From MJ 6/22

Becky and MaryJanes modeling (just some of) the gear we had to march with

Galoshes,

I just got 3 of your letters. I don't have to have push-ups for the address and although you did have the address wrong, I still got it. I started to cry in front of everyone when I read how you cry. I miss you so much. This place is alright. I'm really excited to come home.

So dad bought a fourth air plane? How many people does it hold? I wish someone would come get me right now. This isn't worth it.


MaryJanes

(in the same letter)
June 23, 2000
Hey mom,
I'm in bed again. I have fire guard tonight which will give me more time to write, but I miss you so much I can't sleep.

How did you get pulled into planning the shower. Tell David and Kari that I wish I could be there, Kari will make a beautiful bride.

Ryan doesn't really have a pot problem, but he does smoke it. I guess it's better that he does that than some of the other drugs those guys have gotten into.

I feel like I have been gone forever. But I guess tomorrow will be 20 days since I left home. But basic training time has only been 2 and a half weeks.

I do get to see Holly quite a bit. We shined boots together, still go to church together. Becky and I have become good friends although Holly and I click better.

People here are dropping like flies. I found out today that despite my original thoughts we were put in the hardest, strictest company at Fort Jackson. I knew the infantry division was tough, but compared to the other companies where they do what they want basically when they want, we have it so strict.

Yesterday the drill sergeants came into our barracks and tore apart beds and lockers. My locker had a lock on it so it was in tact and surprisingly my bed was one of the 4 not torn apart.

Today we started with the M16A2 rifle. We took it apart, put it together, learned motions with it. We are going to go to the range next week. I was the fastest female taking mine apart. Second fastest putting it together because I got ahead of myself and had to undo half of it.

Tomorrow we start bayonet training, the old gun/sword things. I don't know why but they feel we need to know how to use them.

That's cool that Jenn might come down here with you. Renting a car sounds good to me. Then maybe I can see some of this state since I've always wanted to visit it. Plus then we can have music which I miss so much.

I'm excited to see if Rusty missed me when I get home. I remember when Bear would be so happy to see me after I was gone a few days.

My drill sergeant (the nice one) looks so much like David (my cousin) it's scary. But he is more Native American than David is. But he reminds me a lot of him.

I'm glad to hear your drugs (st. Johns wort) are helping you cope. Although I am not missing or being molested by a 53 year old man I was warned by my drill sergeant that some other drill sergeants in the other companies are trying to and have been sleeping with privates.

That sample of 5th avenue Elizabeth Arden perfume was so good! It was nice to smell something other than sweat and cleaning supplies.

I haven't lost any noticeable weight yet I don't think. I hope I do or I will be so disappointed.

I got 5 letters from you today. You have no idea how much they help me. Getting mail every day is very important. You should be getting a letter every day from me, I write just about every night. But I'm going to sleep a little before fireguard. I will write then....

Man I love being woken up in the middle of the night to sit in a desk for an hour and a half watching everyone else sleeps.

Johnson, the girl I have to freaking baby sit, is on fire guard with me. I had to wake her up 3 times, the last time being rude, to get her to get up and change. Yesterday I had to dress her, do her hair, and make her bed. what a pain. She can be such an airhead when it comes to common sense too.

I miss driving so much. I can't wait to get my car back. We have to run today. When we tested on the 2 mile run to see what group we are in I got the D group. My drill sergeant wasn't very happy, there is like 10 of us in that group and he said we all have to be in C group by 2 and a half weeks.

I'm so hungry. I can't stand having 2-3 minutes to eat. We shovel everything in so fast you can't even tell your full until ten minutes later. Then your only full for like a half an hour and your hungry again.

A huge cockroach just ran across the floor. NASTY! Johnson is trying to kill it by dropping a flip flop on it but it's a little faster than she is.

Yes I remember the Coyote Ugly movie preview. I can't wait to see it. I felt like going to a movie so much yesterday.

You have some interesting stamps. Every day people ask to look at them because there is always something funny. Some people who haven't gotten one letter yet have requested that you adopt them or ask if they can write to you. But I know I'm the only one special enough to have the worlds greatest mother and the others here just have to realize that :)

The one thing I do like here is they constantly tell us that we are adults and need to act like it, which I personally do, but that if we are grown enough to join the army we are adults. It's a nice change from my high school teachers.

I miss Marvin too (the cat). he was always in my room with me, even though sometimes he got in the way.

Tommy hasn't written me yet. But I had to mail him my address so he may have just gotten it.

I'm pretty sure I mailed it to Lee'Ann (my best friend at the time), but not positive so I guess if she called you for it she hasn't gotten it yet. But I have half a letter around here somewhere waiting to be finished to her so it might be in that one.

I have to do my socks and underwear laundry on Sunday. I haven't gotten a chance yet because of church, but I'm going to keep going to church here so I will just have to find time. I have lots of clean undies yet, but I need to wash my white socks.

They never gave us phone rights on father's day. I thought that was pretty shitty but I guess there's not much I can do about it. Hopefully I will get to call tomorrow. The mean drill sergeants going until Tuesday so maybe.

I'm so hungry! They make everyone with packages open them in front of everyone so we don't get anything we aren't supposed to have. You should mail me socks with snickers inside them. No, I'm just kidding. It sounds so good though!

We have the best muffins at breakfast. It's the thing I will miss about this hell hole. They are Sarah Lee premium bran muffins. They are SO good. I crave them allot here.

You should see me polish my boots, what a mess. I get polish all over myself. But I can get them pretty shiny.

Well I have cleaning to do so I will see you tomorrow.

Love always and forever
Maryjanes

P.S. nick names I have acquired-
Dairy Princess- the guys in my platoon
TJ- same
JJ- My drill sergeant
Swiss Miss (like the girl on the hot chocolate packages)- the Lieutenant

P.P.S. Did I tell you I miss you? Well I do, a ton.

PPPS I love you!

PPPPS I want to come home :(

PPPPPS I'll be fine.

KEEP WRITING!