Dear MaryJanes June 19th

Image by: BonnieJones

Dear MaryJanes,

I keep hoping the phone will ring and it will be you on a free time. But maybe they won;t let you for awhile now. I hope at least they give you free time today. Mike put up the shelf he made for the laundry room. He is over at his brothers house right now.I mixed up 2 batches of wedding cookie dough for Kari's bridal shower next Sunday. I will be at Sam's house next Sunday. The shower starts at 2pm, so I will probably be there about noon or so. Then back about 6ish. ??
I will look up Sam's # in case you can call & Im over there. I will leave it with Mike too, in case you wouldn't have it when you call. A buggy just went by with an Amish family, kids hanging out every where. The one little boy about 4 years old pointed up to the sky at the fairly low flying helicopter. It must amaze those little kids to see that when everything in their lives is so basic.
I 'm hoping if you are able to call that you are more adjusted & things are going abit better. Like when you called before in the shuffle, you were feeling better the 2nd call because you guys were not just sitting around. The phone had rung & I dropped this note. It wasn't you. I don't know what I had started to write, it was a lady from Rio that wants to see an antique photo before I take it to the booth.
Well, that's all I know for now. Iam sending my love. I will see you soon!
Love, Galoshes

Dear MaryJanes June 18th

Inside card:
MaryJanes,
Without you, I'm a pail version of my usual self.
Love, Galoshes



{Included in this mailing was a cousin's wedding invitation, a report card from school, a bank statement.}

From MJ 6/18

MaryJanes on far right. Johnson upside down next to me.

Hey mom,
I'm on fire guard again. I miss you so much. I'll probably get your letters Monday or Tuesday hopefully.

Did I tell you that there is another Johnson in my platoon who the drill sergeants think I should adopt? Well she's always messing something up or having her hair/uniform wrong so she has to push (do push ups). Well since she didn't seem to be learning the drill Sargent thought we should be sisters and I should drop with her. She drops a lot. I did so many push-ups on kitchen patrol yesterday because I was busy doing stuff and she got caught with her hands in her pockets. So now I'm not allowed to let her out of my sight. She's cool though. We have the strangest feeling that we know each other from somewhere but she lives in Tennessee. it's a weird feeling though.

Somethings wrong with my big left toe. It hurts and I looked at it but it looks fine. I don't know. I'm not going on sick call until I can't walk though.

We have to run 2 miles on Monday to determine what group we are in so they can help us improve. I'm going to try real hard, but 2 miles! I've never done that. And 1 mile seems like forever.

I see Holly every once and a while. We usually have at least one classroom thing a day and she's there. We are going to church today. We have the choice of sleeping until 0700 or getting up an hour and a half earlier to go to church. Se we are going. Becky, Holly and I have decided to join the choir too.

Do you think Grandpa and Grandma Johnson will come down for graduation?

You know how I told you about the push-ups and pull-ups after dinner. well when we do pull-ups they let us have someone hold our feet, well I showed the girls that all we really need to do is use our feet against our buddy's stomach to get us up! It works. I can do 10 no problem. But I put enough weight on my arms to work them out otherwise I would be just wasting time.

I may have told you, but we get to go to Victory Tower on Friday. It's the big jungle gym with the ropes and repelling and climbing.

I can't wait to graduate. I'm so afraid I won't make it. Like I'm going to fail my PT test or something. Some of the girls say they can't not graduate for it, but I think you have to pass to graduate. I can't wait to see you!

I feel like I'm coming home next week. I've only been gone 14 days. I would only have 7 weeks left of basic if we hadn't have had to go to reception and all that crap.

My waist is getting a little smaller. We haven't done much yet but all the sweating does it.
I don't know what's going on with my pay but they made us use $315 credit from our first pay for crap they feel we need. We have to set up our drawers for display. How dumb is that.

I can understand why we roll all our clothes, but displaying our toothbrush and soap? Oh well.

That's all that's really going on here. The days go by fast and they'll only get faster. I can't believe that there are more girls than guys here and all the guys seem to be going nuts over me. And I have no make-up, hair thrown up, and baggy uniforms. it's kinda funny.

I get to take a long shower as soon as Johnson gets back. Since we are pulling guard together we decided we would take turns showering.

Well I'm going to go now. I'm so tired, I wish I could go back to bed. I will in like an hour though.

♥MaryJanes

From MJ 6-18

Image By: buckscountyframes

Mom,
Hello. I'm scared mom. I don't want to be here. Sure the people are real nice and the drill sergeants are just doing their jobs, things aren't right here. We are not allowed enough time for everyone to shower, the girls are always bitching at each other, I get dropped every time Johnson messes up, I had to ask a question because I didn't understand some directions and I was told to get out of the drill sergeants face before he kills me. I cried in church today praying to get through this. We haven't ran at all since we got here and all of a sudden tomorrow we have to run 2 miles timed. They are taking a ton of $ out of my paycheck that they didn't tell us about, $50 some a month for laundry whether we send it in or not, $315 for supplies, and now I guess we might have our graduation date changed again to a few days earlier. I just want to come home. I know how proud I would be if I made it, but right now I feel abused. I'm dirty and confused, lied to, not given toilet paper. I was tempted to call you in the middle of the night and ask you to call and say a grandmother had died and I needed to come home that day and then found a way for me to stay home, which isn't that hard since I'm 17.

Some people here are sick in the head I swear it. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, not all fun, but I feel abused. I will be so happy when I get out of here. Tomorrow is going to be the worst day of my life. I can't stop crying tonight. I want to come home so bad despite how proud I would feel to graduate. This is over the edge. Human decency is questionable here.

But I have to get to sleep yet again the familiar sounds of ambulances and girls telling stories of being cornered and yelled at being told around me.

♥ Always,
MaryJanes

Miss you! Kisses

Dear MaryJanes June 18th

Inside Card:
I knew it...
I just knew I'd miss you!
Lots of love, Galoshes
Inside are pre-made address labels to save you time. I made them myself w/out your help!!

{Yes, that's toilet paper! Galoshes started to tuck in TP to just about every card she sent, and it's still included in each envelope to this day}

Dear MaryJanes June 17th

Dear MaryJanes June 16th

Image by: mfayrephotography

MaryJanes,
I hope I took your address down right, I gave it to Grandma G. She said she'd write you right away. Then we went to Kim and Roy's. Kim said that if I didn't have it right, that you'd have to do push ups for each one that was wrong. She won't write you yet to make sure your address was in correct order. I'm having a difficult time yesterday and today. I'm holding back the tears and fighting depression. I was doing ok till your last, quick call. Mike tried to help, but said there wasn't anything he could say to make me feel any better. So he's just been giving me allot of hugs. Today at work I had to really fight the tears back. Mike drove me to the post office last night after you called, that way they would go out right away. I kept repeating that I hope I heard you right about the address. He has assured me several times that they will get to you. My heart will really ache if they get sent back to me. I meant to ask about Holly. Do you still get to see her? Is there anyone in your platoon that you can pal with? Im hoping so. Im going to take stuff to the flea market in the morning to keep my mind busy. Mike doesn't want to because he wants to catch up in things around here. There are 2 auctions I want to go to next week. Tues/Thurs so I want to make some $ for it. Well Mike is waiting for me outside so we can move the sheep pen & load the truck for the morning. I miss you extremely! I wish I could make your time there less difficult. be strong & think positive things. Keep in mind they are paying you & that your car payments and insurance are due. You will come out of this stronger. Reach into yourself and draw from your soul. I will pray for you often. I hope you can call on Sunday, I don;t know if they will let you. As soon as I know your address is right, I will give it to everyone. Marvin gets mad because your bedroom door is shut. There is a chance that Jenny will come with us August 16 -17. I don't know if I wrote you that the Amtrak is too expensive. We are going to rent a car for a week instead. I will see you soon! Only days! Think positive and be strong.
I Love You!
Galoshes

Dear MaryJanes June 16th

Card Reads:

If suddenly today, you smile and feel good....and you're not quite sure why...it might have something to do with the happy little hug I just sent your way.

:signed:
Lots of love sent your way too! Sending you a silly book to get your mind off things there for a few minutes.