Back to life. Back to Reality.

The Holidays have come and gone, and reality has come back around. I am very thankful that I got to spend the Holidays with my family this year, because this is going to be a sad week for us all. Not because we won't be up each other's butt's, breathing each other's air, like we have been for the last two weeks...but because my brother leaves to start his life in the Marine Corps. on Sunday.

A part of me feels like we are all over re-acting about the whole thing. I mean, he'll be gone for 12 weeks, home for 10 days and then most likely stationed somewhere close to home. Once he gets out of Basic Training (or Bootcamp), we'll be able to talk to him everyday if we want. I guess it's just those 12 weeks, those 3 months, that scares us the most. He'll be able to make one phone call when he arrives at Parris Island, and that will be just to say, "Hey, I'm here. Bye." I hope he doesn't call me. That would be a phone call worth crying over.

The other part of me is sad, because my little brother is about to embark on some BIG adventures. The protective big sister instinct kicks in, but then I have to remind myself that he'll be the one doing the protecting. Not me.

The worst part of it all is that I will just miss him.

I know that he is going to be okay though, and I know that when he gets out of this...I am going to be so proud of him. He is going to be proud of himself, and that is what is most important.

This is going to be a strange week for us all, and I hope that the anticipation of all of this is worse than the event will actually be. I'm sure it is. Nevertheless, keep us all in your prayers and especially my brother as this is something that we have never experienced within our own family.

...Samantha