Day 00

In thirteen weeks I will be a United States Marine.

It is seriously hard to believe that statement. I never would have imagined what it would be like to be in this position yet here I am. The Lord has guided me all this way and I know he is ready to do great things in my life through the trials life brings. Am I excited? Yes. Nervous? Oh yes. I was not nervous until I began brushing my teeth this morning and ever since, boot camp is all that has been filling my mind. This is my last time to mentally prepare for the challenge ahead. It’s funny because I was talking to a friend and told him I felt like I was on death row or something about to be executed. Of course I have no clue what that actually feels like but just the way we would talk about things the final week before my shipment. It was a good week.

Thanks to the guys who were able to surprise me with a party at school the other night. I was seriously surprised and loved every minute of it. I am truly blessed.

So now what? Well here is the basic rundown from what I understand. We will check in at the hotel at around three this afternoon. That’s three more hours of sitting and doing nothing O_o. . . Then we will have the evening to do whatever (which I will be using to rest up). Wake up call is going to be around 4am tomorrow morning and we head to MEPS. At MEPS we will take our final height and weight and then just wait for the bus to Parris Island. From what I hear, we get a “last meal” on our way to PI and then we go through the gate and hit the yellow footprints. Then it all goes down.

Please, if you will, send me letters. Nothing crazy (music cards, pink markers, obnoxious writing or drawings on the outside of the envelope, etc.) but just keep me posted on the outside world. I will not be able to actively take part in people’s lives like I enjoy doing in the civilian world so I would like to be updated on everyone. How Carolina is doing in basketball, what the weather is like, what things the Lord has been doing, who broke up with who (just kidding), or just anything. Anything and everything will mean a lot to me. A very sweet lady I know, Amy Brooks, will be updating this thing as she sees fit. I will send her letters too so she can update you all if for some reason I cannot write to you. Also, you can follow this blog via email by signing up in the bottom right corner of your screen. Please keep me in your prayers not only that I would do well, but that the Lord would be glorified and would use my success as a tool to open opportunites for teaching others about my Savior. I love you all, and even the fact that you’re reading this right now means the world to me. To everyone: Love God. Love others.

rejoice.always