OK… this one almost got the best of me. I was still tired from doing that rope climb thing.

Here I am climbing the Berlin Wall with LT Cogen.

Here we are right after I slipped. She’s trying to pull me up.

I climbed back up and slipped again. Each time my fingers were just half an inch from grabbing the top. Some guys from my platoon tried to help me up but I told them I was coming down. I didn’t want to do it like that. Once I got down CH Crisp asked if I was OK. I answered no then fell flat on my face. Still determined to make it to the top, I took off a few layers of snivel gear [cold weather clothes] caught my breath and tried one more time… My platoon had moved on to the next event but my squad leader, platoon leader, staff group leader and battle buddy stayed behind to cheer me on.

Here I am trying one last time.

LT Razzano climbed back up to help me over the edge. Here we are at the top.

OH! Wait… now I have to get down!

That was the last event we had time to do. I was wobbly and dizzy, my hands were shaking and my face was tingling. But I finished. As I caught my breath, I remembered the song they sing at the Church of God Patricia and I have been attending…
In Christ Alone.

“In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone.”

I don’t know what the official title of this station was, basically you wrap your ankles and hands around a rope, hang on for dear life and crawl hand over hand to the end until you drop to the mat.

I had TERRIBLE form, but I made it all the way to the mat. As I made my way down the rope, I had to throw my arm over it to stay up. I knew it would hurt later, but I didn’t want to quit. I think I’ll be paying for that stubbornness for quite a while. My arm is all different shades of green and yellow…

Here are a few of my classmates taking the same trip. I included this photo to add a little perspective.

We had to get our teams over a series of increasingly high walls. First we’d get a couple of guys to the top of the wall, then one guy to the other side, then I’d climb up on the knee and shoulder of Rosario while Breckenridge and Oliver pulled me up then helped me over. Our platoon didn’t take the time to do the 15 foot wall, but of course Patricia’s did… they’re so Hooah!

Thanks to CH Richardson for taking this photo and giving me chocolate covered espresso beans to eat at the top of each wall… He’s a chaplain’s chaplain.

Check out this ladder we climbed on the confidence course. This was awesome. I don’t think anyone thought I could actually climb this thing. The instructor mentioned that the “vertically deficient” might have a bit of trouble… Yeh, I was hanging on by my fingernails. But I made it all the way up… and down. Hooah! And after the five foot tall little girl did it, all the guys totally had to.

[This photo borrowed by a classmate...though I don't remember who.]

Here we are waiting to go in…

And here we are coming out… flapping our arms like eagles. [The Army, first they make you walk like a duck at MEPS then they have you flapping your arms like a drunk, blind chicken with serious sinus problems... er... I mean an eagle.]

Here’s my post about the whole experience.

We took this picture a few weeks ago. There’s a slight chance I might get a day of leave so that I can go to his send off. I’d love to see him one more time before he leaves!

OK, I know, I know I should be updating you on our amazing week in the field. But I’m tired and sore and I’d much rather just hang out with friends or call someone. But it seems everyone is gone, busy or on their way out the door. No one to hang out with, no one to talk to. How did this happen? Bad timing I guess. Maybe I’ll read a bit and go to sleep.

Here’s some random info:

I haven’t watched TV for over three weeks.
I haven’t had good coffee for longer than that.
I miss my husband.
My kids are amazingly cute on the phone, but they didn’t have much to say today.
I. HURT. ALL. OVER.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I love the Army. Finally I have someone who will go hiking and camping with me… except they don’t exactly call it that.
The meatloaf MRE ROCKS! It’s like a miracle drug. In fact the almost immediate positive affect it has on my attitude is almost frightening.
Turns out, I don’t really get worked up about stuff. I wasn’t nervous before the gas chamber or before the whole night time crawl under barbed wire while they shoot over your head thing.
I still have a cold and can’t exactly breathe. But I hear oxygen is a crutch… so it’s all good.