Did I mention I finally got my diploma?

After 3 years, $12,000, and 3510 miles added to the speedometer on my car (acrued from driving back and forth to Columbus for classes), I've finally finished my Master degree. I completed the thesis portion on it last August, but because I was tardy getting my paper in, it didn't get graded until Fall semester. So I didn't graduate until December. Long story short, I finally got the diploma a few weeks ago. I immediately took it up to Michaels and had it framed, where it now sits proudly and expensively on the wall in my office. Happy day.

On the home front, I get letters weekly from the Army child. She says she doesn't like the Army, but she's sticking with it. She likes some of the aspects, such as obstacle courses and running around in the woods, but not the marching and the hard physical stuff. She sounds lonely. But the interesting thing is, I hear more from her now then when she was living in Florida with no constrainsts to communication. She graduates from Basic in about 3 weeks, then she'll be in individual training in Alabama, which is a lot closer to home than Missouri. That makes me glad.

Happenings

Someone wrote me a comment recently, and I almost fell out. I had no idea anyone still read this blog.

So to answer your question...

My daughter did indeed join the Army, and is currently in basic training in Missouri. I get letters a couple of times a week describing life in hell, although she doesn't say that. She complains about the difficulty of army life and the physical work. She says she enjoys shooting her M-16, but the last letter described her fears that she wouldn't be able to qualify, and would have to be recycled. Her more overriding concern at the moment is her physical problems. She says that because her feet hurt so bad, she finally had to go to the medic, which meant she spent last weekend in the hospital. She is worried that this might mean she will be recycled. I don't think the Army is what she expected. But it's like kids: No one can tell you what it's really like, you just have to experience it for yourself.

My other daughter had surgery on her jaw the day before the older girl shipped out, but she is recovering. She had to have her jaw realigned, which required an overnight stay in the hospital. She is getting better, but it still hurts, and she still can't eat normally. This is a problem for her, since she's a skinny as a stick insect anyway.

How do I feel about all this? Better. I don't cry every day, which is what I was doing for about 3 weeks before daughter number one shipped out and daughter number two had her surgery. I was out of work for almost two weeks because of all the home issues, which put me behind. Which is stressful.

Now I'm hoping the oldest daughter sticks with her decision to join the military, and doesn't quit when the going gets tough, which she often does. I hope the trials she is enduring makes her a better person. I try not to think about how much I miss her, although sometimes her letters hit a spot in me that brings tears to my eyes.

The youngest girl is a great person. I'm thankful and grateful she is in my life, and do what I can for her, while she is still home. She's working hard on her college plans, so I've only got her with me for another year and a half. So I'd better make the most of it while I still have time.