Card Received from Scott, Friday 18 March

Our Anniversary was Sunday, 20 March 2011--Seven Years

For My Wife:
Today I can think of about a million things to be thankful for--dreams we've seen come true, happy times we've shared,
so many new experiences still ahead of us...
But the one thing I'm most grateful for is also the one thing
that's made it all possible--
your love.
I am so thankful for you
and the love you bring to my life.
You are such a gift to me.
Happy Anniversary.


Scott writes:
Jen,
Time has flown and now we've been together for 7 years!  Congratulations!  As I interact with a diverse group of people I'm realizing how significant it is to stay married and remain true and faithful to one another.  I can honestly tell people I happily married and madly in love.  I am so blessed to have you in my life.  You have inspired me to accomplish things and become what I never would have on my own.  You have given me two of the most wonderful children ever and you are a great mother to our family.  I appreciate your relentless work ethic and unwavering determination.  I am humbled by the sacrifice you are making to serve your country and the defense of freedom and liberty by being a military spouse.  I understand that much like the mothers of the stripling warriors military spouses are the true heroes of the war.  Although I am saddended that we won't be together on this special day, I take great joy in the confidence that our love is stronger than ever and our unity is more aligned than ever before.  This time apart has solidified for me how much I love you, I want you, and how awesome life is with you.  Just a little while longer and we'll be together making many more memories as a couple and with our beautiful family.


Love forever,
Scott

Letter from Scott, received Monday 14 March

Family,

I just read Elder Scott's conference message "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character" (Nov 2010).  This message really resonates with me at this time.  Elder Scott uses several eloquent metaphors to illustrate the relationship of faith and character.  Here is one he repeats at least once:  "character is woven patiently from threads of applied principle, doctrine and obedience." He also writes, "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.  Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming."

Today is Sunday and I'm studying a little before we head out to church (aka religious services).  It is sad how few of the soldiers attend services.  That combined with the conversations are cause for concern in the moral health of our society.  Earlier we were discussing a "Dear John" letter PVT Gonzalez received.  From there others began recounting their first loves and break-ups.  Then PFC Tardieu (spelling?) made a comment about us not being the last men to touch our wives or us being the last men our wives are with.  Interestingly he prefaced his comment with  "Wilson you may disagree with this..." I did acknowledge that he was likely correct for the vast majority of people but that I did disagree with him in my personal case.  I explained that we've only ever been with each other and that we planned on being together forever.  I have taken for granted how rare it is for two people to be so committed to each other, their marriage and the family they create.  It truly is a treasure.  I am so blessed to have such an amazing family.

It has been too long since I mailed a letter.  I miss each of you terribly.  I must admit that since we spoke on Saturday night I've had a hard time getting your mother (meaning Jen) out of my thoughts.  I look forward to our time together at the end of the month.  This is the longest period of time we've been apart in seven years (maybe eight because I don't think I was in El Salvador this long).  I miss so many things, small things.  The days are beginning to wear on me.  We've done a lot since I last wrote.  Today we threw live grenades.  Last week we crawled under live machine gun fire (M240B).  Friday we will do buddy team rushes where we storm a street using natural barricades for cover and providing cover fire for our buddies.  Next week we will do convoy operations and then the week after is Victory Forge which is the culminating exercise of our BCT experience.

This Saturday is the final APFT (PT test), this is the test to determine whether we qualify to graduate BCT.  I've passed the first two not only at BCT standards but by AIT standards so I'm not too concerned about that.  The greatest challenge has been patience and tolerance both with the monotony of the days and the immaturity of the platoon.  A lot of the personalities in my platoon remind me of the people I've fired in the past.  The problem is I can't fire these people.  I can't eve effectively influence the D.S. to discipline them.  And I'm in the student leadership!!  Anyhow, the days seem to drag but the weeks fly by.  Today I'm drained and trying to get my positive energy back.  I hope all is going well for the family back home.  I look forward to seeing all the kids have learned at gymnastics.  I'm excited for the tri season and to see mom, I know she is going to be awesome.  I'll be getting back just as the summer weather is getting good for some family outings.  I'd like to add a nice camp chef to our equipment list.  With the tent we got last summer we can have some great camping trips with great food.


Okay it has been about 24 hours since I was writing last night.  I hit a low point, snapped and nearly busted my hand on my wall locker.  It's a long story (sort of) and something I'll tell you about when you're out here for graduation.  I'm in pretty good spirits as of tonight and I am excited to finish out this challenge (BCT).  I miss and love you more than I know how to express in words.


Love, 
Scott


Family:
I'm sitting in the waiting room at the dental clinic here at Ft. Jackson.  Yesterday we began the "Victory Hammer" FTX (Field Training Exercise) a 3 day, 2 night experience.  Last night we completed the Night Infiltration Course.  That's the course where we crawled across a field while they shot live rounds over our heads.  It sound intense but it was actually pretty low key.





Also included in the letter were some drawings.  One is a map showing the barracks, PT Pit, Battalion HQ, Golden Arrow Rd., PT track and field, DFAC, Dirt Field, Storage, and forest areas.  The second drawing is a more in-depth drawing of the company barracks and PT area.  I tried to scan them, but my scanner does not work.  Scott can fix it when he gets back.

Dear Scott, Happy Anniversary!!

Happy 7th Anniversary!!  Thank you so much for your beautiful card.  You really flatter me.  It's all mushy and romantic.  I read it over a few times, but I didn't want to get myself all sad or depressed that we were not together today.  Instead I'm just excited that I get to see you next week.



Today is also the first day of spring!!  So it seems the weather will be bad for awhile still.  We have lots of rainy and gray days ahead.  Rubie said to me while driving yesterday, "Mom, where have the blue skies gone?"  I wonder the same thing.

We had a busy and wonderful week last week.  On Monday after being at the Tullett's all day, we went with Nate, Carlee and Reid and the other Wilson family: Greg, Jessica, Dylan, and Adam to see a cute play called No Dogs Allowed at the SCERA theater.  It was a very cute play, the actors did a great job.  The kids loved the "dog"--Exejente (I'm not sure on the spelling, say the name with a Spanish accent, the family was Puerto Rican living in New York).  All the kids watched the play with undivided attention.  Dylan was so excited about so many things he kept making comments to me.  After playing all day I was just waiting for Eric to fall asleep during the performance, but he didn't.  He had a melt down after the show in the lobby because I wouldn't buy him some Swedish fish.  So we didn't join the other two families for Frozen Yogurt.  Though I had to drag him out to the car kicking and screaming, he was asleep within just a few minutes of being in the car.

Excited for the show to begin.

The Wilsons.  I don't know how I didn't get a picture of the Tullet's.

Family Night.

Eric and Rubie would not stand by the dog, but Dylan and Adam were brave.

Wednesday morning we packed up our stuff and went to South Ogden to stay with our good friends the Warner's for a few days.  Mitch and Mandy recently bought a home in South Ogden.  It is a beautiful home in a great neighborhood.  We had so much fun with them.  On Wednesday afternoon we went to the Club (actually we went there every day), the Ogden Athletic Club.  The kids got to play while Mandy and I went to a body sculpting class.  I do strength training but this class was hard, I loved it.  They have a great child care area.  The kids are in different rooms based on their ages.  For the older kids the child care workers actually do activities with the kids.  They had some games going on which the kids are actually moving and running and they totally enjoy it.  Afterward we got a racquetball court and let the kids run around hitting racquetballs until they got tired and too out of hand with the rackets.

Thursday was St. Patrick's Day, or Leprechaun Day as Eric has come to call it.

We woke up to a green breakfast.  Mandy had green eggs, green pancakes, and a green syrup made from strawberries and spinach.

It was yummy!  Those Leprechauns left a delicious meal for us.

In the afternoon Mandy and her Leprechaun helper put together a treasure hunt.  I took the kids outside to ride bikes while they were preparing.  The Warner's live on a pretty safe street inside a neighborhood.  Across from them is a nice sized cauldisac where their cousin's the Elton's (Mitch's sister Carrie) live.  It's a great place for the kids to run around and play while a parent can easily supervise.

Rubie is getting better on her bike, she is still the slowest, but improving.

There is the Warner's house in the back ground.

The treasure hunt ended at the kitchen table where there was a beautiful plate of cupcakes.

The cupcakes were for to celebrate Gabe's birthday.

Gabe is Carrie's 3rd child, he turned 3 years old.

One of the treasures was some bubbles.  All kids love bubbles!

That evening I went with Mandy to the ward Relief Society activity.  There was a nursery for the kids and the moms enjoyed a dinner and a message with skit about visiting teaching.

On Friday morning we went to the Dinosaur Park at the mouth of Ogden Canyon.  The first thing we got to see were these nearly life-size robotic dinosaurs.  They were great!  They were very life like with movement and sounds.  

Fay and Kimball loved them.  Eric and Rubie watched them from a safe distance.  They only went close to the fence when I was right beside them so I couldn't take a picture of them in front of the dino-bots.

There were displays of rocks, fossils, gems, stones, and replicas of dino skeletons with some fossils.  Julia was a little unsure of these skeletons.

Outside there are dinosaurs all over the park.  As we walk around the paths there are replicas of dinosaurs everywhere.  Here we are admiring a Pteredon nest.

At certain places there are speakers with sounds of dinosaurs running, growling, sometimes fighting.  There is also a volcano that erupts every few minutes.

Though you can see the ropes around the dinosaurs letting park visitors know there is no touching, the kids did not resist.  I kept trying to get them back, but sometimes I just let them touch.

On the playground there are dinos to climb on and around.  Also an ancient tree to climb in and slide down.

We loved our visit to the park.  Doll did to.  She loved it so much she got left behind.  Rubie and I had to take another trip there later in the afternoon just to bring her home.  Rubie kept her close by after that because as Rubie told me doll was a little scared being with all the scary dinosaur's by herself.  

Friday night I got to party with all the kids by myself while Mitch and Mandy had a date.  It was the least I could do.  They were so wonderful to get us a pass to The Club and feed us and have us stay over.  If Scott ever takes a job up North (which might be totally possible working for a company with head quarters in Ogden) I would totally consider living in South Weber.  It is a great community.  We left Saturday afternoon wanting to make plans to come back next month.  We thank Heavenly Father for such great friends in our lives.

Saturday morning I enjoyed a great workout with Mandy.  We put our bikes on our trainer's in the garage.  Then we had a fun run with one of her neighbors.  And then went to The Club for a body pump class.

As we left the Warner's on Saturday we went to Farmington for Aunt Tai's baby shower.  Eric was happy to be there and quickly found kids and toys at Kristi and Brett's (Tai's brother and sister-in-law) to play with.  Rubie was not happy to be there and she let everyone with a mile radius know it.  She had fallen asleep as I was packing up the car at the Warner's.  She woke up when I put her in the car and screamed at kicked all the way to Farmington.  I thought she would calm down but it took awhile.  She worked herself out of her seat belt and was working to destroy things in the car.  I got her out and she just ran around the yard screaming.  Some neighbors came out to see what was going on and the ladies in the shower were wondering what was going on.  Finally after what seemed like forever I got her to calm down and found her a bed to take a nap on.  When she woke up she was happy and sweet and cute again.  I loved visiting with my cousins that came to the shower.  It was fun to see all the cute things Tai got for her baby.  We went to Grandma and Grandpa Jeppson's after to visit.  We were hoping to see Uncle Joe, but he had a very long day at guard and didn't even leave there until almost 8pm.  So I just talked to him on the phone on the drive home.  

Yesterday Eric and Rubie were playing while I was cleaning up the dinner dishes.  Eric came up with a new outfit, Halloween Hero Dog Ballerina Girl.  Rubie was Pink Dancer.

I just wanted to comment on something I have learned about service during the experience of having you gone.  Everywhere I go and see people that I know, people are always genuinely concerned about how we are doing without having you here.  I have been amazed at how many say to call or let them know if we need anything.  Offers are sincere and I know that people mean it.  It has actually been quite humbling and I know that I can take people up on their offers.  But there have been a few that along with their offer, just do.  I have been very blessed and totally humbled by that those that have just brought dinner, or call and say when can I take the kids, or here is my schedule so you know when I'm available, or something similar. They are the ones that just do.  I am often the kind that offers "call if you/when you need..." especially to those I visit teach.  But I have learned that I want to just be a doer of service.  It takes more effort on my part initially, but then I actually get to serve.  I have been able to do that a few times, but I would like to do it more often within my calling, with my visiting teachees and just with people around me.

Have a great week!!  I am so looking forward to see you in South Carolina.  I love you.  The kids love you.  Rubie colored a picture in church yesterday and said to save it to send to you.  Rubie was actually mad for a few minutes at Lloyd yesterday because when I set the table I put him in the place where you normally sit.  Rubie was adamant that was Daddy's place and that Lloyd should not sit there.  Eric was worried that if you saw him dressed up as Halloween Dog Ballerina Girl you might think that he wasn't Eric anymore, that maybe I had two girl babies.  So he wants you to know it is just a costume.  We hope you are having great experiences.

Love Always and Forever,

Jen