"Better to fight for something than live for nothing." -General George S. Patton

Today was, for the most part, spent getting the rest of my things ready for Basic Training. I packed up most of my clothes and personal belongings aside from what I will be needing for the next few weeks. My Army bag is packed and ready to go! Now if I can just memorize the plethora of information that I need to know by heart before my ship date, I'll be good to go.

It's a difficult thing for a lot of people to enlist for the right reasons these days. You pretty much know without a doubt (and any honest recruiter would tell you right off the bat), that you will be deployed at least once during your enlistment for 12-18 months at a time. And it could VERY likely be to a war zone with all that's going on in Iraq, Korea and Afghanistan. I knew that before I even went to talk to a recruiter or signed the paperwork. I chose to do it anyway. Less than 1% of the population of the United States serves in the military. I assume this is one reason why. My family is afraid for my safety upon deployment, but I'm not really. That's what I am training for...to defend my country. I'm sure I will be fine. But if the "other alternative" was to be God's will instead, it's better to die doing what you love than to live miserably.

Oh, how badly I dread leaving my adorable husband. I don't think we have been apart more than a couple nights in the past 10 years, not without at least talking anyway. However the more I think about everything I am leaving behind (with the exception of Jamie), I realize that I couldn't have made a better decision for my life. I think it will be a good opportunity for him to find himself and figure out what he wants to do with his life as well. Not to mention, I will be getting enough education money for us both as well as our future children, to go to college and improve our quality of lives.

Feeling a bit nostalgic, excited and maybe a smidgen depressed all at once tonight. I really should be concentrating on doing some physical training, but can't seem to get off my lazy backside. I guess Uncle Sam will be taking care of that for me soon enough anyway...