Tyler Update

Here are some pictures of what Tyler and his class have been up to this last couple weeks. They got to take a "field trip" to Boston to see the USS Constitution which is the oldest operating ship in the Navy. It was built in the late 1700's and is completely made of wood. It was one of the frigates that was commissioned by George Washington to defend America against foreign threats (like the British, at the time). Super cool.
On a unrelated note, Tyler comes home Saturday!!! That's in three days!!! We can hardly wait!

 

If you look closely you can see Tyler in this picture. He is on the back row, second in from the left. 

So I haven't put up our Christmas tree. Or listened to Christmas music. Or decorated at all. We've had a weird few weeks with being out of town for two weeks with Thanksgiving traveling. Then on Monday I had a small medical procedure that I'm still recovering from and I just haven't felt up to doing much, we've hardly even left the house since I've been trying to just take it easy. It's hard to believe that it's December and that Christmas is well on its way to being here. I'm seriously lacking in motivation. This single mom thing is difficult and I find myself closely guarding any time that I have to be alone and do things that refill my bucket, as I'm very much an introvert and need my alone time. We've also had some family drama recently. I just feel so drained. I wake up exhausted.  But I also am being lifted by hands I cannot see. I might just be barely making it thorough each day, not having strength for any of the "extra" things that are normally so enjoyable, but I'm making it. When Tyler first left I was terrified of having to do this without him. Now as we are nearing the time that Tyler comes home I look back over this experience and am so grateful for what it has done for me and for our family. We have truly been thrust into the refiners fire and could have either chosen to melt under the pressure or be refined and grow stronger. I'm so grateful for the heavenly help that we have been blessed with that had helped us to become stronger through this difficult time, and helped our family to be stronger despite being separated. I wouldn't say that we have enjoyed having Tyler gone, because we miss him so dearly. But we have been able to find happiness in our journey. This is one of the challenges of this life, to be happy no matter how difficult of circumstances we may find ourselves in.
I'm not sure why I'm writing this but I hope I can help someone who is struggling to realize that there's always heavenly help to be had, that you can find joy even in the darkest of days, and that these trials we endure here on earth are but a short time and that through enduring our mortality well we may be recipients of choice blessings.

Tyler Update

Tyler is now in his final stage of training at OCS and is what is called a Candidate Officer or Candi-O. There are several titles the members are given throughout OCS, first they are an indoctrination candidate, second junior officer candidate, third senior officer candidate, and lastly a candidate officer. He has passed all his inspections and academic tests and will for sure be graduating OCS on January 6th and coming home January 7th. We are beyond excited and can now see a very bright light at the end of the tunnel. I am going over to Rhode Island for graduation as are Tyler's parents, it's going to be such a fun event.

Here is a snippet of details from Tyler's latest email:

This phase of training is not really classes and such so much as it is running the daily operations of OCS. We do not have any other written tests to speak of. For me, instead, I will have the assignment of Battalion II Staff, which in our regimental structure the low tier candidate officer rank. In Battalion II we have a commander and sub-commander. We primarily help out the Junior-Officer candidate class with their evolutions which include General Quarters (transitioning from Indoctrination phase to their Junior Officer Candidate phase), Naval Engineering and Weapons classes, and later the 6th week inspection (which transitions them to Senior Officer Candidate phase). The class team for this group is a pretty intense leadership, so I anticipate being pretty involved in assisting the class through these evolutions. That said, Batt II staff is certainly considered one of the less rigorous/challenging positions among the candidate officer billet options.

The other aspect of this phase is likely to consist of several watch-standing assignments. I will be standing a watch every third day I believe. My final watch under the Senior Officer Candidate style watch will actually not be until Thursday from 1800 to 2200 as the King Hall officer of the deck (OOD). This watch is fairly low key typically, generally involving calling in temperatures on the hour and overseeing whatever goes on in King Hall. This building is not where we live, but is a building where other schools and student pool remain. Student pool is a holding location for students that OCS will not immediately commission as an officer after OCS for a number of reasons, mostly meaning you cannot be "qualified" for the original position they chose you for (several various medical reasons are one example), or they do not have orders for you for some reason. Also, overseas assignments (orders) will not be given without completion of the medical screening for the member.

The Naval Officer Training Command has a Facebook page where they post pictures of each of the different OCS classes. I've been following this page and looking for pictures of Tyler and have finally found a couple of him.

Tyler is the one with glasses that are thicker, fourth in from the right side. 

Tyler in this one is immediately behind the two guys in the front, in those very bright green track flats ;) The funny thing is that he said he isn't trying very hard and that he is still in the front of the pack despite that, he just has long legs and runs like a gazelle. He wonders how fast he could run if he actually tried! :)

After Tyler completes OCS he has what is called CECOS (Civil Engineer Corps Officer School) in Port Hueneme, California for four months. After he completes that training we will go with him on his first tour. For now, we are just looking forward to having him come home for Christmas in two and a half weeks :)

That's all for now!

Happy Day!!!

Today is a wonderful day because I just booked Tyler's flight home for Christmas!!! He is officially coming home for Christmas! I just can't wait until December 17th!!  He will have to go back and finish OCS after Christmas but he will get to come home a little less than two weeks after he reports after Chrismas and I will probably be going over for his graduation. I will post an update on all the happenings with him at OCS here as soon as I find a half an hour to spare ;)

Random

Madi and her Great Grandpa Gillette looked so cute together tonight :)

 The Meridian, Idaho temple last night, looking great! It will be so beautiful when completed!

 Ameilya likes to push Madi on the toy car :) sweet sisters!

 Ameilya "puts herself to bed" with roughly 15 stuffed animals. She actually gets in her bed herself and tucks herself in and everything, crazy girl!

Team Pride

We sure love our Broncos! Even if they sometimes fumble the ball and lose the game :(

Ameilya and my Uncle Jason

Halloween Story Time

We go to story time at the library almost every Thursday and thus last week was the Halloween carnival and it was so much fun. They had games, trick or treating, a costume parade, and Halloween stories and songs. Both girls had a great time and looked so cute in their costumes. 

Trip to Provo

Last weekend we went to Provo to visit my sister Gracee. We had such a fun time. We went to a children's museum on Saturday and went to the Provo City Center Temple in the evening. Sunday we visited my Great Grandma Gubler and went to church then returned home on Monday.