The elusive photograph

Okay, so I think I have bad luck. I do. I am CONVINCED. So, here is what happened.

On Facebook, there is a page called "U.S Navy Recruit Training Command." It's a really cool and super nice page where family and friends can go and get updates, pictures, videos and just connect with other people who have loved ones in RTC. I love it. I check it ALL the time. So, I was on there the other day and saw they posted pictures of recruits who weren't eligible to participate in the "Adopt-A-Sailor" program they have every major holiday. Basically, recruits who will be graduating in the next two ceremonies are eligible. Families can come up and take their recruit for the day and bring them back later at night. Recruits whose families couldn't come get "adopted" by host families, churches, and just community organizations that want to do something nice. It's a great program and this year, they did it for Christmas. Unfortunately, Michael wasn't eligible, but the recruits who didn't get adopted still got to have the "day off." They were able to write letters, relax a little bit, basically have an easier day than usual. So, when I saw they posted pictures of recruits who stayed behind, I got excited because in all my letters, I tell Michael to get in a picture of he sees people with a camera. Literally, every letter. So when I go and look at the album I see there are 619 pictures in this album. I almost died. I wanted to see him, but it's not like they tagged Michael or even said "This is a picture of Ship whatever Division whatever." I had to go through all of the pictures if I wanted to see Michael. Because I'm crazy, I did just that. I started at like 10:30pm and finished at like 1am. After looking at each picture carefully and reading comments hoping someone would say "oh this is division such and such," I got nothing. Not at all. I mean, how can there be NO picture of him?! Not even of him in the background or something. So, I was mad, but then I was just embarrassed. I was complaining about not seeing a picture of Michael after a little over a month, when there are people who haven't seen OR heard from their loved ones in a lot longer. I closed up the page and went to bed. 

The next morning I saw someone had replied back to a comment I posted on the album asking if anyone had seen pictures of Michael's division. The guy replied that there were pictures of them in the chow hall (where they eat). I got really happy again and opened up the album. Just when I thought I was the unlucky one whose loved one's division didn't get photographed, his guy lets me know they did he their pictures taken. I look at all the pictures and realize there are five different sections of the album that had like 30 pictures each of recruits in the chow hall. I ruled two sections out because there were girls in them and I knew Michael was in an all male division. Still, I had about a 100 pictures to go through again. I finally found the section where Michael's division was photographed because someone had commented on the first picture stating these were such and such ship and division. I payed extra close attention to each picture and the people in the background. At the last picture, I still didn't find Michael. I went through them again. Maybe I missed him. Nope, still not there. This time, I was pissed. How could his entire division get photographed and him be the ONLY one not in the picture? Seriously. That's when I realize, I have terrible luck. I wanted it so bad and I got so close, but still didn't get it. And trust me, I know it sounds silly getting so worked up at a picture, but damnit, I wanted it. I guess I'm going to just have to wait until graduation.

Recap of everything

So last time I wrote, I had just received all of Michael's things and was feeling pretty good. Right after that, I got a phone call from him while I was as a Christmas light show with my family. He only had a 5 minutes, but it was really nice to hear his voice. He sounded really tired and almost hurt so I asked him if something had happened and he told me that he had just got all of his wisdom teeth removed. I guess one of the first things they do when recruits first come in, is give them a another physical, urine test, and a dental exam. Michael knew all his wisdom teeth had come in, but at the time we were dealing with so much problems when it came to paperwork and having a surgery with general anesthesia meant doing a lot of paperwork so we decided to wait. They weren't bothering him anyways. So when he got to basic they saw them and told him they had to take them out. He missed two or three days of training (that he made up later) and he got to call me. It was great. I missed him so much at that point and it was just nice hearing his voice.

A week later, I got my first letter from him. Honestly, it was like opening up a present. I read his letter and started crying. Not because of anything sad, but because it was like the first time I got know how he was, how he really was. He told me he missed me. That basic was something that he never wanted to do again, not because of it being hard (which he said it was), but because of how limited our communication was. I know he knows there will be times he is away on <br>deployments<br> or underway and we wont see each other, but our communication wont be limited like it is now...or maybe it will be, I don't know. He also said that he was in an all male division, which I didn't get because I thought that divisions were already all male or all female. He said that they had done well on an inspection and they got a flag. Everything sounded good. It sounded like he was doing well and even though he was homesick, he was making the best of it. 

Two weeks after I got my letter, I got a phone call from him. This time it was longer. It was 30 minutes of pure bliss. It was the Monday before Christmas so of course he wished me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He also talked about how he made new friends and that he loved the pictures I sent him. He also told me that his Recruit Division Officer (RDC) was a Chief Petty Officer 1st Class and he was also a Hospital Corpsman, which is what Michael's job is. He told me that he made a good relationship with him and he talked to him about his job and his worries about what to specialize in. I'm happy that he found someone to give him some guidance in that area. I can only give him so much, but without really experiencing it, I can't give him any REAL help. We also talked about how much we loved and missed each other, but I will keep those parts to myself. 

Okay, that is a recap of everything that has happened. So this is what is happening now. 

I'm finally starting to buy my plane tickets and make hotel reservations to see him and man o man, it is expensive. I mean, the hotel isn't too bad, but the plane tickets are like CRAZY! I mean, I don't understand why they are so expensive when the holiday season is over. I am seriously starting to consider leaving a day before and get a Greyhound bus ticket or a train ticket. I don't know. I don't want to spend so much money, but I also don't want to be traveling for over 17 hours. We'll see what happens. Suggestions would be nice though. Well, that's everything. I will probably post again if I get more phone calls or more letters, if not, I will definitely post after his graduation at the end of the month.