Off to Basic Combat Training: Red Phase

The week of reception is officially over. Allan crosses the tracks tomarrow and heads over to Basic Combat Training, or BCT. What does this mean? No more daily phone calls, and a drill Sergeant in his face 24/7. I talked to him tonight, and he was getting everything ready to go. He says he just wants to start..the waiting was driving him insane (reception lasts a week). I am happy we are finally on to Red phase (the 9 weeks are seperated by 3-3week phases, red, white and blue.) but I know this is the hardest of the phases..and where they break you down. Praying for my sweet husband that he stays strong and knows we lovehim. Letters of support would be great, I will have his address soon and will get it to whoever would like to write!!

Becoming ARMY STRONG!!

This is what saying goodbye to a soldier feels like. I didn't think the day would ever come as we prepared for Allan to leave for basic training. Now, it is here. Watching him leave left me with so many emotions. I was proud, I wear my title of "ARMY Wife" with great pride! I was sad. The emptiness of not having him here is magnified when I see how much my little ones miss him. There are so many little things I realized I took for granted. Bathing the kids, taking turns getting up with a nightmare, holding the baby while I break up a fight, they all seem so much more amplified doing them on my own.

Yet, what it really breaks down to is I am so very happy with the decision we have made. He is doing something honorable, not only for his country...but for his family. We will be so much better off for it. The seperation is just minimal in the grand scheme of things. This too shall pass, and one day we will look back at all this crazines and think, "I worried over THAT!". For now, I cherish every phone call I receive from him and I pray for his strength and safety.

We are not just ARMY strong, we are FAMILY strong!