The Next 25 Weeks: Week 5

Well, things are looking up! I got another letter from Brandon on Saturday, and he got the letters and cards everyone sent for his birthday on the 18th! So, thank you so much it really lifted his spirits. He informed us (well his mom really) that his graduation will be on the 8th and 9th of June, and anyone who wants to come is welcome! The 8th is a family day, then the graduation is the evening of the 9th. He is thinking he will get to spend time with me/whomever else comes, during the day on the 8th, and the night of the 9th after the ceremony.

I booked my plane ticket, hotel, and rental car today for the trip. I'm so excited!! The only unexciting thing is you have to be over 25 to rent a car without an additional fee - so lame! One more year and then maybe, just maybe the world will finally accept that I'm an adult.

Brandon's letter said his ankle is feeling better, and he is doing really well. He looks forward to sundays more now than I think he ever did while he was home. He requested pictures and hopes everyone is doing well.

I started typing up his letters, maybe someday I'll make them into some kind of book, but for now it is just a fail safe in case anything happens to the originals. So, if you didn't get to read them, and would like to - let me know and I can email them to you :)

Week 4 - put in my place

ok so last night and today were the worst days so far since brandon has been gone, except for the first few days of course. I have just been wanting to hear from him so badly to hear he is doing alright. So, of course after writing my discouraging post, my sister sent me a text saying I had not one but 2 letters from my wonderful husband. I feel like every time i hit a major low heavenly father (usually through brandon ;)) sends me a pick-me-up.

ok so his letters were really one LONG LONG letter that he had to send in two envelopes. It was 22 pages long - granted the pages were probably 1/4 - 1/2 the size of a normal sheet, so id say it was more like 10-11 pages.

Anyway, they didnt really get any personal time so he had to write after lights out, times where he was technically doing some kind of guard duty, and even in the bathroom. hahaha  but I cant even tell you how much it meant to me today.

I hope everyone is writing him, cuz he said it was sad when the first batch of mail came and he didn't get anything, of course its probably because i hadn't received his address yet, and hopefully by now he has gotten all the letters I've sent.The last part of the letter was written on the 15th, so i'm hoping he got a bunch of stuff from everyone right after sending it. he told me about pretty much everything they have been up to so far. Most of it has been stuff he has found very exciting. they did some repelling, had their adventure in the gas chamber, and on monday were suppose to shoot live rounds out of their rifles. So, hopefully that went well.

Overall it seems like most of the time they get in trouble its not because of Brandon, which is awesome. Let's see what else, the food is good, he was kind of excited to get birthday cards, so hopefully everyone sent him some! i actually sent him a couple cuz i couldn't decide between funny or meaningful.

ok, well ill probably bring his letter to easter chicken and if anyone else got one I hope they will bring them as well so we can compare - of course i dont think everyone needs to share personal parts - obviously - but yeah no offense but im hoping my letter was the longest and there are more details in it I can share with everyone else than the other way around. call me selfish, but im his wife, so i get to do that hehehe!

well i think thats it for now, im distracted for some reason and cant think of what else from his letters are really important to write in here. he did say he wants pictures, and says hi to everyone, and wants to know how we are all doing.

just leave a comment if you have a question, or call me, i dunno, i'm sorry i'll get better about this reporting thing I promise!

The Next 25 weeks: Week 4

Sorry for not writing lately, and sadly this is only a post to say I still have nothing to report :( I'm trying not to get discouraged about it, but frankly, I'm having a hard time. I was just thinking I would at least get to hear from him weekly while he was in training, but I have heard nothing for 2 weeks (well except for that form letter with his address but that doesn't really count as hearing from him directly) and checking the mail is getting really depressing. But, I'll try to stay positive and let you know if I hear anything.

The Next 25 weeks-ish: Week 3 - Brandon's address

well Brandon didn't get to call yesterday :( I had such high hopes, but a call never came. So, now all I can hope for is that he was able to write and I will get something in the mail this week. Sitting around waiting for his call was awful, so I decided to hang up all our picture frames from the wedding I filled a few weeks ago, and the engagement pictures Allie framed for us at my bridal shower. well i shouldn't say all, because there is a whole aparments worth of pictures, and hanging them all up in my little room at my parents would be quite ridiculous. but I am really pleased with how the wall above the bed looks now. Its like a headboard of pictures. Then after dinner I made devils food cupcakes with white frosting - I added a package of cheesecake pudding to the batter, and they turned out super fluffy, moist, and delicious! granted compared to cupcakes other people make I'm sure they are just average, but they are probably the best I, personally have ever made. Anyway, hopefully I will have a brandon update soon - cross your fingers!

Ok - well after checking the mail I thought I should update this. I got a letter from Brandon! Well its more of a form letter with his address and a list of things we can't send him, with a small note on the back for me saying things are going well so far, and asking me to pray for him because this is going to be rough. :(

but here is his address so you can write him. I know any encouragement would be greatly appreciated:

Judd, Brandon R.
B CO 2-46 INF (Bldg 3520)
2 Platoon, RN# 244
9697 2nd Armored Div. RD
FT Benning, GA 31905-4769

then on the back in the middle bottom (under the point of the flap) write:

ROSTER # 244

if you have questions I can send you a picture of what he sent me.

oh and this is the list of things we cannot send him:

any type of food
civilian reading material (except for religious text)
firearms of any kind, knives, swords
civilian clothing
medication of any kind prescription or non prescription
cameras
tabacco, caffeine products
and of course any type of pornographic materials
audio or visual tapes
stuffed animals and/or dolls
plants (alive or fake)
liquid of any sort

so basically you may want to just not send anything cuz if they decide it is on this list they destroy it before he even gets it.

Week 2

So, I should have updated this a while ago. Brandon called me this past Thursday for about 3 and half minutes. He is doing fine, but apparently everyone is getting sick over there, so he is fearful his sinus infection will come back. I still have no address for where he is right now, but I did get a letter he sent before they left. It was wonderful to hear about everything he is doing-he even told me what he had had for breakfast that day. The only downside is the ever-present uncertainty of not knowing when he will get to call again. We originally thought sundays would be his time to call, and since we will only have about 5 minutes I have been taking my phone everywhere with me and making sure the ringer is on full volume so I wont miss a single ring. Of course, inevitably, if he calls today it will be while i'm in the bathroom or something hehehe Well, Brandon said i should be getting some things in the mail so hopefully I will have an address to give everyone to write him soon. I know he will greatly appreciate hearing from all of you.
Well that's it for now i guess - hopefully i'll hear from him today and have more to report tomorrow.
 Please keep him in your prayers, he is doing fine, and his spirits are high. Thanks for all the love and support!

The Next 25 weeks-ish: Week 2

Well it feels like Brandon has been gone for an eternity, but it has only been a week! Today he left reception and is now officially in Basic Training. He is no longer sick, and is optomistic that everything will go well. We were talking last night about the amazing power of prayer, because we can't think of any other reason why things just seem to work out when everything seems so bleak and miserable. So thank you (again!) for all the love, support and prayers you have sent his way - and please keep them coming. I think these next couple of weeks will be the hardest both physically as well as mentally so far for Brandon, and I know he will be that much stronger when he is done, but I still worry about him a great deal, especially now that we can't talk everyday like we have this past week.

Anyway, overall we are both still doing well, and Brandon is still in very good spirits going in to this adventure. I'll keep everyone updated as much as I can :)

Week 1 - 1st Picture in Uniform!

This is the first picture I have gotten since Brandon got to Basic. Doesn't he look so awesome in his uniform?!?!