From MJ 6/15

Image by: warmwhispers

5-Minute timed letter

MaryJanes
Aco. 3-13 Inf. Regt 3rd Platoon
Ft.Jackson, Sc

Mom,
I'm doing good. Earlier when I cried on the phone it was just because I was happy to hear your voice and I miss you tons.

I'm going to do well here but we haven't showered for 2 days and the time limits they give us can be impossible.

Lots of nice people, face is breaking out because of no wash time. Got separated from Holly but Becky is with me and from Wisconsin also.

Call everyone (family) with address if you haven't already. I love you so much and am going to do my best to make you proud.

Tell everyone I love them and say hi to Mike. when I get home things will be different. On Mondays before you and I go out we will all have dinner as a family.

Love you
Always and Forever
MaryJanes

Dear MaryJanes June 14th

Card sent to MJ by Galoshes

Dear MaryJanes June 13th

Image by: buckscountyframes

Dear MaryJanes,

Tuesday June 13th.

Today is Jenny's [cousin] birthday. I got her a picture for her house of a old time window w/ a window box full of flowers. She liked it. Mike asked Brad {Jenn's then boyfriend} if he was going to give Jenn a ring for her birthday, but he said he got her a stereo. Grandma Greene called awhile ago to see if there was any "good news" from Jenn. But it doesn't look like it. I took Jenn's gift to her at Sam's daycare. I played on the floor w/ the kids. I put all of my hair in front of my face and made boogieman sounds. They kept saying, "again, again" One little boy would say, "gin, gin" I spent the day doing laundry and cleaning. - no not your room. I put some $ in your account as it was over drawn. It's been raining most of the day and the west side of Madison & Middleton are having flooding. Sam {Jenn's other aunt} & I are planning a wedding shower for Kari { My nephews previous wife} I wish you could come. Jenny & grandma are asking for your address. We called about Amtrak tickets, OH MY!!!! forget that idea. We are going to rent a car for a week. The train was way too expensive. One way was $220.00 / ticket then we would have needed a sleeping cab for 2x's on the way there $220 & $269 over the cost of the tickets. Then back would have more than doubled that. We can rent a car for about $350 for a week and get a motel 1/2 way. I talked to your dad, he bought another plane. He isn't sure if he will fly or a buy a ticket in advance for a cheap rate.
We will see.
Love, Galoshes

{Ticket prices are for MJ's basic training graduation travel}

Dear MaryJanes June 11th

Love, Galoshes

{Letter included into card}

MJ,
Don'tcha just love this cute little note paper!? With you being gone it gave me a reason to buy it. Mike keeps reassuring me that you'll be fine. He says, "she'll be fine...it's you Iam worried about." I cry at any thing. He told me to go ride my bike, I told him I didn't have the motivation. He said, "Do you need a kick in the butt?" Maybe I do. Im just worried about you. I know you'll do your best & I know you'll still get yelled at and I know that will be hard on you. I hope you're stronger than me! I'd switch places w/ you if I could. But then again, even though it's hard, it will help you in alot of areas of your life. Just stay strong. My head's so full of snot from holding in tears that I have a head ache. Marvin's {Our cat} running around like a crazy cat. Our garden is growing now. We have squirrel and rabbits though, they might eat what comes up. We got more rain last night. Big winds, branches down. The computers problem came back, shucks. I'll write soon.
Love, Galoshes.

From MJ June 8th

Image by:Raceytay

Hey Galoshes,
Well right now it's 2300 hours, 11p.m. I have fire guard so I have to sit at the door with another girl and check up on everyone every half an hour. I don't mind though because I have first shift (11-1am) and I'm wide awake. Plus this gives me more time to write. People get caught in reception for up to two weeks and may not have time to finish basic this summer. I hope real hard that we have time to finish. I will let you know as soon as I find out when it will be.

I'm catching an accent really bad. Holly's (a girl I met on the way to basic who was also from WI but talked funny) trying to get it out of me though. We never thought we would be looking forward to basic, but compared to this unorganized mess they call registration it's going to be nice. I ate so much food here. Tomorrow after I pass my PT (physical training) test that says I can go to basic I'm going to eat up because I hear they don't give much food at basic. That's good though, I will never lose an ounce eating like this!

So we are supposed to be done with this tomorrow. Off to basic we go. But something tells me we won't get there until Saturday.

I miss you so much, but in a good way. This is really going to be good for me. I just have to be strong. In fact I find myself supporting those who want to go home. I just keep thinking that #1 I'm at summer camp and #2 I will be home any day. Adam, a guy in my unit in Madison, told me I have to pretend like I will be home the next day. When he said it I didn't think it would be possible, but now I just do it automatically. Holly is helping me so much! She has given me a different perspective on the attitude to have at basic. She has the kind of attitude that if someone tells her she can't do something she wants to do it more. She doesn't get mad or frustrated she just laughs it off.

I have to go mom, the guard duty times got messed up and I guess I was supposed to be from 9-11 so I'm done.

I will write you ASAP

♥Always
MaryJanes

P.S. I'm going to do really good.
I just have to play their game.
Don't worry about me!
I Love You!

From MJ June 8

Image by:Raceytay

Galoshes,
Hey. Today is going so slow. We got our new ID cards and a pay advance today and tomorrow we will be going to the store to get anything else we need. They better let us use the stuff that they told us to bring.

I told you my graduation day might change right? It depends on when we get out of this processing stage. We got some free time today though so it's not that bad. Everyone is sitting around bitching. We have some of the bitchiest girls in our platoon. Holly and I are convinced we will hate everyone but each other by the time we get out of here. I hope we are in the same basic training platoon because she is really helping me through this.

Tell Mike and everyone I say hi. I miss my puppies.

I will get you the address when I get it but we gotta go to formation right now. I love you endlessly.

Always and Forever,
MaryJanes

Dear MaryJanes June 8th

Love, Galoshes

From MJ June 7th

Image by: Raceytay

Dear Galoshes,
We got to registration yesterday. It's at Fort Jackson but it doesn't count as basic training time yet. I guess we're going to be here for like a week and a half. So graduation may be pushed back. I guess I will find out for sure about two weeks into basic.

I really wished I would have gone home while I could have. I know I will be glad when I get back that I went. We have an older woman in our company/platoon that had to come back to basic to get back into active army because she stayed out 2 moths to late. So she has been kind of motivational, but at times she's more of a hassle.

We were supposed to be able to call our parents yesterday because they don't want our parents to call here, but they haven't let us yet.

Some of the girls are doing crazy things to get out of here. I guess one slammed her hand in the door and broke some fingers, one knocked herself out, all kinds of stuff.

Well I have to mail this now, we don't get much time here. I guess I should be able to call you tonight.

♥ You!
I miss you tons

Always and Forever
MaryJanes