Week 7 - The Final Countdown

Woo!!! Check out that studly man!!! (I'm referring to the second one in line aka my husband!) A mother of a recruit that graduated the Friday before last snapped this and uploaded it to the coast guard group on Facebook, and lucky for me, Devin was in the shot!
Last Saturday, Devin got his on-base liberty. He got to talk to me for a total of 2 hours. It was great!
Today, Devin had his off-base liberty. He got to go into town with his shipmates and do whatever they want (within military standards, of course). They were in uniforms ("Trops" today. The uniform featured above are his "ODUs") so they had to maintain military bearing. Devin said it wasn't very hard as that's what they are used to anyways. He got a prepaid phone so he could call me all day! He even got to talk to several other people though I was pretty selfish and had a hard time sharing. Every time I made a request (i.e.: "Call me back in 5 minutes.") he would respond, "Aye-aye!" It was so cute!! He told me more funny stories about everything that's gone on. He really has enjoyed his time there and can't stop saying how much he loves being in the Coast Guard. At the end of the day, he was able to send me a picture of himself standing in front of the Atlantic Ocean in his "trops". I asked him if I could post it, but since that is one of the nicer uniforms, he wanted to unveil that for himself with the pictures we will take at graduation. He let me share it with family, but the rest will have to wait! He looks SO good. :) I can't wait to see him on Friday morning!! I cannot believe their is only 5 days until I see my love again!

MOVING! and week 6

 Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

I received my first call from Devin last Saturday. This was the first time he was permitted to use a phone in 5 weeks. He got 10 minutes to talk to me and let me know where we are moving....which is Astoria, Oregon! We are both so excited and cannot wait to go! Devin was really encouraged on the phone, and said he was really glad he joined the Coast Guard. We're both just counting down the days until we see each other again. Less than 2 weeks! Ah! This is his 6th week in New Jersey. I can't believe how fast it's gone already, and I'm thankful for that. Devin's letter this week was really cheerful. Boot camp is winding down and as he nears graduation, they get more privileges. For example, tomorrow he gets on-base liberty. He can call me, watch movies, eat junk food, and just hang out. Until this time, he really hasn't had any free time at all. I can't wait for his call! This one won't have the 10 minute time limit either. :) He asked me to tell everyone, "Hello!" and "Keep praying!"

My best friend, Erin, has been visiting this week, and that is a blessing! She resides in San Diego, so I don't get to see her very often. We've been staying up late and having fun. It's refreshing.

Wednesday is my last day at the ol' Starbucks. (I'm trying to transfer to the one in Astoria.) After that I'll be a clean-aholic until I go to New Jersey. I just can't wait for all that's happening in the next couple weeks!

Love,
Chianne

Week 5 - Deathstar

Sorry, I skipped week 4. Devin's letter that week was short. I was informed he was selected for the rifle drill team and became the watch coordinator for his company, which means he schedules when everyone does their watch. (I was told this means people are going to suck up to him, so that he doesn't give them bad watch shifts. I bet Devin is loving that....haha)

Today, I received this lovely self portrait from Devin, on what he's looking like nowadays. Apparently, he's bald, has crazy arm muscles, and a six pack. He also seems to have a pretty intense, "I mean business," facial expression...I'm glad he shared this picture with me.

His letters today (he sent 2) informed me that he passed all aspects of his physical test on the first try, passed his midterm exam with a 90%, and qualified for marksman (which is some sort of gun-firing qualification). I am so proud of him!! He said, "I do pretty well for myself," and I would definitely have to agree! He seems to be in good spirits, and is really anxious to find out where we will live. (Although by now, he DOES know, and he will get to let me know sometime this weekend.) He shared a story about how his sexuality is being questioned by one of his company commanders, BM1 Kruger, because of how Devin said, "Good night, Petty Officer Kruger." I don't know if they aren't supposed to say "good night", or if Devin said it in a manner that could be questionable. From Devin's hurried story, it seems as if he may have said "good night" that way on purpose. Knowing Devin's sense of humor and uncanny ability to make other men feel awkward, I bet he did do it on purpose. Haha. He mentioned that since then his new nickname has been "Deathstar" because his shipmates felt "the crap [he pulls] is gonna be the death of starboard [his breakdown group]." Devin has always been the class clown, so I expected once he knew his limits, he'd be sure to have a little fun. Thank you for all your support and prayers. Devin seems to be really encouraged.

They have started the fifth weeks calls for his company this evening, which is when they get to inform family where they will be stationed at. I can get the call anytime between now and Sunday. I'm really anxious to know! I will post once I know more.
Love,
Chianne

Week 3

This is Devin's company, Alfa 183!


Photos Courtesy of www.uscgbootcamp.com.

Well, as of today Devin's over 30% done with boot camp. That is great! 5 weeks from tomorrow, he graduates. One week from tomorrow, an he will be HALFWAY! Everyone told me these weeks would fly, and I'm thankful for that.
Today, I received a second letter from Devin. I was really excited because it was two whole pages. He sound so much more encouraged than last week. He said it's getting easier this week. He said he has barely any time to write because all his free time is spent ironing his uniforms or shining his boots. I've decided to include an excerpt in his own words of something I found quite funny:
"I can't wait for you to hear the stories I have. There's so many! Like, two days ago we were headed to chow (meal time), and when we stopped this big ol' southern boy raised his hand and BM1 Kruger was like 'What Owens?' and so Owens says, 'I'm supposed to inform you that I like to watch the birds fly by. Bravo's CC told me to tell you that.' So we were just laughing and now every time there's birds, BMC Hampton (our lead CC) says, 'Look Owens! Your friends!' It seriously is so hard not to laugh. The CCs are the funniest people alive."
Devin told me the only part that completely sucks at this point is missing people at home, which is to be expected.
I'm really excited because Dillon (Devin's brother) is going to go with me to graduation and surprise Devin (so don't spill the beans in your letters!). He's really excited to fly on a plane and see the ocean. I didn't know he had been saving up, and then he told me and he's already saved over half of the amount needed to go (all expenses included). This will be such a great surprise for Devin because he thinks I'm the only one coming.
Today is a beautiful day. I feel encouraged.
Thank you for everyone who has mailed a kind letter to Devin and for all of you lifting him up in prayer.
Love,
Chianne

week 2

Devin has been gone for ten days now. The days seem endless but I'm glad it's already March. Devin graduates 6 weeks from tomorrow. :D
On Tuesday, I received a package. It included a letter from the commanding officer at Cape May and a book called "Sea Legs: A Coast Guard Spouse Survival Guide". The book is interesting and is teaching me how moving, pay, benefits, and everything works.
Today, I received my first real letter from Devin. I was really encouraged because I was told Devin wouldn't get time to write the first weekend and not to expect a letter till the third week. It was a very pleasant surprise!
Devin said he hates it and is homesick. I guess this is typical for most of the recruits the first couple weeks. They say once they complete the second week, the pressure is eased off of them a little bit, and they don't feel so stressed. Devin said they got assigned the toughest Company Commander (CC) that works there, but that deep down he's really cool. He begged for LOTS of letters, so I've been a little write-aholic.
I actually purchased some adorable personalized stationary from Sweet Life Paper. I was really impressed with how quickly I received it - especially with it being personalized. So I've been using that to write Devin.
I'll keep you posted on Devin's progress. :) Thank you for your prayers.
Love,
Chianne

the final countdown

I'm at a coffee shop in Salt Lake...just waiting for 8 am to come so I can go watch Devin swear into Active Duty. It's finally here, and he flies out to New Jersey tomorrow morning. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of support and love we've been receiving...even my mom and brother drove out to see Devin one last time before training. This meant so so so much to him! We've had dinner somewhere almost every night and a sweet family from church even gave us a night up at the Homestead Resort about an hour from our home. It has been so great. I couldn't be prouder of the man Devin's becoming. The challenges he's come out of are more than most people endure in a lifetime, but he's so encouraged to make a better life for himself and me and to press on. Thank you to everyone who has more than blessed us with your prayers, kind words, and support.
Love,
Chianne

Happy 21st Birthday to Devin!

I would like to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful hubby, Devin! I am so glad you were born, and I love you very much!

So we are only 25 DAYS AWAY from Devin leaving for boot camp!! We actually made a paper chain to help the days pass. (I'm a visual person, so to have something visually symbolic of the days helps me not to feel like it'll never be the day. There is just something satisfying about ripping a loop off every day). I know we are like little kids with our paper chain, but that's okay. :) I will make another one to count down Devin's time spent in boot camp until the day he graduates.

So I was doing really well decluttering...we threw out so much and also donated so much to the D.I. I was feeling really accomplished until I was staring into our room and thinking, "Did we really get rid of anything??" I got overwhelmed in that moment of realization. We really should get rid of more and possibly hold a yard sale for our furniture. I'm starting to panic as once Devin leaves in 25 days, it will just be me tackling my biggest enemy - my own disorganization. (dun dun DUH!!) Really, this is quite terrifying to me.
My question for you: What is the best method you've found for simplifying the clutter? Do you have any self-made rules you follow? (for example: "If I haven't used it in six months-it's gone." or "If I wore it when I was still in high school-it's gone.") I honestly want to know your methods. I am not good at organizing and busting the clutter AT ALL, and I NEED HELP!

Love,
Chianne

So this is the new year...

It is amazing what a difference a day makes.
Yesterday, saying Devin was going to boot camp next year or in a couple months still made it feel like forever. Now today, it is seeming ever so close because he is going this year. To make it feel even brighter on the horizon is to say he is going NEXT MONTH! That is crazy and exciting. We are constantly praying for a sooner date. Knowing my personality, I would handle better if he suddenly had to leave within a day or two (or even a week) and not had to dwell on him leaving as it built up weeks before. That's how I like to do things [aka flying by the seat of my pants]. It reminds me of when I first moved to Utah. I only decided to move about a month before I actually moved. This enabled me to get my crap together and go. If I had sat and thought about it for months, I would have never actually done it, and I would have missed out on a lot of things God had in store for me here.
On another note, Devin heard from a recent graduate of boot camp and was able to find out more regarding church at Cape May. He discovered there is a church choir he can join to sing in the services on Sundays. Though he was told it is not the "typical" choir but more just group of recruits praising the Lord whether they can sing well or not (Though I'm sure it is a joyful noise!). This is making Devin really excited and is stoked to know he'll have more ways to break of the constant physical and emotional stress by going to choir practice, praising the Lord with other recruits, and then singing in the chapel on Sundays. He was even informed there are instruments available to play with the choir, and guitars were listed. ;)
We are still super excited to get this chapter of our lives started!
Happy New Year! (Geeze, I remember when the year 2000 happened..how quickly a decade passes!)
Love,
Chianne

To the future...

Devin leaves for boot camp on February 23. This means his [tentative] graduation date is April 16th. We are both so excited and can't wait for this part of our lives to begin. Devin swore in already, which means they are already counting the time towards his 6 total years of service. It was a short ceremony and they will do another one on February 23 right before he leaves. (The first time you swear in they consider you part of the reserves. When you swear in on the day you leave, you are swearing into Active Duty). Devin's already been studying so much to learn both the lingo and the alphabet. I've been learning with him so now we play fun games like "Say the license plate in the military alphabet" and "call the rooms of the house by what the Coast Guard calls them." It's definitely entertaining and confusing. (Did you know they call water fountains the "scuttlebutt"?) Devin stays in contact with the recruiter in case he gets the opportunity to ship out earlier.
What's been a great blessing is his job at Wal-Mart. We weren't so positive about it at first (the pay is crap), but unlike Buy Low, they fully support his decision to join the military. They understand his desire to leave early and will keep him in their system for ALL 6 YEARS in case when he's out he wants to go into management there (HAHA its the thought that counts?). They also are very sensitive to give him a day off when he has needed to go up to MEPS to swear in and such.
Devin led worship at church this past Sunday...he does this ever now and then if he has one off or something. I was scheduled to work, but luckily enough, we were slow so I got off in time to surprise him at church to see him play! It is so encouraging to hear my husband lead a body of believers in worshiping God. Which leads me to another topic - Devin was concerned about church life around boot camp. Well he did a little research and they ask two people of each group to be "Religious Petty Officers". They get to lead prayers in the morning and at night and lead the prayer at their graduation ceremony. They also get to help out at the chapel. Devin is so excited for this. They have several different church services at the chapel on Sundays and the recruits are encouraged to attend one of their choice. If they don't have one that fits their beliefs they will bus them off base to one. Its good to know Devin's beliefs will be encouraged while he's away.
That's about all for now. It's December and that's CRAZY. haha.
Love, chianne

pending Coast Guard date

So I know that I said we would know when Devin would be going the next day, but as it happens we didn't find out. That's why we never posted anything...we were hoping we would know something soon, but then nothing ever happened. Apparently, Devin's recruiter took a two week vacation, so he wasn't there to reveal the date. Bummer. Luckily, according to the other recruiter, he should [hopefully] be back in the office tomorrow. We're praying he'll have a date for Devin at this time. We are definitely eager to know when he will go so we can let both of our employers know and so we can plan where I will be living while he's gone as I cannot join him for 8 weeks. Yes, I will be moving. We don't know where yet. There's a couple options. I just know I cannot continue living where I am now
I cannot wait to begin this journey and I know Devin is even more excited than I.
Pray that we will know more soon! Thank you.
-Chianne