questions answered...

when people ask us what we are up to now... they are always shocked at the response... so i wanted to remember as well as inform those who are still wondering... why, how and what we are doing now...

the way i see it...

#1

Q... so are you guys still in mexico?

A...no, we moved back to the good old USA in the beginning of march 2009.

#1.5

Q... and... where are you now?

A... jones and i are living with my parents.

#2

Q... oh... and where is brent?

A...he is in boot camp, he going to be a marine.

#3

Q... really??!!!?!?... and what made you/him decide this?

A...with much consideration, prayer, determination and thought it became clear that at this time in our lives, this was the best thing for us as a family...

--brent has always felt that he needed to pursue school... they (USMC*) will pay for school...

--he loves language and would love to pursue something with linguistics... they (USMC*) have linguistics programs...

--we feel that this will lead us in a direction that brent will be able to make a career from these experiences, whether it is to continue with the marines after his four year enlistment, or something else, this is the right and correct decision for his (our) career path...

--we both feel so much peace as we finally made the decision for him to join and went forward with this decision...

--yes... it will be hard at times... for me, it was THE hardest thing to do... to drop brent off the day he was to report and know that i would not talk to him nor see him for 13 weeks... those first few hours were the worst... followed by the first few days... i remember coming to tears for no reason in the middle of nothing... but... i can say this now... yes, it is hard... but many have done this before me, many will do this after me... if you search for strength, you will find it... we have been strengthened and we are doing wonderful... there are moments of hardship... when it would be nice to just talk, even if it were for a short moment... or just one hug... but these moments pass... and then we are stronger than before... as a wise man told me in the first few weeks of brent leaving...

"take advantage of this time, relish it as a time to perfect yourself and then when you come together again, you will be even better for one another, better together and more perfect together. think of this time as a blessing... a blessing that many dont ever have as an opportunity in their lives..."

i know these words to be true...

and now... i can truely shout to the world that the next few days are some of the most anticipated days of my life... brent and i have been away from one another before... i did a study abroad in spain for a summer so for two months we did not see each other... but we talked at least once a day... that was hard... then he moved to mexico about a month before i did... (had to finish real estate school)... but still... talked everyday!!! ... so, this has been so so so different!

there has been two phone calls... one just because his senior drill instructor is awesome... and let him call home so jones could wish him happy fathers day... and second, so that we could arrange travel plans after graduation... other than those two calls of maybe 5 minutes between the two... only letters... but we servived... and what great experiences we have had...

i love him...

cant wait to see him...

hear his voice...

and hold him again...

... anyways... back to the questions...

#4

Q...how long is boot camp?

A... 13 weeks...

#5

Q...where is boot camp?

A... san diego, california MCRD & camp pendleton

#6

Q... wow!

A... yeah... we are in for some crazy times... but ready and very excited!!!

#7

Q...how long is he enlisted for?

A... four years.... and we have no idea where that will take us... yeah! i love a good challange!

in brents words...

"i want to explain to you this decision...

i am in boot camp to become a marine for the following reasons...

#1

"i read a book called 'the lone survivor' (i recommend it BUT there is foul, offensive and unneccesary language in it). this book moved me and inspired me to want to serve my country. This book got me started really considering the military."

#2

"although i disagree with our current presidents opinions on many things, it does not change my opinion of our free country. i have lived in two other countries and have seen how our constitution (inspired by the Lord) has blessed our free nation and inabled us to progress as a society. i understand that in all government there are corruptions, but the constitution is a sound document and i have been sworn in to protect it. i want to fight for the freedoms that i have enjoyed for 26 years so far."

#3

"i want to get on a career path instead of just having a job"

#4

"i want to continue my education and i felt that this is a good way for me to finish schooling"

..."those are just the four main reasons but i think of new reasons all the time. i'm happy here althought things are tough. i'm happy with my decision to do this."

(written may 3rd)

some more words from me...

we have been so amazingly blessed... we have many wonderful family memebers and friends that have helped us become who we are today...

although this has been hard to be apart, not able to talk, write emails or see one another for these 13 weeks... we have felt loved and taken care of.

we know (i am speaking for brent too, as i can tell from his letters he feels if not the same, similar to how i feel...)... we know that this is right for us... we have had so many wonderful confirmations that we are headed in the right direction. although we have had our doubts, because of us staying strong and firm on these decisions and on what we have previously chose to do at this time in our lives we have felt the hand of the Lord with us... it has been amazing to feel the love that he has for us and to know that he is watching over us as a family even when we are apart from one another... i know without a doubt that we have grown as individuals and therefore as a couple and a family... we are both so excited to see what may come of this... many have been quoted saying... "nothing is certain in life except change"... this is true... thank goodness we both are up for a challange in this ever changing world.

thank you to everyone who has thought about us, prayed about us, taken care of us and been there for us during this time. we love you so much and could never thank you enough in words for what you have done. thank you---

(*USMC= UNITED STATES MARINE CORP)