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.