Regrouped

In true soldiering on form, B. is doing better.  He's already planning to be back at Airborne and RASP in a year - and is already working hard at that goal.  I have never been more proud of him.  He is such a determined guy - the disappointment is already past and he's moving forward at full speed ahead.  He called this evening and he sounds much, much better - positive and motivated and still enjoying what he's doing....in spite of the disappointment of earlier this week.

He has friends he's hanging out with and tonight, they were going into town to go watch a televised fight at Buffalo Bill Wings (or something like that).  It's good he's getting out and has guys to hang with.

Thankfully, he made it to the bank on base so he has a temporary debit card and is solvent once again.  I'm greatly relieved he has ready cash so he can join friends doing things while he's off.

One of the biggest changes from being in Basic is the freedom of more normal Monday through Friday, 8-5ish hours.  Although he did do a stint of 'Brigade' duty which meant he had to hang out at a desk for 24 hours - but he seemed to be enjoying that, too.  Hung with a drill Sargent and another Lieutenant and enjoyed talking to them.

Last Saturday when we were there, we went shoe shopping and the young lady who waited on us was very sweet.  B. bought new running shoes and some inserts.  After we left the store, B. said 'I really want to give her my number'...and he was patting his pockets to see what he had - he said 'I don't have anything to write on'.  I pulled a small notebook and a pen out of my purse, tore out a piece of paper and he wrote his name and cell phone number on it.  He made J. and I wait outside ('I'm nervous so just wait here, kay?')....and he went back in.  He came out and said 'she was with another customer but I went up and said 'S., I'm sorry to interrupt, I meant to give you this'.  And he handed her the paper.

About 30 minutes later, he got a text from her with a comment of 'Bold move.  I like bold.  So now here's my name and number'.  A series of texts followed - and in his 2nd bold move, B. asked if she could go for a run with him on Sunday.  She instead invited him to go paddle-boarding with her and friends at Lake Oliver in Columbus.  Her Sunday was fully booked - 'cuz her mom is a Methodist minister (so church!) and because S. was leaving on Tuesday for Cambridge (England!) where she is finishing her Master's in Theology.

We weren't sure what (if anything) would come from it - but they had a wonderful time on Sunday.

Funny story:  when we were with her at the store on Saturday, she said to B. 'my friend C. - her last name is McMaster' - (all of our eyes got as big as saucers as we said almost simultaneously 'as in the Base Commander General McMaster?' who had just spoken at B.'s graduation the day before) and she said 'one and the same - he's her Dad'...so the event on Sunday afternoon was something C. was working at since the company she works for put on the event.

Afterwards, S. (who had picked up B. on the base) took C. home - so B. got to go in and meet General McMaster in person.  They had a nice conversation -

S. and B. are communicating a lot from what we hear.....and he says 'she is really great'....with the sweet tone that comes from being completely smitten.  And from what we see (we read her tweets), she feels the same.

It's so sweet - and I think having her to talk to is also helping him through the disappointments of the week.

Sure, it's early in a long-distance relationship and a zillion things could go wrong.  But for now, B. seems to be hoping he ends up staying in Georgia for another couple months - she returns to Georgia at the end of May and he'd love to be around to see her before shipping out to wherever they send him.  

I am grateful he seems resilient - though setbacks are hard, they aren't derailing him one bit.  And for all the disappointment, he's doing a great job focusing on NOW and reminding himself of how far he has come - and we are very proud of him for even more reasons than we were this time last week.