Graduation Part 1

I have decided to break this post into two parts for the sake of keeping things short and sweet.  I also don't want to skip out on any sweet details!

Last Tuesday was easily the most my heart has pounded in a very long time… I was almost 37 weeks pregnant packing the car to make the 5 hour trip to Newport with my Mom, Sister and favorite two year old.  Every hour we got closer to Rhode Island the butterflies in my stomach grew and I was faced with the reality that the almost four months that kept Will and I apart were quickly coming to an end.

I remember the pit I had in my stomach driving over the Newport bridge last time in March wanting to burst into tears knowing I would be leaving alone.  This time it was so beautiful with the water full of sailboats, and I couldn't believe Will would be not only coming back with us, but coming back an Officer!  Lets just say the arrival to Newport was a much more joyous event in July and it wasn't because of the warmer weather(although it didn't hurt).

Will told me that day he would have graduation practice around the time we would be getting to Newport so he wouldn't be able to see us until after they were finished.  I wanted to drive on base and see if we could see them on the field practicing from a distance.  As we were trying to be incognito driving around base we were faced with three men in uniform crossing the street, and they were staring right at us.  I panicked thinking we were somewhere we weren't supposed to be and tried to instantly turn the car around.  My sister then shouts "Its Will!", and since they all looked the same with hats on I ignored her and continued trying to leave.  Just as I am thinking we were going to be kicked off base, I realize one of those serious looking guys staring at us was in fact my husband!  This was not the romantical reunion I had envisioned but all of a sudden I was face to face with my sailor; stunned would have been an understatement.  We knew he was on his way to practice so he just had enough time to stick his head in the window and give Wilbur and I a kiss.  I thought little man might be a little weary of this guy he hasn't seen in four months but low and behold he was cheesing from ear to ear and didn't quite know how to contain his excitement to see "DA"

After parting ways and checking into the hotel, we were able to go back on base and visit with Will for a little while.  We went down to a little jetty just as the sun was setting, and it was absolutely picture perfect for a proper reunion.  We watched planes fly by, said "DA" about 200 times, and little Will even got to open a present from Dad(I brought this as a buffer in case Wilbur was a little forgetful of Dad at first).  Luckily the gift just added to little mans elation to be back together with his best buddy.  It was just surreal to be standing and talking with Will after what felt like years apart.  Since Will didn't get liberty that night we dropped him off right after it got dark and headed back to the hotel.  Everyone was exhausted.

Wednesday was a whirlwind.  We woke up to crazy thunderstorms and I snuck out to attend a class for Navy spouses, leaving the girls and little man to sleep in.  The seminar was intended to inform us on anything from deployment to moving to proper etiquette for different Naval events.  I could not recommend this class enough for any spouses able to go to something like this.  I learned so much!  This was followed up with some down time at the hotel before the "Hi Moms" Reception at the Officers Club.

 We picked up Will and headed over for some hors d'oeuvres and a chance to celebrate Will and his classmates on their accomplishments.  It was so special to see all of the class in their "Whites"; you could feel the pride beaming from all of the LO's.  They gave different awards, recognized the class team, and went through different Navy traditions and toasts.  It was a much more moving reception than I was expecting.  I may or may not have had to fight off some tears attempting to ruin my makeup.

Just in case anyone was thinking everything went according to plan…..Will and all of his class were so nervous to be wearing their whites.  They did not want to be the one that spilled anything on their crisp looking uniforms, and you could tell none of them were really kicking back and enjoying themselves completely because of it.  While Will was able to dodge little Wills shoes, his flying drinks and snacks, don't you know as he goes to pick him up his belt buckle catches little mans knees and scratches him.  Of course my husband ends up being the one with blood streaked across his perfect uniform just as the reception was getting started.  I don't know which one of my boys I felt worse for.  Luckily only a couple people noticed the stain as we were leaving and we were able to crop it out of pictures.  Just another silly story for the books.

The night was wrapped up with dinner at the same restaurant Will and I went to when I dropped him off.  I am happy to report that I did not have to choke back tears between bites this time, however I was pretty distracted by a certain man in uniform dining next to me.  Everything seemed a little brighter and the lobster fritters definitely tasted better knowing tomorrow was the day we had long been waiting for. Stay tuned for Graduation part 2!!

Week 15

Could it really be?? I am still in a state of disbelief that this is actually the week that we travel to Newport to see Will GRADUATE!!  As of today, he is in his 15th week at OCS and is gearing up for graduation.

It has been so comforting knowing the past three weeks have involved so many more privileges for Will and his class.  They were able to get their phones back, go on a field trip to Boston, watch movies, and even have liberty to leave base for the evening.  While there has been more fun for class 13-15, it has also come with more responsibility.  As candios they are in charge of the new Indocs and "welcoming" them to OCS and making sure they are prepared to meet their Drill Instructor.  

It is amazing to hear the excitement in Wills voice and hear about how high the morale of all of his classmates is.  Even though everyone is still exhausted and working so hard, being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel gives them such immense hope!  Privileges as simple as being able to drink coffee has been a game changer for Will(understandable, given that is my drug of choice).  

Of course all of this good news and excitement always comes with lessons to be learned.  The past few weeks I feel like God has been teaching me an enormous lesson on "Would you just trust me? Ive got this".  When Candio Phase was upon us and Will had passed all of his tests he developed a staph infection on his leg.  Luckily there was no more tests to be taken but an evolution called Capstone that was mandatory for becoming a Candidate Officer.  There was a period of 3 days where Will thought he might be ordered to stay in his room during Capstone and possibly result in rolling.  Yes, after all the tests, celebrating and nail biting we were facing the big ROLL word again.  Those three days were spent praying and begging God to give Will favor despite this major wrench thrown in week 9 plans.  The moral of the story was not "stress out until things are okay" but rather "give it all to God and know that His plan is the ONLY plan".  In the end Will was given perfect favor and was ordered to stay in his room with the exception of participating in Capstone, such a relief!!

Trust in the Lord with all your heartand lean not on your own understanding;  
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I must have heard this verse a million times growing up and it was so easy to memorize and was a "go to" verse in tough times.  It dawned on me that I knew the whole thing but really stopped listening after the first line.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" is kind of a warm and fuzzy command that sounds nice but to realize that the only way to have a truly straight and blessed path is to give it ALL to Him is not so easy and fluffy.   I hate to admit that I have been a fair weather follower when it comes to giving ALL of my worries and thoughts to God.  Many days I live the "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, until your husband is met with and unexpected illness that may result in him rolling" version of the verse.  Further looking at the verse I remembered that MY understanding would probably result in me moving into an ice cream parlor to daily drown my sorrows.  At the end of any uncertain time God has completely shown me HIs sovereignty I feel like He is just standing in the corner giving me a big wink saying "I told you, Ive got this!"   I am alway so amazed and thankful what the Bible can show me through a verse I thought I knew up and down.

After jumping that silly hurdle, the words for the past two weeks have been Orders and Wisdom teeth.  While I was convinced otherwise, there is life after OCS and Will has been waiting where we goes next after Rhode Island.  We knew that Nuclear Power School in  Charleston, SC was the next step to working on Subs but we didn't know when that would come.  Fortunately we now know that Will has been given 18 weeks of OHARP(recruiting for the Navy) which will allow him to work a normal schedule and be with us as our newest little man joins the scene.  I am so excited to know that we will have Will around till December, however we still are waiting to hear where they need him to recruit.  We are hoping to find this out by the time we get to Newport!  On the other side, for whatever reason, WIll was told he needs his wisdom teeth out and has been recovering from that for the past week.  I hate that I couldn't be there bring him milkshakes and take care of him, but I have really enjoyed the selfies that have come my way! (Sorry Will hehe)

As for Mr. Wilbur and I, for the past two weeks you could find us either at the beach or at my sisters travel softball tournaments.  Little mans obsession with swimming in the ocean has me concerned he may dry up like a fish in the three days we will be in Newport from being on land so long.  I am so thankful that me and my very big belly can plop down on the beach and watch little man jump waves and wear himself out.  A day in the sand and salt water makes for an exhausted two year old!  He has also taken up a liking to watching his Aunt play softball every weekend, along with smooching on all the girls in between games.  He hasn't quite gotten the grasp of only cheering for one team but we love the enthusiasm of the cheers as he stands right outside the dugout!  

I still can't believe that in 24 short hours, my mom, youngest sister, Wilbur and I will be making the journey to Newport to finally be reunited with our sweet sailor! We will be driving up Tuesday and meeting my In Laws there who will be flying from Jackson.  I don't think I have ever been so excited to pack for a trip! I can not wait to meet all the LOs that I have been able to connect with on Facebook, see the whole graduation process, spend some time in Newport and most importantly tackle my man!  Its the final countdown!!

CANDIO

At every phase of the past almost three months, in my head I always thought that Will being a Candio would just never come.  This is all part of my insane strategy in trying not to get my hopes up about anything, and is mainly why I have been so hesitant to post anything about last week until it was over, but the fat lady has sung!  Ladies and gents, hell week has come to an end for Will and he passed all four tests!!  This afternoon he will be a Candio opening his big box of goodies! I truly can't believe that in 22 days he will be graduating from OCS.

Last week started off with probably the toughest part of his tests, 8th week inspection.  Word on the street was that it was easier than the RLP but tougher than 6th week inspection.  While they were not screaming and doing pushups, they were quizzed on their knowledge while their room and uniform were inspected.  They wore their "whites" that they will be wearing at graduation, and frankly just the thought makes me weak at the knees.  Next up on Wednesday was a physical fitness test which they do every 3 weeks, where they run 1.5 miles and do 2 minutes of sit up and push ups.  He missed his personal goal by 15 seconds on the run and 1 sit up but met the passing score just fine!  Thursday was the navigation exam and another exam on Friday, and he ended up with a 94 on both.  Is this real life??  From that point it was just waiting to become Candios!!

Can I tell you how hard it was to put so much effort into this Candio box knowing that any one of these tests could mean another roll?  That was not how God intended this time to be though, He wanted me to trust solely in Him knowing that whatever his plan was for Will that it would have purpose and be so much better than my plan.  I know God did not want to see me so terrified to celebrate any one victory because I was so fearful that the next test could mean a huge set back.  Working on the box this week was me stepping out in faith and not fear!

While I am not crafty or artsy by any stretch of the imagination, I did have a lot of fun decorating and filling the box this week.  It was almost like a "how well do you know your husband test".  I would like to think I did pretty well and thought a little outside of what I like and more about the things that would make WIll giddy and prompt me to roll my eyes.  Being away from your LO can give you a whole different outlook on those annoying, gross and immature things that your husband just can't seem to get enough of.  

Here is the finished project before it got stuffed to the brim with junk!

Will has a bit of a man crush on Ron Swanson, so he most definitely made an appearance in the box.  I found this silly little card on Etsy!

In the midst of many pictures of us and the boys, I had to throw in our favorite movie.  While I couldn't actually send a movie, I figured this was the next best thing.  Will took me to see The Five Year Engagement on one of our first dates and it has always been one of my favorites. I glued our heads to Chris Pratt and Allison Brie's body in case you were wondering why they were looking extra attractive in this picture.  Hehe  

Luckily Will tried to get me to watch all of his annoying shows enough for me not to forget them.  He loves Archer and made "Danger Zone" his ring tone for about 3 months, so that obviously made it on the box.  Ron Swanson also made a second appearance and I found the logo for Rhett and Link.  It is some random YouTube talk show that Will would always watch before bed.  You may be wondering what in the world I made that "W" out of and decorated most of this part of the box with…..yes that is bacon.  I found these little bacon stickers and thought it would be a perfect touch for a dude box! 

Finally, here is what we will cram Will's box full with; lots and lots of junk food!  Candy, fruit snacks, beef jerky, cookies, brownies, and more cookies.  He might have a stomach ache after eating most of this but I know these are definitely the way to the heart of Will Fitts.  I wish I could be there to see everyones faces when they get to open their boxes! What a happy day!

Hopefully this post either inspired LOs for future Candio Boxes, or inspired a reader to run to the store and grab some Oreos, either way I would call it a win! 

Thank y'all so so much for all of your prayers, as always.  I do not think any of us could have gotten to this point without all of the support, encouraging words, prayers and lots of Jesus!! 

We're Halfway There!!

We are halfway! After a week full of more tests and inspections Will has finally made it past week 6 in OCS.  After rolling in the beginning and passing the RLP by the skin of his teeth, I am so happy that he was able to pass two exams and an inspection this week without everyone losing their mind from stress!  Luckily the Personnel Inspection was pretty different than the RLP.  They were simply getting their uniforms inspected to make sure they were perfect while also being verbally quizzed on their knowledge.  There was much less margin for error but it sounded like a much less stressful few minutes.  He was also happy to report that everyone in his company ended up passing the 6 week inspection!! 

Inspection was on Tuesday and was followed by two rollable exams Thursday and Friday.  One was on Naval History and the other on Naval Orientation.   He passed both of those with a 92 and 94.  I woke up to a message Friday morning at 9 to a message saying he had passed his test and was pinned as Senior Officer Candidate by 7:55, they sure don’t waste any time up there!  As a Senior Officer Candidate they will be able to talk during chow hall and don't have to do ALL of the chow hall procedures! It’s the little things! There is nothing like a successful week of tests to boost the spirits of these men and women though!

After 3 weeks of putting it off and watching fellow LO’s post pictures of their Candio Boxes I figured what better time to start than now!  I am way behind according to most, but until 6 week inspection was behind us, my nerves would win and keep me from starting Wills goody box. 

Side Note: A “Candio Box” is a care package filled with goodies that our Los are allowed to get when they have started the phase of Candidate Officer.  This happens after they pass a series of tests and inspections during “Hell Week” which will be in just two short weeks! It is a fun tradition for LO’s to decorate the inside of the box and make it a personal and fun thing for everyone!

Before Will went to OCS I mentioned what he would want in his Candio Box when the time came and I assumed a lot of cookies(Will is the cookie monster, I cannot keep them in my house) .  He quickly said “no thanks, I want to diet while I am in there and be in the best shape possible”…… womp womp.  After about 4 weeks of doing nothing but running and working out as OCS I spoke to him on the phone and told him I would be sure to leave unhealthy food out of his box when week 8 rolled around.  He replied, “No, give me all the cookies!!”  What a relief to know my cookie monster is still there!  I will be filling that box to the brim with cookies and candy and any other junk I can find, what a perfect job for a girl 32 weeks pregnant! Stay tuned for updates of Wills Candio Box!

Little man and I have spent the week recovering from our trip to Memphis last weekend celebrating our sweet friends getting married!  It was a 5 day whirlwind to say the least but it was filled with so much fun and sweet times!  Few things make you feel as warm and fuzzy inside as seeing such two dear friends get married and to be a part of such a special day.  I was honored to be the token round bridesmaid with my ring bearer date by my side; we were a sight for sore eyes!  Will made a very handsome ring bearer and decided to be so well behaved and silly as soon as the ceremony ended!  In toddler fashion, he escorted me down the isle and proceeded to squeal which led to him hanging out in the lobby with our very helpful friend. 

Somehow I happened to end up with the sweaty shirtless guy who wouldn’t stop dancing.  He did not much appreciate the band taking any breaks!  We had an absolute ball!  We got to see so many people we have missed over these past two months and celebrate my sweet boy becoming a two year old!! It was such a precious time! 

We have missed our Memphis friends SO much, it was such a treat to celebrate little mans Birthday with his best buddies! Thank you for the big brother practice Georgia!

We are now back enjoying the Memorial Day weekend with a new sense of appreciation for those who serve and protect our country.  I would have never guessed my husband would be in that group of men and women but I could not be more proud.  This weekend we are able to celebrate those who have given so much for their country!  

                           

                           

RLP and Redneck Resorts

My small hiatus from the blogging scene has been due to RLP week.  I am pretty confident that the stress from this past week took days off my life.  Through my research online I completely underestimated the amount of anxiety that would come from the ups and downs of one rollable test in OCS.  I have mentioned this before that RLP stands for Room Locker and Personnel inspection, which doesn't sound all that bad right?  Wrongo!  This test includes the inspection while our LOs are doing pushups and sit ups and answering any question(screaming) that the DI comes up with while looking through every nook and cranny of their room.  Dust bunny, point.  Lint on shirt, point.  String on tag of shirt, point.  They go on looking for any ounce of their room that may be out of place and to pass you need an 80.  It was described as 5-10 minutes of hell.  Needless to say the days leading up to RLP had not only Will and all of his classmates stressed beyond belief but all of their loved ones on the other side in a state of terror that they will get that dreaded phone call.  The good news was that even if they initially failed when they took it on Thursday morning, they would have a chance for rein spection Friday morning. 

I spent all of Wednesday night and Thursday morning praying like crazy, I felt like I was in a constant state of talking to God begging to let Will pass this test while also trying to prepare for the worst.  Thursday morning came and went and I couldn't help from checking my phone every three minutes.  After what felt like 5 days, by the end of Thursday night I found out that 31 of 70 people failed the RLP and Will was one of them.  He missed it by two points, he sounded defeated at first but then put on his big boy pants and trudged forward knowing what he needed to accomplish the next day.  For me this just amplified the stress and made the process that much longer.  I went to bed knowing that Friday would either be a celebration or it would be a day of regrouping and preparing for an additional 3 weeks in OCS for Will.

Friday morning I must have been asked "are you okay" about 20 times, while I thought I was keeping my cool, I apparently was pacing like a crazy person and looked like I was about to self combust.  All pretty accurate.  I had resorted to the fact that I would probably be waiting until that night to see if I got a phone call or not, more than ever "no news was good news" sort of…. By around 9:30 I all of a sudden was face to face with an email saying "I PASSED!!!!!" I don't think I could even get a word out for a solid minute because I was so in shock!!  Thank you Lord!!

He did it, it wasn't pretty and it was by the hairs of his chinny chin chin but he passed!! He is now an Officer Candidate and is finally moving on to the next phase of OCS!!  This means he is that much closer to graduation and he is able to email now which makes everything so much better!!  I really couldn't have asked for a better anniversary gift!!

                               

Somehow in the midst of all of this craziness I was greeted by these stunning roses on our anniversary, that man is something else!!

While it was a day of celebration for us and many others, there were some who did not pass at the reinspection and ended up rolling to H Class. While there ended up being so much purpose in it, it still completely sucked getting that news.  In preparing for OCS I wrote a bunch of bible verse on colored cards to send out to Will the first week.  They were any verse that I found encouraging or might speak to Will while he was in his first week (I think I might have just googled encouraging Bible verses haha).  On one of these cards there was a certain verse that Will said he clung to when he rolled after failing Fast Cruise and said that is what he would meditate on when he was feeling defeated.  Then when Will was joined by another classmate in H Class after failing the RLP, he was able to give him that same verse card and they became close and really encouraged each other in their faith during H Class.  Then this week after the RLP when another one of his classmates rolled, he again was able to pass along the verse in the hope of it bringing him a little peace as well.  I am not at all trying to toot my own horn for writing that verse, because I still do not know which one it is! Haha I am just so thankful that God used something as simple as a little note for my husband to be a means for him to encourage those around him that are going through the tough days he has been through.  There will be many tough days ahead for many of these men and women but to see Will growing in his faith because of this time, blesses me beyond measure.

I am happy to announce that week 7 is a bit of a break for our sailors, and is even referred to as Disney week!  I am sleeping better knowing that Will is able to recover a bit from last week!!

After a weekend of stress and thankfulness for the sweet outcome, Little Will, my sisters and myself took a getaway vacation to the middle of nowhere for some R&R! My grandmother lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and while the nearest Walmart is 30 minutes away her back yard is perfect for any little person looking to get dirty and burn off some steam!!

Trips to Eyce's (prounounced Reeses without the R) would always consist of crabbing off the dock, swimming, tubing, moped rides and lots of eating!! At the very least with the bad phone service it is the perfect spot to get away from the real world for a little bit and appreciate Gods beautiful creations!!

Will referred to as "The Boy" by Eyce had a blast driving my grandfathers old Thunderbird!!

We have so much to be thankful for this week and are praising Jesus for all of the sweet memories being made and all the favor He continues to show us.  As always, thank y'all so much for your prayers and constant support!! Go Navy!!

                           

Week 5

This has been the most uneventful week thus far but it shouldnt be discredited as a pointless part of the journey.  I wanted to touch on the fact that for LOs, this OCS process is just about the biggest lessons in patience (apart from parenting) that one could ever experience.  Its one big ole waiting game. Some days there are letters, some days there are phonecalls and some days there is just silence.  The good news is, each day is a day closer to graduation! In one of Will's letters he said one of his buddies gave him a good quote to hang on to about OCS:

               "It could be worse, it doesn't last forever, it continues to get shorter"

Even though there hasnt been to much to report this week it has been ever so filled with sweet days.  I have really enjoyed getting into a bit of a routine, experiencing another baby kick around in my belly and trying to figure out the world of a toddler.  Just documenting life so that Will does miss anything is a task in and of itself.  I feel like I start out every letter to Will saying " today wasnt too exciting but it was super sweet".  Then I go into my typical rambling about nothing as if Will and I were chatting on the couch.

My biggest goal and prayer for the past five weeks have been to have some sort of purpose for the day, which can be a challenge for any stay at home mom, let alone one whos husband is away.  Whether it be the Zoo or the park for the 50th time each day is so much sweeter when we have something going on to get out of the house, espcially when the weather is slowly getting more enjoyable.  

How is it possible we almost have a two year old?? 

In reading through Proverbs the other day and going through a study called Wife School(which is amazing btw) I keep thinking I am exempt from being able to practice these disciplines in building up my husband and supporting him while he is away.  For the first few weeks I would read and think that I will just start taking it all on when he gets back.  Obviously there are some ways that I am limited in being there for him but as I came across Proverbs 31, it dawned on me that I am called to be that wife no matter the distance, and need to be renewing my mind on what God has for me as a wife starting today!  

I mean, who doesn't want to be this girl??

  It has been so rewarding to stay diligent in writing Will every day and know that even though we cant talk every day or even every other day, I can give him some sort of encouragement and be pouring out into him through letters.  Making time to write is always tough but Will has said that even if it is just a paragraph, getting a letter in the mail is like Christmas.  It is my biggest motivation to just keep writing, what I write on Tuesday might be exactly what he needs to hear on Friday.  You can never underestimate the importance of encouragement for those who are in there.  

I was able to drive my sister and her mother-in-law to the airport in Philadelphia last week and my sweet Mama kept little man so I could lose my mind in some retail therapy.  The nearest mall and Target is 45 minutes away so any shopping trip has to be very intentional, my bank account has been very thankful.  I finally broke down and got the ever-so-popular Bob Jogging Stroller in the hopes of getting out and walking more and keeping my ever growing self somewhat fit.  I almost choked checking out but it has been worth every penny!  Its a dream to push and I have been able to get out for a long walk with my buddy almost every day since I got it!! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

I also scored this sweet stationary set for my Popeye!! While I type most of my letters I will usually send him a cute little note with a verse on it from my quiet time that day to change it up a little!! These little guys were too cute to pass by especially when my days of tearing through Target are few and far between. 

As I post this Will is just finishing "Fast Cruise" for the second time.  This is the test that cause him to roll back three weeks ago, and what he has been preparing for in H Class.  It is essentially an over the top, yelling screaming and stressful workout from hell, but we have been praying all week that God gives him the strength to conquer this challenge.  Today, along with many other LOs, I will try to stay busy, keeping my mind from worrying about my sailor and desperately hoping to not get a phone call today!  No matter the outcome, we know that there is such purpose in all that has happened and will happen and are going to chose to thank God for his sovereignty at every turn!!

Thank you so much to everyone who has written Will and has reached out to us! All the prayers and encouragement have always come at just the right minute and we are SO grateful!