This AIN'T Camp Cupcake!
Well, here are the pictures that most of my readers have been waiting for....me in uniform. I have to say that basic training (in my case Officer's Basic leadership Course "OBLC") has been anything but what I expected it to be. OBLC students from years past assured me that it was camp cupcake....getting put up in a nice hotel off post, shuttled to wherever you need to be, having days full of power point presentations, with all your nights and weekends off, and then towards the end of training....five days in the field which consist of operating an air conditioned field hospital. I mean of course there is PT (physical training) and it's pretty hot in TX, but for the most part, the report has been that OBLC is a blast.

OBLC soldiers of the future....things have changed! We had two days of in-processing after which we were trucked off to the field for 11 days. We did get one five minute shower during the time in the field, but we were sweating again before we were dressed. We were issued our weapons and firing them the next day. Our gas masks....well, we did the gas chamber and then got trained the next day on how to use them. I'm not feeling too sorry for myself because I know that everything I am doing Mike had to do even more of, while being yelled at through all of it. Being officers, we're getting treated with a bit more respect than the poor enlisted guys get....whether we deserve it or not. (It still takes forever for us to fall into formation....I know our instructors are probably dying to smoke us.....smoke=lots of push ups.)

Here I am before we left for the field. There was a reception we went to to meet all of the batallion big wigs. Not looking too bad at this point. Maybe a little sunburnt from the afternoon of drill and ceremony.
When I got home that night, though, I examined my leg which had been bitten by a fire ant that afternoon. I'm allergic to fire ants, I've since learned, and the swelling around the bite provided fertile ground for infection, which truned out to be cellulitis. I went to sick call the day before we headed to the field, my leg was red hot and more swollen than I've ever seen it beofre, but they loaded me up with prescriptions and let me go to the field.

Here I am with a friend from my platoon (6th platoon, best platoon, hooah) Gilbert (we don't know first names so much) always has a smile and an encouraging word. Those weapons we're carrying never left our sides....neither did our gas masks.....everywhere we went....including the port-a-pots....our weapon and mask came with us.

The heat and the activity level in the field took a toll on me, the infection seemed to clear up, but my legs continued to swell pretty severely. I slept every night with my legs elevated, but continued to have what is known as pitting edema....this means, when you press down on my skin, it leaves an indention....in my case for a very long time. So, I tried to take opportunity to elevate my legs any time I could throughout the day.

You can see how packed full my pockets are in this picture. Every morning we were issued what is called an MRE (meal ready to eat) whether or not these are actually intended for human consumption is questionable, but we loaded it into our pockets and ate lunch whenever we found the time. (I actually ate a beef ravioli MRE for breakfast on my birthday, at about 0400, our first day in the field. That night I was issued a gas mask before going to bed. They say you should make your 30th memorable, and I'm certain I'll not foget this one!)

Here I am with my friend Nancy.....I met her before we were wearing ACUs (our camoflauge uniforms) so we actually learned each other's first names =)
This is my group on the leadership training course. We had just accomplished our first task. We had to build a bridge and get a box of ammo and our whole team accross a "river" with limited supplies in ten minutes....yay us!
This was one of the tasks we failed on....a little too much planning and not enough execution.....this is the day I broke my tailbone too, by the way....no joke....I'm older than I thought I was coming into this!
This is called "soft shoe profile" and it rocks! Because of my cellulitis, the doc didn't want me in boots because he wanted good circulation in my legs. It gave my blisters a chance to heal too...I love sneaker profile!
This was the morning that my platoon was responsible for breakfast in the field. We are fortunate enough to get two hot meals a day in the field....I'll admit I'd trade one of them for a shower though!
The hits kept coming....I got bit by more fire ants in the field. This time I got bit by one on my face, and on my other leg. The one on my face just swelled up, but wouldn't you know I ended up in the hospital by the end of the day because the bite on my leg turned into cellulitis again, even though I was still on antibiotic for my previous infection.

I was so afraid they were going to not let me go back to the field, which would have meant that I'd have to come back next summer. The ER doc didn't want to send me back, but I pleaded and assured him that the hard part was over and I only needed to survive four more days. He changed my antibiotic and let me return. This photo was actually taken after I'd been treated and the swelling had gone down quite a bit. The guy who carried my rucksack for me that afternoon didn't recognize me two days later.....I must have been pretty scary looking!

Here I am back in the field....I never thought I'd be happy to go back to Camp Bullis, but here I am all smiles...even after the gas chamber!
Back to the FOB (field operating base) for the day....getting some rest and elevating that leg every change I get.
My family had never looked so wonderful to me after 11 days at Camp Bullis! Here I am with my beautiful kiddos. Mike drove them down (1300 miles!) to come see me for my three day weekend. The first days off I've had since I got here.....we're loving every minute of our time together!
The Mexican food is GOOD in Texas!
One of the guys in our platoon lives here in San Antonio and his grandparents invited the whole platoon (that's 65 soldiers) over for a 4th of July picnic.
My family hanging out with 6th platoon (best platoon, hooah)
Sam's grandpa and dad who hosted all of us and cooked up some amazing food! They are such a sweet family. They took good care of us, and we joined hands and blessed the food before we dug in.....it was good to be at a family event.
Some more 6th platooners....
Sam is the one in the green shirt, here with some of his cousins, it was his family who hosted us.

Madeline taking a plunge into the pool....
Mike looking hot.....
Madeline and Timothy playing at the pool....
More of the 6th platoon crew enjoying the pool...

Madeline hanging around the guys ;)
and then putting me to shame with her rope climbing abilities....
Timothy climbed UP the slide and then was too chicken to slide back DOWN....the ladies with him were so sweet...all part of Sam's family....they played with the kids and made them feel super special....it was a great afternoon. We're so grateful for their hospitality.
After our busy day we headed back to our hotel for some rest (before another BIG day) and were welcomed "home"by this beautiful rainbow. God is faithful.....that's the only reason I'm making it through!

I came down here thinking I'd get in great shape and be a super soldier.....at this point, I'm thinking I'll be happy to stay away from the doctor long enough to graduate! I am so grateful for all of the prayers that are going up on my behalf, and also for my amazing husband who has been so supportive and encouraging, and has done an awesome job of holding things together at home without ever complaining to me. What an amazing man I have. Happy anniversary, baby! Eleven years, yesterday, I couldn't love you more. You're the best husband and daddy I could have ever chosen for my family. I'd go through everything life has brought our way over again to get to where we are. You are a blessing.

-shannon