day 45: updates on the boy

It's been a while since I've posted an in-depth update and I'm sure you're all just dying for the details. I'm currently sitting on the couch, passing the time with a rerun of Friends, daring my phone to ring. This is my nightly routine, between 6:30 and 7pm, when Andrew has phone privileges. I think I lose a few years of my life each time.

Anyway, here's how we're doing...

• In 16 days, he'll be a Candio (Candidate Officer). This is when he gets more privileges (including his cell phone!) and will be in charge of helping with OCS Class 18-10. From the OCS Survival Guide:

The Candidate Officer phase of your training is to instill leadership skills. You will be assigned a billet (job), which you are responsible for. This is the period where you can finally attend to personal matters. Libery begins at 1830 (assuming your duties are taken care of). You are considered junior staff at Officer Training Command Newport. With it comes many perks, but also a great deal of responsibility. Your class is responsible for the day-to-day running of OCS. You are ultimately responsible for the junior classes. Remember what other Candios did for you and your class. Try to remember what was done well and what could have been done better. It is now your responsibility to take care of the other classes. Above all else, enjoy this time. You've earned it.

• Right now, Andrew's getting through midterms. He passed the first two with flying colors, had the third today and has the final one tomorrow. The classes are Sea Power (Naval History), Naval Operations and Seamanship, Navigation and Engineering. And if you know the boy like I do, you know these are right up his alley.
  
• For the most part, we've been able to talk every night for the last two weeks, even if only for a few minutes. We talk several times over the weekend, since he has extended phone times, and he also has email privileges on Sundays. I love the email time - the last two Sundays we've spent all morning and most of the afternoon emailing back and forth. It's a different way to spend the day together, but I'll take it.
• He still seems to be doing really well. Of course, he's ready for this to be over, but he has a great attitude about it. After a particularly rough day last week, he said, "No matter what happens, I have a good life." If you only knew what a blessing it is to have a husband with that attitude. It makes the wife worry so much less!
• So what's next? Wrap up midterms, another PFA, another uniform inspection, drill competition, finals and then the Candio phase. Once he's a Candio, there are only 3 weeks left!

And that's about it. Questions? Concerns? He didn't call tonight. Since he's in the middle of midterms, I didn't expect much. I heard whisperings of study sessions going on about this time, so I imagine that's where he is. I look forward to the cell phone days when a simple text message will keep me alive. But really, I'm looking forward to graduation weekend when I can see the handsome thing in his summer whites.

36 days, folks. THIRTY SIX DAYS.