Blast From the Past: Dan's USAFA Basic Training

Tonight is a good night for reminiscing. I have been reading through some of the old letters that Dan sent me during his Air Force Academy Basic Cadet Training, which was in the summer of 2010. I had just graduated from UCM and moved to Colorado Springs, and it was my second basic training with Dan. It was his third one overall (first, he enlisted in the Army in high school, second he went to the USAFA Prep School, and third was this! Third time's a charm right?) I was not looking forward to it at all, but it ended up being okay.

I learned a lot about the Colorado Springs area on my own, had time to relax before beginning my first big girl job, crafted a ton, and made new friends. Plus, writing letters back and forth is definitely still romantic no matter what the circumstances are.

These are all of my letters from Dan, and the box next to it is a scrapbooking box that I bought at Hobby Lobby and decorated with little little jewels and a wooden koala bear (we call each other "koala"). I store all of Dan's letters to me in that box! 

As soon as Dan left for BCT, I decided I needed to make a sign to hold up for him. I knew I would be going to the Cadet Chapel wall to watch the noon lunch formation each day (to sneak small glimpses of my handsome Basic Cadet), and I wanted him to know I was there so he would feel the love and support. He definitely noticed me, and I tried to make the sign discreet so he wouldn't get in trouble. I wrote: "I love you, Lovemuffin" in code, and while it worked for a little while, his squadron was calling him Cadet Lovemuffin by the end of the year -- oops! 

This is the sign I made :) 

It was a long six weeks, but it was also a nice time to learn how strong I am as a person. I was so happy for BCT to officially be over that year, but the experience was far better than his Prep School BMT (for me, anyway!), and it was a great learning experience. Although we had been together for a year and a half at the time, it was my first time experiencing it up close and personal. 

Thank you, WebGuy, for the following pictures:

WebGuy captured me standing at the Chapel Wall with my sign! :)

Missy took a picture of me holding my sign up for Dan during Field Day in the middle of BCT... I think the smile on my face says it all. Seeing him up close in the middle of that was more than wonderful and brings butterflies back thinking about it now! :)

While I am so glad that part of Dan's career is over with, it wasn't the end of the world. I'm not looking forward to Dan's future training away from home or his deployments, but at least I know I will be able to handle them.