this time.

My Sergeant Major said he was supposed to get an email about that essay contest soon. I'll definitely let you guys know of any new developments with that.

And things keep on moving along without me back home, in San Diego and in Jacksonville. Becca and the other girls from my company at Parris Island are all prepping to get out of the USMC just as I'm getting back from this float... My granddad got a hearing aid (hallelujah)... Shannon is in VA... And my little brother (Travis, for those who don't know) and his girlfriend broke up. Definitely keep that kid in your prayers. He's--uhm--relapsing. And he's too far away for the fam to do him any kind of good if he gets into any serious trouble. Which has happened before.

I really want God to come storming into his life and break down all his--whatever they are. I know it's probably not going to happen that way, but he does need Him. Desperately. And the thing is, Trav knows that. I'm just not sure he wants to make the first move.

And Heidi seems genuinely bummed. I think she wants what's best for him, and he doesn't want to listen to her. But she's right: she shouldn't have to be okay with being with him when he's being self-destructive.

But the sun will rise tomorrow, and as my grandmother says, "This too shall pass." I hope so. I love that crazy kid.

And I miss you guys!

3 comments:

Ryan said...

Congrats on your 50th......

Now, I guess we will have to wait until your 50 years old or something.....

Thanks for the update on the Essay Contest. I was going to email you on the boys special email to see how that went.

I think you are almost half way there right?

Don't have too much fun over there!

Shannon said...

anything is possible.

i will keep praying.

Love you,
Shan

Anonymous said...

Aw geez. brothers. and they don't realize how everything do hurts us too. i wish i could save mine too. that agony of knowing he that has heard from God and does not respond is haunting. nothing short of haunting. the pain of watching family self-destruct is self-destructive in itself. you are in my prayers. have you been getting my emails? and it's not so much 'prepping' as it is spazzing ;-). wish you were here. especially on days like today. i would have so much to run my mouth about...
`becca