Sleeping, walking dead

Dear Wife of the Living,

It is almost better that I have been negligent to write the past several days. I can probably sum up what I have done the past three days in about half the space you could sum up what you did in one day. Friday morning, we had another mandatory fun run (again, who keeps thinking that fun and run go together?). But this time it actually was somewhat fun. A few people dressed up in costumes (e.g. a banana, a few super heroes) but not many. I forgot my bow tie in the clinic so I didn't dress up for that run, but in total I think there were 6-7 dressed up people out of a couple hundred, so it was ok. COL Doyle briefed us on a "disease" that has been plaguing AJ where a few people died and woke up again. It was funny though, he read it kind of seriously and it from the look of a few people's faces they were legitimately concerned about this disease. But then later I think they caught on...I hope. So we ran for a mile and at the end, you guessed it, some real live dead zombies jumped out and marked people w/ fake blood and a permanent marker (I don't know why the permanent marker, lots of people were upset that their uniforms got marked in marker). I didn't see it coming at all and was totally ran like straight into a zombie. So the infected disgracefully had to jog to a segregated dead formation. Then we did some group stretches (group PT stuff just makes me laugh, it is absolutely worthless) and went home. That was the big event of my day for Friday - it was pretty much over by 6:30am. The rest of the day I lay in bed doing my CE class which I was able to complete 2 entire assignments and now I am 1.5 assignments from being finished with the full 42 hour class. I plan finishing it tomorrow.

So Halloween yesterday consisted of me going to work in the morning. It was really rainy and felt dark and halloween like. I saw a few patients and it was some of the most human interaction I've had all week. I could feel I was a little rusty at it. After that, I showered, did a little more CE, I don't remember what else but I feel there was something. At about 1700 I signed up for the 5k halloween race and went to the clinic to get my bow tie and suspenders you so kindly sent me. I took pictures with our group leader at church and saw a few people from the CSH that dressed up. I found that England and Banks ran too but they started up in the front and England pretty much always wins so was the first in the pack. Getting into the race scene though and it is fun to just be part of the running mob, can't say I've graduated to the part of trying to get ahead of it and run for speed yet. Got a cool glow in the dark t-shirt. Then I tried to make my way to the CSH social but got lost and walked a half hour just to get there as everyone finished and most people were leaving. So I left too.

Got a ride back w/ SPC Butcher and Franks. Thought we would go to the haunted house but then the line was well over an hour long so didn't. Went back and just about to leave were England and Banks that invited me to go eat at Chili's thankfully cuz I was feeling depressed to go sit in my bunk on Halloween night. Afterwards they wanted to see a movie which was a movie I checked out and was not going to see because it was rated R. I don't know if I compromised but I wanted to do something and it was the only thing I knew people doing. It was a depressing movie and made me feel sad as the main guy lost his wife and his daughter wouldn't talk to him but in the end he turned out to be a good dad I guess.

It was midnight when I got back and fell into bed. Got up for church, had a nice fast and testimony meeting. Always alarmed to see the struggles that people have and how much greater they are then mine. Now I'm just hanging again in my bunk. Going to go learn crossfire in their intro course today at 1300 which is in about an hour. That lasts for 3 hours. Then call my parents. Then eat with someone from church that was supposed to be home but is getting investigated with some other people at work for something and now is being kept here until the investigation is over which may be another 5-6 months! Man, I couldn't. Last week we all said goodbye and now he's here.

I miss talking to the kids since it's been crazy for everyone the past couple days. I love to hear how you are having such a great time with all the family around and activities. I am happy to hear the kids are doing well in school and are happy and enjoying the interaction and relation with their family. Knowing that everyone is doing so well, I wish there were a way I could ensure that to continue. All I can say now is to make the best of the time you have there and make it count!

I'm grateful to be part of our family. My goal is to find ways I can be a better contributor to it. I love you and I love our children and my family is the single greatest motivation in my life. Without you, I feel like the zombie I became by getting attacked by zombies.

You're zombie husband