Okay, so this week has had it's ups and downs. I feel like I've been on an emotional roller coaster but I just have to keep moving forward! Exactly one week ago, the mailman came to my front door with an envelope in his hand (there was postage due). I immediately recognized the handwriting on it as my husband's handwriting and got VERY excited. So I began running around the apartment like a mad woman as I was searching for my wallet which happened to be in my coat pocket that was right next to the door so that I could pay the 66 cents to receive my mail from my amazing husband. The mailman probably thought I was crazy with the way that I was going on as I took the precious envelope from his hand. Once I had the letter in my hand, I had to just stand there for a minute and enjoy the sight of an envelope addressed to "Mrs. Gilligan" with the handwriting of my husband. I finally forced myself to sit down at the table and open it and when I pulled the paper out, I was surprised to see that the whole thing was typed. As I read further, I realized that it was not actually something that my husband had written. It was a form letter that all of the recruits send back home. At first, I was disappointed because I have been dying to hear from my husband. This separation has not been easy by any means but I quickly recovered when I realized that at least the form letter gave me something to respond to and an address to send all of my other letters that were already written to. A pamphlet was also included in the envelope about family day and graduation so that at least gave me some more information. I am still waiting for the first real letter to come but I am doing all sorts of things to make time go by more quickly and new ways to support him through snail mail. There are also several things that I am doing (or not doing) until he gets back. I'm changing routines and making some new ones. For instance, my husband and I always would spend an hour or so together before bed watching an old TV show like the Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, or Hogan's Heroes. We had done that pretty much every night since we got married. Since the day he left on April 1st, I have not watched any of those at all (because he cannot watch them either) and I am not going to until we are reunited. Instead, I have been using that time for Bible reading and then letter writing. The only way that I can sleep at night is if I write to my husband right before I go to bed. I am also wearing his wedding band on a necklace until he is able to wear it again (we were told that he can wear it at basic but it would probably get dinged up and broken so we decided that it would be best to leave it here so that it will be safe after training). To make the time go faster, I just try to keep myself busy. If I spend too much time alone I cry so I also try to be around friends and family as often as possible. I'm also making all sorts of plans in preparation for my dear husband's graduation. It sort of feels like I am getting ready for my wedding all over again only this time it isn't costing me money and I don't have to worry about dealing with mothers and mother-in-laws or anything else because this will be between just me and my husband. I've developed a new work out plan and I am doing facial and hair masks and a few other things so that I will look my best when we are finally reunited. It's nice because those things help to keep me busy while improving my appearance! I have also spent quite a bit of time shopping online for the perfect dress to wear to his graduation. I have even started making actual traveling arrangements too. I think I've got a couple of close family members that I am going to drive with to graduation and then my husband and I will fly back together. Making plans for graduation and finding little things to look forward too has definitely helped to make time go by more quickly! I have also found that finding new things to do in my letter helps a lot. So far, I have sent him the church bulletins that have all of our church family news and upcoming events as well as my sermon notes, pictures of the fishing trip that I went on with our sister-in-law and niece, and a ziplock bag to keep his letters in. I am still in search of other things that I can do without causing him any grief. I do research or contact my brother-in-law if I am not sure that something will be okay. I would hate if I was the one causing problems for my husband. He has it hard enough. I just can't wait for him to get out. I have a paper chain (like the little kids make in elementary school) to count down the days until he gets home. I have also been changing my computer's background to a different picture of him every week. Most of the time they are silly pictures that make me laugh because they help to keep me positive. Even with the two hour time difference, I realized not too long ago that my husband and I actually wake up and go to bed at the same time each day because he gets up at 5:00 and I get up at 7:00. It is comforting for me to know this because I have made it a point to pray for him every morning before I even get up and right before I go to sleep around 11:30. I also pray throughout the day but those times are set times for praying for my husband. Sorry that this is such a quick cut off but I must be going now. I've got some homework to do. I'll be writing again soon!
-Mrs. Gilligan
-Mrs. Gilligan