YAY!

       Matt got over his bronchitis! Woot! Now lets see who can guess what or when he'll get sick next...

       I'm guessing next week and something with a cough/loss of voice.

       What do you think?

Little Updates

      Well last I heard Matt still has Acute Bronchitis. He's been given something for the cough, an inhaler to help get the medication to his bronchi to (hopefully) clear it up. He's still going strong and even though he's been sick so much he hasn't missed any of the required activities which is really good. Seriously with him getting sick all the time while he's out there (which is to be expected because there are about 50 cadets per platoon, and most of them all sleep in the same room) I'm so making him get looked at and a physical when he gets home.  Mostly just because I'm a nervous wife who can't stand not being able to take care of her hubby when he's sick, but at least I know it.

       Other then that he's been doing great and still working really hard. He got called on to be the "platoon leader" for a day and loved doing it. He thought he did really good at it. Most of the cadets in his platoon listen to what he says and respect him for always going and doing whatever is needed even he's sick. His corner in the barracks is the "popular" corner. Personally I think it's because he's this little white boy who has picked up a lot of lingo that sounds hilarious when he says it. One of the members of his platoon is black and so he's taught Matt how to be a "black man" it's so weird talking to Matt on the phone when he walks by. Because he'll just all of a sudden start talking differently and saying things like "yo what up man!?" cracks me up every time I hear it. Because that's so not how Matt talked when he was home. I'm pretty sure that Matt gets a kick out of saying things that make no sense to me and then listening to me try and figure out what he's said. He's learning all the shorthand ways of saying things in the military and frequently will say them when we're on the phone or when he's writting me a letter. I'm pretty sure he could write me an entire letter in their shorthand and I'd need a urim and thummim to read it. That or else bring it to Sgt Williamson to translate it for me.

     As for me I'm still just working towards nursing and finding out each and every class that I absolutely can't be an ER nurse or a psych nurse. ER maybe, but based off of what my teacher's told me probably not. But we shall see what the clinicals bring out. Thankfully I'm in the second group for clinicals so I won't start them until after Matt gets to AIT so I'll get to talk to him most nights and every weekend. Which will really help save my sanity during those last two months of school and him being gone.

       What else... Oh so I started a cedar chest about 3 years ago and I ended up giving it to my brother John to help me fix because the plans I used weren't the greatest plans ever. And I just found out that he had a student build it for me and that he's going to be delivering it to me tonight. So I'm really excited about that. I'll post pictures of it when it comes so you can all see what it looks like. Currently I'm thinking about putting it in the living room and getting rid of the coffee table I have in there now and the tubs I have for my blankets and just putting them in the cedar chest. However I may just put in all the stuff I've made for our future kids in there instead, because I used a lot of wool and cedar is a natural bug/moth repellent. Bray'Tac still loves sleeping in Matt's closet on top of his jeans. It's funny because if I ever can't find him that's usually where he is. It's cute.

      But homework and laundry are calling so I will write more later!

~Melanie

Furry Kitty

       So Bray'Tac is shedding his winter coat and there is fur EVERYWHERE!!! So I went to PetSmart today and got an amazing comb made especially for long haired cats. And this is what I got off of him.

    
       If you can't tell it's ton. About a handful of hair. And then he decided that he was done being brushed/bribed to sit still and then ran to the bed. And promptly gave me this look

       As if he'd done nothing to deserve being brushed for about 10 min. (I took this picture a while ago, hence my leg in the pic, but it's the same look ;]) So glad that I got that brush (even if it is a hurl-a-licous color...)



       As for Matt, he has acute bronchitis and is still loving basic. Not sure why... but hey it makes him happy so that's what matters right? other then that he's doing really good. He's still able to talk to Styler that helped him during reception so he's happy about that. ummm... what else... that's pretty much it. just same ol' stuff as always. he likes the MRE's and misses having real home cooked food... ummm.... yeah that's pretty much it. School's school... so nothing to report there... and yeah that's basically it!

Best news ever!!!

        So I never thought that I would be excited for midterms but this semester I am! Because my teacher decided to be nice to me and move midterms up a week! Which means I get to go see Matt!! WOOT!!!!! So now I just have to finish putting everything else in order and get ready to fly out to OK.

       But I gotta get back to paying attention in class I just had to post it because I'm so happy about it!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

One Month do the date

       Well today Matt has been gone exactly one month to the date (according to me anyway, he claims he didn't leave until the 20th, which is sort of true as he actually flew to OK on the 20th, but he left me on the 19th so that's the date I go by). It's been an interesting month trying to figure everything out without him gone. But in a way he's still here with me each and everyday. Matt left me a movie that I could watch whenever I really missed him, or just needed to hear his voice. I never thought I'd end up with a guy as amazing as my Matthew. But for some reason unknown to me I did. Each morning I wake up in our house I think about all the good times we've had together and all the good times still yet to come. Sometimes looking at our time apart it feels like it'll never end, but every now and then it surprises me how long he's been gone. Today is definitely one of those days that it's surprised me how long it's been.
      
      I think the things that have made this time go by fast is being able to spend so much time with all of my amazing family and friends and just looking forward to the time that I will get to be with him again. Matt's been writing much better letter recently which has also really helped out a lot. Not that I didn't enjoy reading his first few letters, but every now and then I needed him to tell me that he missed me. Which lately he has been doing. The first few letters were mostly just about his day to day life and sweaty guys, which is interesting but I'll be honest I'd prefer to hear from him about him then about the guys in his platoon.

      Well, as far as Matt goes he's been really enjoying Basic. He did Combat Life Saving this past week and said it made him feel like a real soldier. Mostly it just made me laugh reading what he wrote about it. Because he kept saying out it was so different then anything I'll ever do as a nurse when I talked to him on the phone. But when I was reading what they did for it I just died laughing. Because it's just basic triage. Something every nurse does during a disaster drill in the hot/red zone. And hearing him say things like tension pneumothorax sounded really funny coming from him. He knew what he was talking about but I never expected to hear him say anything medical. When he did the Gas chamber he said he was anxious about it all day long but then when it came time to do it, he just thought about being home and having a real meal and then he wasn't anxious about it anymore. :) ummm that's pretty much all that's new so far. His viral and sinus infections have mostly cleared up, he was going to check it throat on Sunday to let me know if he had any pustules left, so as soon as I hear I'll let you know. Other then that he's just loving life. Supposedly he's stopped losing weight and has started gaining arm/abs/leg muscle.... however with how easily he loses weight I kinda doubt that he's stopped.

   
       But I gotta get back to doing all the homework that I've been avoiding... ugh... 12 weeks and I'll be done with school... I can last that long right???

Sundays

       Well today is Sunday #4 since Matt left for basic training. It feels like it should be Sunday number 17 to me. But it will get there soon enough. Sunday is my favorite day of the week because it means that Matt gets to call. Only for an hour but it's an hour of sheer perfection. I love that she can call at all. It gives me something to look forward to during the week. He should have my cell phone by now so I won't have to guess if it's him or his missionaries calling which will be nice. That and then I get to hear his ring tone which makes me happy just because it's his.

      As for me I've picked up an extra day at work for the next few weeks, my etsy account is up but I still need to finish posting everything on it. So far I just have a pair of booties on it, but as soon as I get the pictures taken and edited I'll have 5 headbands to put up. I'm also looking into putting in an order form for them, so that people can pick what kind of materials/flowers/colors/buttons they want for them. I'll probably put up a little thing that says I will do my best to match colors that they want but that it depends on what I can find, unless they provide the yarn or something like that. Not sure if I will or not yet. Also I'm thinking about putting up some baby blanket sets. and then just charging like 30 two burps and a blanket with a simple edging and like 35-40 for a more complex edging. Which pretty much will only pay for the materials but I don't care that much. It'll give me something to do and a distraction for while Matt's gone. Really I don't care so much if I even make anything on these things as long as it gives me something to do and I'm not losing money.

       But Matt should be calling soon so I better go get ready for church so that I can just talk and not worry about getting ready and what not.


~Melanie

Ps my esty shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/MJHLong

Letters from Matt

       I got two letters from Matt yesterday. He's doing pretty good. He's got a viral infection in his throat that he couldn't remember the name of, a sinus infection and he slammed his hand when he did the obstacle course. Sounds fun doesn't it? But all things considered he's doing really good. He's lost most of his voice because of the virus (mostly because it hurts to talk/swallow, he has "several pustules" in the back of his throat).  I'm pretty sure that mouth/throat problems are just Matt's curse. 
       
       But though it all he's still the same ol' Matt. Happy and cheerful as ever! :) Sometimes it makes me wonder what he's really thinking when he's so happy all the time, but at the same time that's one thing that made me fall in love with him (and keeps making me fall in love). One of his letters he wrote while he was on night watch so it actually had a point to it. It was so nice to read something actually from Matt and not just a bunch of Military cadences...

       That's pretty much all he wrote about so not a whole lot of news but at least it's something.

       Other then that there's not a hole lot of anything new going on. I started school today. So I'll be studying more again. I'm going to make an Etsy account to sell some things that I've made (and so that I can have an excuse to get more stuff to play with). I think my biggest problem is that I like to make so much stuff but then it just sits around my house or in storage so then things get cluttered. So this way I can have all the fun of making the stuff and won't have to worry about keeping/storing any  of it. Which will be nice. That and it'll be nice to have some extra money to save up for future plans/dates.

       But mostly I'm just rambling right now so I'm going to go study for my test Wednesday.

Melanie

My Wonderful Mom

       Since tomorrow is mother's day I thought I would take a min to tell you about my amazing mom.

       My Mom knew from a very young age that the church she was attending wasn't the right one. The true church wouldn't change it's doctrine based on who was preaching that Sunday or have it's name changed based on the priest at the time. Because of this she kept looking for the true church. When she was 19 two missionaries knocked on her door, and she knew from that moment that what they were going to tell her was true. She worked hard with her family and the missionaries and to this day remembers the missionaries that baptized her and the gospel they taught her. She was baptized on September 7 at the age of 19 and converted my Dad at the age of 21. Her and my dad were married in a chapel in MN (before the temple was built there) and then later were sealed in Idaho Falls. My mom has the strongest testimony out of everyone I know. She is continually striving to learn and grow in the gospel.
   
       My mother has been a source of inspiration to me though out my life (struggle as we may with communication). She has been there to help and teach me every step of my life. She is the one who taught me that anything worth doing was worth sacrificing for. She is a beautiful strong woman who raised 11 children, and is now the grandmother to 23. She is so caring and compassionate that she will often go without to make sure that her children and grandchildren are taken care of. Together with my sister (and even before we could help) she has made several blankets and clothing items for everyone in my family. I can't think of one person that she hasn't helped in someway shape or form. She is always working and trying to be the best person she can be. I'm so grateful to my mother for not giving up when all I did was fight with her as a child. I'm so grateful that she took the time to teach me how to sew, knit, cook, clean, work and try. Her example has taught me to keep going and to never give up. Her example in service has taught me to serve and given me a grater desire to serve and to find the true joy that comes out of service. My Mom is always doing anything she can to serve and help people grow. She is always willing to teach anyone who is willing to learn. She is a wonderful caring daughter of God who knows the true joy of teaching children. She loves music and enjoys teaching the many children in her ward. For her the joy comes not just from the music, but from the look on each child's face when they get the chance to show how far they have come and the joy that they express in their own individual ways. She often holds piano recitals in her home for the children so they can have a chance to play for their grandparents/parents and siblings. Each of the recitals that I've attended I've personally seen the pride and joy on each child's face as they walk away from the piano after playing for their family and the applause that follows.

     I hope someday to be as strong as she is.

    I love you Mom!!

New Topic

       So I've decieded that I've been posting a lot about Matt. So on a different related topic. I passed all of my classes this semester and finally finished replacing the ugly fan in the kitchen! I decided after my test that I no longer had to study to I was going to finally replace it. I've only wanted to do it since we moved in... So when we got the fan for the living room I kept the light fixture from in there to replace the fan in the kitchen. So tonight I did it! (and if you wondering, no Matt didn't replace the light in the living room, I did that one too).

      So here are some pics of what out house used to look like and a couple of the new light fixtures. I'll post pictures of the rest of the house after I finish cleaning it up tomorrow.

The Bathroom

 

Lots of the Kitchen, notice the terrible fan with the HUGE ball hanging off of it? 

  

This right here is the #1 reason why the fan had to go!!

 

The Living Room

 

View of the kitchen from the living room

 

What eventually became our room

 

The Second Bedroom/Office

 

And just  because he's cute! Bray'Tac helping me change the light in the living room (yes he did actually climb up the latter after me!)

                                                               The New Kitchen light!

 

The Living Room Fan

    
     But I'm off to bed! Night everyone!

Basic Training Movies

      These are the movies Matt and I watched before he left for basic training. I thought it was actually interesting, but unnerving at the same time... Mostly because for me it made it real that he would be gone months before he left. Which I guess what good, but at the same time it just made me miss him even more every time he left. 

Matt's Address

       I got my first letter from Matt! :D So here is his address for the base.

PFC Long, Matthew
C-Btry 1-19th FA, 3rd Plt
5970 S Boundary Rd.
Fort Sill, OK 73503

However, I have been informed that if the letters you send aren't completely sealed the commanding officers will read them before delivering them. So if you need to tell him something private send it to the missionaries and they will make sure that he gets it on Sundays.

But I'm going to go take care of a rental and then send Matt off a package!

Matt's Missionaries

       So I have a correction to make. Originally I was told that we can't send Matt care packages. Which is sort of true. If you send a care package to the base it takes about 2-3 weeks for them to get it and the Sergents go though it to make sure that there's not "contraband." However, on Sundays when the cadets go to church with the missionaries assigned to the Military men they are passed care packages full of contraband. But the catch is that whatever food you send has to be either passed out or eaten in 15 min, left overs get thrown away. The things you absolutely CAN NOT send are electronics. If you do the missionaries will take them from the men so that this privilege doesn't get revoked for future cadets going through basic at Fort Sill, OK. So if you want to send him any care packages (or letters for the time being) that address is:

Elder and Sister Woodbury

Military Relations Missionaries

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 906 NE Tortoise Dr Apt1

Lawton OK 73507

(When I got the address from Matt over the phone on Sunday I miss heard some of the letters, so this is the correct address that the missionaries emailed to me along with a video of Matt talking). 

    
       I'll have to figure out a way to post the video so you all can see what he looks like with a buzzed head. I must say, not his best look, but still loved seeing and hearing him.

     But other then that, my wonderful sister, Whitney,  took me to a scrapbooking store that is closing in Spanish Fork and it's official. I've gone to the dark side of paper scrapbooking. I was playing with the digital scrapbooking for about 8 months and not so in love with it. I don't know if it the program I'm using or lack of feeling the paper but it just wasn't working out for me. Although it is much cheaper I'm excited to start scrapbooking for real. ;)

       Oh and I finally finished tilling the back yard and a little bit in the front and spreading grass seed. Found out that I broke a sprinkler (Thank you for fixing it for me David!!), and not just waiting for the grass to grow. Tomorrow I'll start with the weed killer in the front and all the pruning. So ya know all the easy stuff ;). But it has been so nice to have warm enough weather to actually be outside doing the yard work. For me, I think the Sunlight is an anti-depressant. So being able to be outside working has been wonderful while Matt's been gone. One more thing to be grateful for. So between visiting with all the families, scrapbooking, yard work/sunlight, gardening, psych, clinicals and my preceptor this Summer will be over before I know it! Only 16 weeks until Matt comes home. (And only 9 weeks and 2 days until I see him if school works out so that I can!!)

     But it's off to bed with me! I'll post again when I hear more from him and get his mailing address at the base.