Plans, Updates

So Mikey being in basic has obviously been unpleasant. However, the good thing is all the sudden there's only five weeks till I fly to South Carolina with his parents to see him! That's just over a month, and that is a whole lot more manageable than when he first left and I was staring at ten weeks without him. I'm halfway there, and I'm so excited!

The hardest days are the ones you wouldn't think are hard. They're the normal every day days, where nothing really special happens. That's when it's easiest to notice that space he's supposed to be. Next to me in the car, across from me out back at his cousins house, on my floor with me while I watch one of the hundred movies he has on his hard drive...But I've gotten some really amazing encouraging letters from him. He asked me to movie to Virginia to be with him during his advanced training, and he wants to keep me as long as possible when I go see him in June. I might be able to hang out with him for a few days after he graduates, and he offered to pay for my ticket home. I've technically got a two way ticket and am supposed to go back on the 24th. But if it's possible to stay longer, fuck it, I'll stay. It's my money anyway, and it's just money.

I do wish it was possible for more people to go see him. He isn't coming back in between basic and AIT and he misses everyone. I write him letters every day and I'll send him a message for you, and he can receive pictures too so I send lots of those. He seems to be doing really well, which is good. He's adjusting quickly, though he has a bunk mate that slows him down, and his platoon isn't the brightest bunch so he's often getting phone privileges taken away for others mistakes. That's just what happens. He told me about his first "Meal Ready To Eat" also known as an MRE, which sounds gross but he says it was surprisingly good. Because of his uniform he's getting tan only on his head and hands. Add some military issue glasses and he probably looks like a big fat dork right now.

I can't count on a phone call on Sundays, but I can hope. Last Sunday was Mother's Day and he managed to text me and call his mama in ten minutes. This Sunday I can only hope that no one fucked up too badly and he has a few minutes. Mail is really slow and we've been getting each others letters out of order. It became apparent that I never even got his first few letters. The delay seems to be anywhere from four to ten days before we get something. But still, it's something, and I definitely freak out every time I get a letter. He doesn't really have all that much free time to sit and write but he manages to do it anyway which is great.

So it's getting easier, especially knowing that the trip is coming up fast. It looks like I'll be leaving my job when I leave on the 20th too, and will hopefully be moved to Phoenix a week before or after that. Things will be much easier when Mikey is in AIT. After just a few weeks he gets a ton of privileges. Phone, internet, weekends off, etc. I'll probably be doing at least a semester of school in Phoenix before moving to Virginia, if I do. I'd really like to, and it shouldn't be for more than six months. But I do need to spend some time with my dad and my best friend. I wasn't expecting Michael to ask me to move, and if we can figure it out and it works out I'm gonna miss a lot of people. I don't even know where to start the process of moving to a whole new state essentially on my own. No doubt it'll be epic and require some funds. I'm more excited than scared, though, and that's a good sign.

So! That's all that. Michael would like letters from people. He said he probably won't write anyone unless he has something to respond to because he doesn't really know what to say. I have the address and it's also up on Facebook somewhere, so just ask around.