To California

     After MCT, Hunter was shipped to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He spent almost two months there actually getting to drive the enormous 7-ton trucks and bullet proof Humvees. This wasn't so bad. He was not that far away and we would Facetime every night after texting all day. "I can take this" I thought. On Friday July 10, 2015 Hunter was assigned his permanent station. We had been hoping for Camp Lejuene since it was only seven hours away, but we were far off. Hunter was assigned to 29 Palms, California. When he called and broke that news to me my heart sank. I somehow knew that this would ruin everything, but for Hunter I stayed positive and supportive just like I had been for the past six months.
     A month later on August 10 Hunter flew from Missouri to his new home in California in the middle of the Mojave Desert; 3,000 miles away from me and a three-hour time difference. Now he had a whole new life ahead of him. He had new responsibilities, friends, and a new place to call home. He had days saved up and was able to fly home for Labor Day and stay home for a week. I loved every minute of it and cherished every second. On September 14 he flew back and little did I know that was the last time I will ever be able to wrap my arms around Hunter Lane and tell him that I loved him.
   Everybody had been telling me that bootcamp changes people, that it turns boys into men. I didn't believe it would change my sweet, tender-hearted Hunter though. When time went on I realized this change in him, we fought more and disagreed on everything. I kept telling myself that it was just because I hadn't seen him in so long and that we needed to be together. At times I didn't even recognize him. I would think to myself, "Is this the Hunter I've been with for almost two years?" I blamed California everyday for ruining my perfect relationship that I had with him.
     In Half a year Hunter ended up Halfway around the world. Even though it was tough, this whole journey that started on January 26, 2015 was an experience I will never forget or ever take back. The whole relationship was something that I will always hold on to. Through all the fighting and the losing of trust I never stopped supporting and loving Hunter or even now that it is all over.

MCT-- Marine Combat Training

     Graduation was over, the ten days he had at home, which included a weekend at the beach, prom, and countless dates was over. Now it is back to work. He left early Monday, May 6th to catch a bus in Knoxville, Tennessee that will take him to Jacksonville, North Carolina. He was going to arrive at Camp Lejeune, or so I thought. He would be at Camp Lejeune for twenty-nine days and while at the camp he would learn how to shoot different kinds of guns, throw hand grenades, learn martial arts, and many other combat training skills that he would have to have in a deployment. I thought, "This is Hunter's cup of tea, he loves this kind of stuff, it is only going to be a month, and he will have his phone. This won't be bad at all!" I was wrong!
      The next morning he woke up and had to put his phone in a box that would stay there until two days before graduation. I did not hear anything for weeks. One afternoon I was at track practice when his mom sent me an address. So I guess it was back to writing letters like during bootcamp. I wrote that night, the next night, and the next one. I had a track meet one Wednesday, and after my events I rode back home with my mom. I checked the mailbox, like I had everyday since January 26th, I found a letter. It was pretty thick and it had a week's worth of letters in one envelope. It was kind of like a journal. He explained he was out in the field and sleeping in a tent. He said he borrowed the paper, envelope, and stamp from a guy that was in his tent. He said he hated it, it was worse than boot camp, and that he wanted to come home. I wrote back that night and every night until three days before graduation. Even though I had not received anything else at all.
     It was the week of graduation and I found out the graduation was on a Tuesday and I was still in school. "Why would they schedule a graduation in the middle of the week?"  I thought. I read on the internet that the base holds two family days two days before graduation. That would be a Sunday. I begged my mom and finally talked her into driving, what I thought was only six hours, the long trip to North Carolina just for the day so that we wouldn't miss any school. The day before we leave our Tahoe decides it is not going to start. We did not want to but we load up and take off in a tiny, very uncomfortable Mustang.
    We woke up and start one of our many road trips at 4:00 a.m. in order to make the family day starting at 1:00 p.m.. I was so excited. Even though I had not heard from Hunter in two weeks and he had no idea I was coming. Our GPS led us and we finally arrived at Camp Leguene. Seven and a half ours later, not six. We pulled up to a booth that had two Marines in it. They looked confused when they heard that we were there for a family day for a Marine that was about to graduate. The man asked us to pull over. Before we knew it two Marines with enormous machine guns were walking toward our little, black Mustang. Mine and my mom's eyes were huge. We explained to them all why we were there and they said, "Ohhh, you are supposed to be at Camp Geiger! People get that confused all the time. It is just a little breakdown camp where we do training." One Marine said. The men gave us the address and told us how to get there. Now we have fifteen minutes to spare. We find Camp Geiger and I felt so relieved there were a lot of cars there so we figured we were finally in the right place. We pull up to another booth where another Marine came out. He asked for our pass. We didn't have a pass. He then told us to go in the welcoming center with your license, registration, and insurance and that they will print us a pass. At this point I was extremely frustrated. We park back at the welcoming center and realize that the insurance we printed off was for the Tahoe not the Mustang. My heart sank. I did not think I was ever going to get on that base. I was calling my dad and he was running to my Uncle's house to print it and fax it. Only problem is, he doesn't have a fax machine, the library was closed since it was Sunday, and I was out of options. My mom then decides to call our local Rite-Aid and see if they will fax it when my dad gets there with it. They said they would! I open the door to the Welcome Center only to see that it was back all the way out the door. While I was waiting in line, cell phones started going off, one after another. I looked down at mine and sure enough there he was. We got the pass and started on to the base. He was waiting outside the barracks when I got there and when I saw him all the stress of the day just went away. Until I had to leave him again that is...

   
   
   

Finally! It's Graduation Day!

     For 86 days, April 24, 2015 was the day I had counted down to and anticipated. Finally the day arrived and my excitement was definitely showing with the smile of my bright, pink lips from ear to ear.  I was sitting in the front seat of the Tahoe while my mom pulled onto the base and drove down the straight road with nothing but swamps surrounding it. Parris Island was actually beautiful, full of trees hanging with Spanish moss.   At this point I had been with Hunter for one year and two months, so nervousness was not normal for me to be feeling. But that day, I could feel it in my stomach.
      Finally, we came upon two Marines standing in the middle of the road with machine guns wanting to see my mom's driver's  license, proof that we own the vehicle, and proof that we have insurance on the vehicle. Kinda strange right? We handed the Marine, that looked like he was 16 years old just like me, our papers. He checked them and gave us a pass onto the base. We parked and started walking toward the gate that led onto the parade deck when we hear someone yelling my name. It was Hunter's mom. We waited for her and we walked in together. Once again we were being checked from head to toe. My mom and Hunter's mom walked straight through the metal detector with no problems but when it was my turn to just simply go through, the machine went off. The man looked at me and told me to go back and walk through again just to hear the detector go off again. At this point I was getting frustrated. I didn't even have any metal on. The man asked me to take my purse off and lay it on a table and he then proceeded to check me when I noticed little metal buttons on my denim jacket. I took the jacket off and walked through the detector. This time without setting off the sound.
     I sat in the area of the bleachers assigned for the friends and families of the platoon 3025. We sat down and not long after,  a little band, made of maybe three trumpets and a couple of flutes, marched out being led by a very, tiny guy with a sword. The band marched out to the middle of the floor and played "God Bless America" while the new Marines marched out and got to their spots. I could see Hunter, second from the left, third one back. I watched impatiently while the Marines marched around the parade deck and told about the creation of the Marines during the Revolutionary War. Then finally, for the first time in 13 weeks, the Drill Instructors dismissed the newly graduated Marines.
      The Marines were jumping and running everywhere and the friends and family were rushing onto the platform. I couldn't wait to run up to Hunter and give him the biggest hug, that I had waited to do since January. He was nowhere to be found. His dad said that he saw a couple of guys run back towards the Barracks. I thought to myself, "It couldn't have been Hunter. All he has written about is how he couldn't wait to see me after graduation." I stood there in my brand new "Lilly Pulitzer" dress in a daze. Ten minutes after standing there my phone went off and it was a text from Hunter wanting to know where I was. I replied, "Where am I?? I am standing here looking for you!" He said that he went to his room to get his stuff so that he could find me and get off Parris Island. When I finally found him he was standing on the parade deck beside a little set of bleachers looking right at me.
     I walked up to him and hugged him. he hugged me back and for a while I didn't think he was going to let go. This was it. The moment I had been longing for. Of course 500 pictures had to be taken.  All the  problems that had happened throughout the week and that day disappeared.  It had been extremely stressful, but it was a definitely a day I would never take back! And now let's go to Hilton Head Beach for the weekend! (Oh! By the way! My dad was released from the hospital during the graduation and was on his was way to South Carolina!)

Graduation Week

     Twelve weeks down and now only one to go! Eighty days down and now only seven to go. Out of all the feelings I had been having during this journey a feeling came over me that I had not felt in a long time... Excitement! The now "Marines" get a phone call on the last Sunday before graduation. The letter I received said I would get the long-awaited phone call between the hours of one and four. I had my phone beside me all day constantly waiting for the call from Hunter and to hear his voice for the first time in twelve weeks. Patiently waiting turned into not so patiently waiting. At 3:40, twenty minutes before the closing time, I received a phone call from an unknown number in Beaufort, South Carolina.

     I answered with a soft "Hello" with nervousness taking over me. He answered back with, "Maggie, its Hunter." I knew who he was though. He only had five minutes to say what he wanted to say. I froze. He was in the middle of telling me that he was finally done and that he could not wait to see me in only four more days. The only thing I said was, "Hunter, do you have hair?" He chuckled and said, "Yes. I have hair." He said he had to go that people were behind him waiting in line to use the phone. "I will see you Thursday. I miss and love you so much!" It was not much but I loved every second of it.

     Tuesday. Two days until I see Hunter for the first time eighty-six days and one day until me, my mom, dad, and brother leave for South Carolina. I was at track practice excitedly telling my teammates that I was leaving the following day to finally see Hunter when I get an unexpected phone call from my mom. My Dad was being rushed to the emergency room from work. He had a heart attack. I immediately left practice and rushed to the emergency room. My dad was doing fine by the time my mom and I arrived at the hospital. The doctor's ran the tests and said everything seemed okay and that he could be released Friday afternoon. My heart sank. That was the day of graduation. I definitely did not want to miss that but I definitely was not leaving my dad in a hospital bed. 

     Thursday. I was supposed to be at Parris Island right then getting ready to watch the "Motivational Run" but instead I was sitting with my dad in Holston Valley Hospital. Around 11:00 I received a call from Hunter. He understood why I was not there and to tell dad that he was praying for him. I assured him I would be at the graduation. Late Thursday night my brother showed up to stay with Dad over night and check him out in the morning. My mom and I took off to hurry and make it to Parris Island. We drove for what felt like an eternity because  I was so excited to see him. 

    Friday. I woke up in a hotel and drove five minutes until I saw the sign that said "Parris Island, South Carolina. We Make Marines." I was so excited. I had finally made it. The sign I have been wanting to see since January. "Now, where is Hunter?" I thought.

The Crucible

      Enter Recruits. The first step to the what the Marines call, "The Crucible." According to many Drill Instructors, "Recruits are not Marines until they complete The Crucible." So, on the last weekend before graduation, starting at 2:00 a.m. the recruits have one last test to prove that they are the title, "United States Marine." The strenuous excursion consists of 54 hours of intense training while hiking 48 miles carrying 45 pounds of gear. While trying to complete this task recruits must finish 29 problem solving exercises, 36 different stations with only four MREs (Meals ready to eat) and six to eight hours of sleep. When the recruits finish the task they earn the title, "Marine."

     While I was counting down the days, weeks, hours, and minutes until Hunter's graduation I also had a feeling of fear for him. It was the week before the Crucible was going to start, I was on the internet reading about it when I saw that Drill Instructors encourage family members and friends to light a candle when the Crucible starts and turn it off when it was finished. I then decided I was going to make, "Crucible Candles." My mom, cousin, and I went to Walmart to get candles, ribbons, and colorful paper to decorate the candles. I gave one of the little white candles with a yellow bow wrapped around it to his friends and some of his family. I kept one that had a yellow piece of paper glued to it that told about the journey.

     The day came and I woke up at 2:00 to turn my candle on and to send a text to everyone that received a candle. I do not remember thinking of anything else that day. My mind was running constantly about what Hunter was going through until the 54 hours were up and I knew he had finished and was going to be done. He wrote a letter the day before he started explaining how scared he was and to pray that he finished and would be okay. He told me that this would be the last letter he would write, that gave me a feeling of excitement me but also of sadness. I sat in my car while reading the letter and I started to wonder how I was going to know if he made it, or how he was. Once again a tear rolled down my face.
     On a Saturday morning I woke up at 7:00 a.m. (The end of the 54 hours) and thought, "Well, I didn't get a call so I guess he finished." I was so proud of him! He accomplished something only 70% of the recruits can. That night instead of starting my last letter, "Dear Hunter" it started as "Dear Marine."

Becoming a Marine

        To some people thirteen weeks might not seem very long, but to me it felt like an eternity. I got a chalkboard that hung on the side of my plain, wooden pantry that started off saying "86 days until Hunter graduates." I hung the sign up and thought to myself "What a journey this was going to be," Day after day I changed the number down and by the time a week was over a feeling of doubt came across my mind. I stood there in the middle of my kitchen, on such a gray winter day, staring vaguely at the sign that said "80 days until Hunter graduates." That night, even though I didn't have his address, I wrote a letter. Then I started writing everyday. I  got up to nine letters when I got a text from his mom with his address. A feeling of joy came over me and I felt like it wasn't going to feel like he's completely gone now.
      I wrote the address for, "RCT Lane, Hunter W" on every envelope that had a letter in it. On that Friday morning I delivered nine letters each one with a little American Flag stamp in the right hand corner. I couldn't wait until I got home to see if I had a letter from him. I drove home from school as fast as my little Mustang would go just to see my mailbox contained only one letter in it and it was a bill for my dad. A tear rolled down my face and a feeling of disappointment went through my mind. I walked slowly back to my car and drove to my house. I wrote again that night with a less excited attitude.
     The next morning I woke up and walked to my mailbox on the cold, windy January morning to put my letter in the mailbox and raise the gold flag so that my letter would be taken to deliver to Parris Island, South Carolina. When I opened the mailbox I noticed that the mail had already been delivered to my house. I pulled it out and started walking back to my house when I noticed a little white envelope with my name on it, Hunter's address, and a little symbol that said, "United States Marine Corps." I dropped the rest of the mail and saw that with that envelope there were three more; all the same as the first. I have never felt so excited over something in my life. The wind blew them away and I was chasing them on the side of the road with my pink, fuzzy, paw-printed pajama pants while trying to get home to tell my mom what had finally came and read what he had to tell me in four letters.
     He explained that he was tired, missed everybody here at home, and missed seeing and talking to me everyday the most. My heart was slowly breaking as I read the letters. I wanted him to know that I was here for him and that I was supporting him in every way possible, so that is what I told him in the next letter.
     After I got those few letters I felt a feeling of hope. Like he was going to be with me through what felt like, "snail mail." I then started collecting protein bars through friends and my church family to send, and many other things that he needed to finish his time at boot camp. This was not going to be as bad as I thought it was going to be. I had my God, my family, friends, and of course the letters that gave me more hope for him everyday.


   

Leaving for Bootcamp

        In December of my junior year of high school I was sitting in class eagerly watching the clock when I got a text from Hunter, my boyfriend for almost a year, that ran chills all down my body. The text said "I just signed with the Marines, I leave in January." I read the text at least ten times before I could comprehend what he was telling me. I finally came to my senses and texted back to figure out more details about this journey he was about to endeavor. He said he was leaving for boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina on January 26th. That was a little over a month from that day.I even threw him a surprise going away party with all his family and friends.

           The days flew by and the big day came. My mom and I traveled to Beckley, West Virgina to the Military Entrance Processing Station, MEPS for short, to send him off. I walked into the silent building on the dreary, snowy day only to be checked head to toe by security guards. Like I was going to try to sneak something in to a Military Base. I felt the whole time like he was going to prison, and then I thought prison couldn't be as bad as thirteen weeks of intense training and torture. I sat in the waiting room surrounded by young kids sitting silently with looks of terror on their faces holding bibles, because that is all they could take from home. I waited patiently while he was in medical having one last checkup and signing of the last paperwork that officially gave the United States Marine Corps the next four years of his life.

          When he finished he came and sat down next to me and I knew that was the last few minutes I had with him before he was gone for thirteen weeks. Then a man came out of a little room and screamed "All going to Parris Island, let's go!" He got up and walked over to the man giving them a ticket then back to me. I was holding back as many tears as I could as he hugged me. The man yelled again and he boarded his van and was gone.

        He still had a phone on his trip to South Carolina so he texted me all day. Then late that night I got my last text saying "I'm here. I'll write as soon as possible..... I love you" Then he was gone.