ONE WEEK! oh my goodness. I always knew that it would arrive, but now it's finally here! so here is the countdown:
Here are some updates about Austin :)
He is officially a full fledged Officer Candidate Candidate Officer now. (His full title is Candidate Ensign Gage) He is acting currently as a liaison for H class, leading them to and from all of their appointments, teaching them tricks of the trade, etc. He really likes helping them learn and really, really likes seeing how far he has come.
His orders still have not come in, even though they were supposed to be there last week, so cross your fingers for soon.
As far as graduation is concerned, here is the rundown of the schedule:
Thursday
and I think I have strep throat :/
Nevertheless I am excited for this mile marker! It seems measly in comparison to the 11 1/2 weeks we have already been through.
Now if I could just get over whatever this is so I can get to this looming pile of loose ends here in Madison...
Austin got us into the Navy Lodge of Newport...which I am happy about...really...I am. (she tries to convince herself)
It will be good...it is much cheaper than that other gorgeous place (and who really needs to stay at a place that pretty?) The lodge does look nice and Austin says that this one is right on the water too, so hey, at the end of the day, I get to see him either way so this will be great. 17 days till touchdown in RI! woo!
Ok so, I know I said that I was going to sleep this weekend and now it's almost midnight and I am posting -- but I just got off the phone with Austin.
Graduation Updates:
Thursday night there will be a fancy schmancy dinner. He is checking on times, prices and how many people he is allowed to have come.
Friday morning is graduation. All those wishing to attend have to be there at "0830"...graduation starts at "0900 hours" (hehe, that's a direct quote)
If you are interested in attending any of the events listed, please let either he or I know...
After graduation is completed, he is free to go!!!
Wooooo!
Also, he told the Navy he would be taking care of his own travel arrangements...so, he is flying with me! We got him on the same flight and will be arriving in Norfolk at 1254. Yay!
So, today is Wednesday...did you know that? I knew that it was Wednesday but the realization just hit me about 10 minutes ago that today is exactly THREE WEEKS, as in 21 days, until I land in RI!
Wooooooooot! Thought I would share with you all since I am currently supervising an orientation program and typing is way more silent--and let's face it, much less creepy--than if I just shouted out from the back of the auditorium :)
He PASSED! Yaaaaaaaaay!
It seemed to take forever for him to call and alert me of this last hurdle today, but he finally called and the news was good!
He passed his Inspection with a 100% and for his PT he did 100 sit ups in two minutes, 87 push ups in two minutes and ran his mile and a half in 10:02. wooooo.
So, bar anything extreme happening he is pretty much guaranteed graduation on August 1. (Thanks goodness--I don't think I could handle an altered countdown)
I am so proud and excited for the 30th to get here to see him in uniform!!
Oh, and the big thing about today? Now he gets to have his cell phone with him. They will be using their cells primarily for work during the day...so don't try to call him a lot, but will have privileges most nights so text him if you want to chat and I am sure he would love to get back to everyone.
Wooo! So excited.
And with plenty of updates! First and foremost, I hope that everyone had as good of a weekend as I did!
I enjoyed getting some R and R with the family and enjoyed a few days of boating, eating lots, enjoying fabulous weather, watching Wimbledon (tough break Federer) and watching fireworks at the town of Greenwood :)
...conversations that is. I got to talk to Austin not only yesterday, but twice today as well! I am considering myself a pretty lucky girl today.
Not too many new updates since yesterday -- turns out that OCS is overflowing with officer candidates, so Austin's three "evolutions" may occur on the same day. (Yikes) The three that remain are his navigation test, which he is semi-worried about because it is so boring he keeps falling asleep in class; his last PT, which he has to show significant improvement on; and a kinda joke PI (=Personnel Inspection, I think) mainly a joke because it is done by his classmates, so no one ever fails.
On the unlucky side of things turns out the Navy Lodge is booked for those entire 4 days I will be in Newport. damn. That was the ONLY place in Newport at a decent price...so I started looking around for another hotel and remembered that hotels offer military discounts!!
I found and reserved this hotel for the entire 4 nights at only a little more than the Navy Lodge would have been! It is in a good location so I feel good that I can explore Newport while Austin is busy with Navy things. If you can count three days not really being together the full time, this is the first vacation we have taken since we graduated high school. Hard to believe. Yay! I am so excited. 31 days till I get to RI and 33 days until graduation!!
Yay for Saturdays! Today was Austin's first day of liberty at OCS. He called me this evening and revealed that he was able to log onto Facebook, hit the bowling alley for some candy and soda (woooooo! the first he has had since April) and have no one yell at him all day!
Also, as for that "super hard" test that he was really worried about? well, it was really hard, but he got a 100! He is rocking out the classroom portion of OCS...his lowest grade to date is a 90. So things are looking good for on time graduation. He only has three "evolutions" (the tasks that if he fails can hold him back) left, so he is feeling a little better about life.
As for me, I actually got to sleep in today! nice. Woke up late, worked out, and headed to the largest fireworks display in the Midwest--Rhythm and Booms--which happens to be held right here in Madison!
I drove out to Tricia's (one of the undergraduate interns) family's house in Waunakee to eat some scrumptious barbeque food and catch the display. We drove out to a hill and stood outside the car with the radio up, they time the fireworks to music and broadcast it over the radio...everything from the Sound of Music and Beethoven to the Beatles and CCR...I got a few pics :)
Per usual for a Sunday, my phone rang at 6:46 am this morning. (For all the grumpiness about it being so early, I would not trade it for a nanosecond for not being able to talk to him at all)
On the other end of the phone was my lovely boyfriend who seems really happy and healthy. He did not sound as tired this week and his voice is almost fully back to audible levels.
He said that he had a really fun week :) This week included firefighter training and a simulation of a ship sinking where you have to fix it before you die...the room actually fills up with water, so that I think would be a little scary, but he said it was a good time.
They have a big test this week on motion boards (?) it could have been another "m" word -- motor and movement both come to mind -- gimme a break, I was trying my best to be awake.
In any case he is stressed about that, but claims if he passes it it will be all down hill from there. Only a matter of time...
In other news he improved his overall PT times and amounts; I forget exactly how much but ~76 push ups, ~95 sit ups (both in two minutes) and ~10:00 in the mile and a half run?
He also said that he has lost a little over 10 lbs (...great...) since being there.
In any case, those are the major updates and we are both counting down to a hopeful graduation date of August 1st. Apparently though he will get Wednesday afternoon and all dayy Thursday, except for graduation practice, off, so I am looking at flying in on Wednesday night, July 30! :)
40 days till graduation! (knock on wood...)
I realized today that I missed posting about a significant milestone...we are more than halfway through OCS! (I am going to go ahead and own that "we" even though Austin is doing most of the heavy lifting on that one.)
We are at 7.5 weeks now, or 53 days.
By the time graduation roles around we will not have seen one another for 97 days. wow.
One letter from him, a handful of phone calls - over 97 days. Clearly, deployments will be longer and we have those to look forward to as well...hmm, I will think about that one later.
Life in the Navy here we come!
I will however not post the contents.
but...
I did shed a couple of tears, and will treasure it for the rest of my life.
I am feeling very loved <3
47 days till graduation! (knock on wood!)
I spoke to Austin this morning and he sounds really good. This week was "shot week" so he is now vaccinated against almost every disease known to man.
He starts navigation classes next week and I guess people think that part is pretty hard, so he is a little anxious. (So far he has passed all of his tests with flying colors, so I don't think that he has much to worry about)
in other news...Happy Fathers Day to all those dads out there!!!
I found this quote the other day about dads:
"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!"
I hope you have an amazing day and get to spend some quality time with your loved ones. <3
Sorry to keep you all waiting on the updates, but it has been a busy week for me!
We started Freshman Orientations here at UW and in case you haven't been paying attention to the news have been conducting them despite the state of emergency across most of WI...
A little about the fam first -- Zach Brawford graduated high school this weekend! Yay! It was a really long and hot ceremony, but we are all quite proud of him. He will be attending school at UW-Eau Claire and double majoring in Music Education and Music Composition. Pics to come soon!
Also graduating were my cousins Danny and Karyn Malnory. So, we had their party on Saturday and Zach's on Sunday.
I talked to Austin Sunday morning which is when he told me about the ridiculousness of RLP.
Apparently only 20/41 people in his class passed, so he was really happy to be in the passing group!
His test consisted of basic knowledge and prep of uniform etc, and then random things like why he loves the Marine Corps and jumping on and off his bed 100 times...
ohhhh Navy. I love how hazing is legal, so long as it is done by an organization other than a fraternity or sorority, lol.
In other news he got fitted for his dressiest of dress white uniforms and thinks he looks very dapper in it :)
on the flip side when he gets out of OCS he will owe about $2500 in uniform costs, yikes!
I think it is time for a little equality, in the form of a new Coach purse and beautiful new shoes of course, don't you? ;)
Yay! He passed!
I got an email from him last night.
Yes, that's right he also has email...chat him up at awgage0001@training.navy.mil
He doesn't have much time to respond, so don't be offended if he doesn't get back to you :)
More updates when I talk to him on Sunday!
I got the chance to have a good long chat with Austin this Sunday morning...very early Sunday morning...
Apparently he thinks he is going to be graduating on Friday August 1, rather than Saturday August 2 (the 24th [gasp!] birthday of yours truly). So that's exciting!
He also seems to think that the week of graduation he will have liberty, or free time, from like 6 to midnight every night, so I may be going up earlier than anticipated and exploring Newport, RI!
BUT, in order to get to graduation he needs to pass RLP (Room, Locker, Personnel) this week. RLP, as he has explained it to me is a two part test/inspection. The commanding officers of the base will come in and drill on memorized information, and then the DI comes in and inspects all of your stuff. You can only lose 20 points and apparently the point values are completely up to the discretion of the COs or DIs. In other words you can miss one thing and lose one point or you can miss that same thing and lose 20 points. Austin seems to think it is supposed to teach you how to deal with failure that is out of your hands...
I think it sucks.
In any case, keep him in your thoughts and prayers over the next couple of days! He isn't too worried, because it is out of his hands, so why worry? but he is anxiously awaiting getting closer to graduation, so here's hoping for the best!
In other news, I am fine :)
It looks as though Austin will be able to call from now on on Sunday mornings!
...at 6:30 am Central Time...
Oh well. I will take what I can get and go back to bed after :)
In the meantime here are his updates from this last Sunday:
He is doing well, happy to be where he is. He really likes his new DI -- as much as you can like someone who calls you a scumbag in every other breath. But, he says that his DI gives some really inspirational speeches on loyalty and service that keep the whole class going. Apparently this last week was all about time management. He wrote about 75 pages in essays this week alone.
He was pretty excited because they were getting Memorial Day off. They got to watch a movie, eat pizza and drink soda for the first time since he has been there. Hopefully I will hear from him again on Sunday!
He is officially in class 18-08 for mailing now, FYI. But, if you are going to send a package, send it to H class if you can remember...they don't make him do push ups to pick up a package over there :)
Ok, so looking back it has been 25 days since Austin left.
and today it really hit me...I miss him. I miss having my best friend to share my thoughts with. I miss his crazy perspectives about my complaints. I miss dancing in inappropriate places. I miss laughing with him and I miss cuddling with him while he complains about various body parts falling asleep. I hate that I can't just call him.
ugh. I just needed to get that out.
I need orientations to start NOW...then I will be super busy and won't have time to let my thoughts wander like they did today.
The good news is that I will be able to duck out early Friday and go spend time with my family this weekend at the cottage...and next week will start the crazy fun times at UW with New Student Leader Trainings and SOARs (orientation sessions) I do love it here in Madison, so I know it will help me to be here while he is away :)
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