Saturday, July 11, 2009

miss erica on Pop'o's lap with Grams and Grandma Cathy at a Storm Baseball game 1995 apx


posted by:darlene r.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

photo removed


“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That's what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.”
Bethany Hamilton
greatest female surfer of our time

posted by: darlene r.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Thanks Katie & Waymon

my baby girl 'miss america'


An extra Special thanks to my friends Waymon & Katie... They are giving me my plane flights!! I worked with Katie at Michael's Arts & Crafts. I don't know what I would of done without their help! It is so awesome of them! I am sooo grateful, pleased and thankful. It's friends like that, that makes this crazy world a better place. I do miss seeing Katie everyday at work, so once in a blue moon we girls from Michael's try to get together. Just want to say thank you and God Bless them for their generosity! *HUGS & prayers to you :)

written & posted by: darlene r.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Training Week 8 ~TEAM WEEK~



This schedule is of course

subject to change

due to weather, holidays and

the needs of the company.

TD42 Monday

**Start of Team Week**
Team week is a time for the recruits to get

caught up on any

testing they need

(swim quall, upgrade

if required by their

MOS or qualify on

the range so they don't

get dropped in training).

But since not everyone

needs to do that, the rest

of them work around base

in small groups doing

odd jobs.

Cleaning up the classrooms,

working at the visitor center making things

spic and span,

working at the base laundry (where their

cammies are washed)

It is a nice break in their

routine of hustle and bustle everywhere!

The small unit field training

will occur at MCT or SOI.
Today they are supposed to

have:

~Rifle re-qualification for

those that need it
~Upgrades in swim

qualifications for those that

need it for their MOS
~Work around the base in

teams

of about 5-10 recruits doing

odd jobs for

different offices,

laundry and

even the pool
~Some will also

have to go to dental

if they are on the

"hit list" for teeth

pulling or fillings

or cleanings. ~yikes~

This week is a nice

break from the

go, go, go, of the

daily routine.

TD43 Tuesday
Today is a day of working

parties (groups of recruits

due maintenance around

the base) or rifle

re-qualification if necessary

or swim qualification upgrade

if required by MOS.

At least it is a break from the normal routine....

Lead Series will also get

to do the obstacle course

and run some sprints to

work on their speed.

TD44 Wednesday
Today is a day of working

parties (groups of recruits due maintenance

around the base)

or rifle re-qualification

if necessary or swim

qualification upgrade

if required by MOS.

At least it is a break

from the normal routine..

Tomorrow will be better. However,

Follow Series will get to

do that PT that Lead Series

got to do yesterday:

the obstacle course

and sprints!

TD45 Thursday
Ok I promised a better post today....
Lead Series
Final Travel
a visit to the exchange
a haircut
rifle quall if needed still

Follow Series
Working parties still
swim quall upgrade if needed

still rifle quall if needed still

TD46 Friday
Graduation is only 4 weeks away!!!
Today's agenda is

essentially a flip-flop of yesterday...
Lead Series
Working parties again
swim quall upgrade

if needed rifle quall if

still needed.
Follow Series
Final Travel
a visit to the exchange
a haircut
rifle quall if needed still


TD47 Saturday
Today is a 7.5mi hike

to help prepared them

for the crucible;

an academic study

session for the big test,

and last but not least the

Company Commanders Inspection!

So wishing the girls luck in

their inspection....


posted by: darlene r.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Thanks Twila




Just wanted to put a special thanks out to Twila from Washington (and Danielle) for sending me the Marine recruit signs for my yard that was so sweet!

from: darlene r.

Letter dated : June 27th




Dear MOM,
I have a little time to write you, so here it goes. Today is Sunday (last week)
my Platoon just finished up its grass week, and that was exactly that,
we sat in the grass for hours on end learning about the positions and here and there,
we would go back to the sheds, which is a room with two walls and benches and
talk about DATA book and things of that nature. Tomorrow is the start of Rifle week
(which actually ended today) and then I'll be able to fire my M16 for the second time.
It barely has a kick, it's a 22 on steroids.
Oh, the gas chamber wasn't as bad as I thought, it stung a little on my neck then we
had to do jumping jacks in the room. I found out that I don't care for jumping off
a 70 foot tower ( as she tells bryan: "I don't care for running backwards at full speed,
speeding towards the ground")
We are working practically every day for Drill.
Yesterday we had PFT (physical fitness test) I could of done better with the hang time.
Run time 24:33 (3 miles)
Hang time 56 seconds
crunches 100 (in 2 minutes)
:) Love Erica

(Erica tells bryan that boot camp is sooo "cool", It's been hard,
but believe it or not its ALL mental, I can take the physical, in fact PT here is nothing compared to PT at the recruit station ---'I (mom) used to think is he trying to kill her? Thought she'd quit for sure!, I knew my little girl was tough, but I had no idea how tough!')

Hoping for another letter soon that gives us the update on her rifle week.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Happy Birthday America! Be Safe everyone!

posted by:darlene r.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

checking the weather



I know today was a hot one here.
I have my weather bug set to Erica's address at Parris Island SC,
It was 100 degrees at 9 pm(2100 hours) last night there... now thats HOT
Poor things I do know with the humidity if its over 90 degrees they move training in doors
or on to some other training they can do.
Read that on the Parris Island site, I do hope it is true.

posted by:darlene r.