Didn’t finish Army basic—still proud. ❤️

I was up at 6:30 a.m. this morning so that we could leave the house by 8 a.m. to get #2 Son to the airport on time. His plane was scheduled to leave at 11 a.m., but came in at 10:48 a.m., and he was in the air before 11 a.m., so it was a good thing we left a little early.

He arrived in Charlotte, NC around 12 p.m. He got upgraded to first class, which he said was really nice, then arrived in Atlanta, GA around 2:30 p.m., where he got a bus to base and arrived at the base about 6 p.m.

This time, he stayed in contact with me via text until he got on base, so I didn't have to worry about him. (Don't you dare call that Red Cross, Mamma.) He was really upset at having to go back—furious about it. He did not want to go back.

And there isn't a thing I can do. Husband and I did not force him to join. This was entirely #2 Son's idea, and he had a whole year to think about it before he took that final oath.

I don't know what is going on inside his head. I don't know how much of it is KS's influence. KS's stepdad is Army Reserve, and he's been coaching #2 on what to say and do in order to obtain a discharge. #2 is going for the discharge.

While we didn't force him to join, Husband and I think that he should man up and finish basic and stay put. With a wife and baby, the military will probably be the best option for him—for them. Jobs are not easy to come by in this area. He's counting on a job in the mines, but you have to know someone in order to be hired there, and we don't know anyone.

He and KS think we are stupid, I guess. We don't know anything. They don't want to listen to the voice of experience.

He's an adult. The mistakes he makes—he's got to live with the consequences. Not us.

So anyway, the wait begins. After talking with the stepdad and KS, he's confident that he'll be home for Halloween. I told him to be patient because it may be after the new year before he gets discharged.

I'm hoping that he has no contact with anyone for a while—like they did in the beginning. Maybe, away from KS and KS's family, he can sit back and realize that jobs are hard to come by in this area. He's going to be a daddy—allegedly—in a few months. The Army may be the best thing he has ever done.

I told Husband the other day that we had the nastiest, trashiest house on the block. This summer, everyone got lazy and didn’t do any yard work.

Between a pile of kids tromping through and dropping everything on the ground, the wind picking up things and tossing them helter-skelter, and the wild dogs tearing out trash and dragging it all over kingdom come—the yard was embarrassing.

I think he listened to me for once. He went out and built a huge bonfire, then he and #1 Son spent the whole day—until #1 had to leave to go babysit—outside cleaning.

Lucky #3 Son escaped to his girlfriend’s house. Once #1 left, I got drafted. Actually, #1 was smart and left before the really heavy work hit.

We had a shed that was here when we moved in—in ’97—and it was falling down and just ugh. So Husband tore it down. Then cut some limbs. Then broke up an old rabbit hutch. Then burned it all.

#1 got trash pickup—I got limb moving and lumber moving. I think I should protest.

I haven’t worked that hard in ages, so I may not be getting out of bed in the morning, but the yard looks amazing! Husband has a truckload of junk to haul to the dump on Monday.

Then we need to tackle the side yard and the front yard, but the backyard—which is the first thing people see—is incredible!

I’m heading to bed. I know that neither Husband nor I will have any trouble falling asleep tonight. That man worked like a mule today, and I was no slacker either.