GO DELTAS OOH RAH!!!

This seems to be the longest 54 hours of my life and still 28 to go for Geramie Ervin to finish the Crucible and join the ranks of the few and the proud. Prayer is sustaining me throughout this roller coaster ride of sleeping.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”      Isaiah 40:29-30

May God continue to watch over and sustain you and your fellow Delta brothers, Geramie, in the Lord’s name I pray.   Amen – feeling emotional.

Update

My son, Geramie Ervin and his fellow Delta Company recruit brothers began their last hurdle on their path to earning the title of U.S. Marine at 2 a.m. this morning. Out of 54 hours they still have 47 to go, over 40 miles to hike, only 8 hours sleep, 3 MRE meals, and over 30 tactical exercises and field challenges. Prayers are appreciated.

Dear Lord,

I ask for your guidance and blessings to help give Delta Company strength when fatigue takes over, cooperation and wisdom when decisions need to be made, and harmony in order to succeed as a team without injury. In your name we pray.

Amen — feeling optimistic.

Here is my weekly diary entry, only one more to go,.

Today is an especially emotional day for me as well as you, my son Geramie Ervin. You had to endure the gas chamber exercise and now are getting ready for what you have been preparing for the past 12 weeks – The Crucible. At 2 a.m. tomorrow morning you and your fellow Deltas C. brothers will embark on the brutal 54 hour test of mental and physical endurance, that will make you dig down deeper that you ever have in your life to find that strength and stamina to succeed. I have no doubts that you and ALL the Deltas will do just that.

The Devil Dogs platoon portion of the video was released this afternoon. It was the first time I saw you in military attire. You are the first recruit when the video began and right away I knew it was you! Such an amazing transformation and my heart is full. I pray for you and all the Deltas daily. The next 54 hours you all will be constantly on my mind and in my heart.

This has been a wild ride since you shipped May 12th. Seeing your transformation through your letters was amazing, but today seeing you for the first time in 76 days was phenomenal Words escape me to express the pride I feel for you right now.

Your Platoon 1062 kicked ass and won the title of Honor Platoon. OOH RAH!

In 8 1/2 hours you will begin this last hurdle to earning your title and belonging to one of the few and the proud. Your brother,  Jordan Ervin and I are sending you all the positive energy we can, because we know that by Thursday at 8 a.m. you will have accomplished the goal you left on May 12th to conquer. You, my son, will be a U.S. Marine.

I pray that God is with you and your Delta brothers during the Crucible. When you find there is nothing left  remember to step out on your faith, because God is the rock. When you do, you will find that there is just a little more of what you need to get you through and finish.

I send this Psalm to you in hopes that it will sustain you through the Crucible:

“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

He enables me to stand on the heights.

He trains my hands for battle;

My arms can bend a bow of bronze

You give me your shield of victory,

And your right hand sustains me;

You stoop down to make me great.

You broaden the path beneath me,

So that my ankles do not turn.                 Psalm 18:2-36

God bless you, my son and ALL the Delta Co. recruits.

Stay strong, Ger. I love you so much!

Ooh Rah Oah Rah Ooh Rah!!! – feeling proud

Well, it’s Monday, time for my weekly diary entry that I post on Geramie’s wall. Only 2 more to go and for boot camp GAME OVER…my son will be a U. S. Marine in 18 days…but who’s counting??? THAT WOULD BE ME!!!!

Well, you are finally nearing the end of boot camp, and I don’t know who is happier, Jordan Ervin, me or you? Only two more diary entries as a “Marine Recruit Mom”, and then I am a true “Marine Mom”, and in the words of your brother in his younger years…”We are a Marine family”. LOL

I know this week are all the final tests. written, martial arts, fitness and I have no idea what else you may have to do. I do know this. Your spine is made of steel my son. Yes, I am still looking for that video of you in boot camp to be posted on Devil Dogs every day. Although  you still are not there, one day soon I am hoping to see you there, hopefully before I see you on August 7th.

As they say, no calls is equivalent to no news is good news while you are in boot since a call usually means an injury or something serious.Hearing your voice only twice for almost 13 weeks now has been so hard for me and Jordan. There is a deep void without you, but it is more the wondering how you are doing, what you are doing, and how you are feeling  without knowing or being able to help . That is the killer — but then again that is really the point to make the process a success, yes?

I do know that the end will justify the means, in this instance, but in my mama’s heart. It aches and longs to see that warm smile of yours and feel “leetle” in you big hugs. Family Day is only 17 days away and in 18 days you will have earned the title of Marine and be one of the few and the proud, but NO ONE on this earth is more proud of you than me, your mom…well..okay – probably a tie with Jordan. lol

Next week is the Crucible….you all have been training hard and you will ALL succeed, please believe. I now pray for the health, courage, and strength not only for your platoon 1062, but for ALL the platoons training to go through the Crucible with yours. What a priceless moment when you hike down the Reaper to the EGA Ceremony, to finally receive your emblem and be called a Marine for the very first time. I am sure it will be a memory indelibly etched in your mind. I visualize the moment often. It gives me comfort that sustains me until I can see you again.

I love you, Geramie

Stay strong — feeling blessed

Well, my diary log will only have three more entries after today, because you are almost done with boot camp, Geramie. Ooh Rah!!!

I have seen the transformation of your strength, courage and conviction go from, “I want to do this”, to “it’s so hard to do this”, to “I AM doing this!”

Less than a month until graduation and a couple of weeks until the Crucible – what you have been training for all these weeks. As nervous as I was when you first told me and made me watch ALL those Marine videos including the Crucible in your room many nights, I now feel that you will come through it like the strong man you have become. I can visualize you at the end of it hiking back down the Reaper, hungry and tired, but all worth it because you will have earned the title of Marine.

A mother thinks of her children daily because they are part of her, and forever remain in her heart, mind, and soul. Children are forever our babies, even when grown men with lives and families of their own. You raise your children with hopes they will become independent one day and “fly away from the nest”, and one day they do. Watching you through your letters these past weeks has been an amazing experience. Jordan and I can’t wait to be there to witness when you take off in flight as you become one of the few and proud, a Marine on August 8th.

Stay strong, my son!

I love you, Ger! – feeling pumped

Extra Post

TGIF!!!!

Tick…Tick…Tick

27 more days until Geramie’s graduation..OOH RAH!!

The latest:

I finally got a “real” letter and learned he scored so well in shooting that he earned the “Expert” title, and will get the Expert Medal at graduation…go on with your bad self Ger ! Okay, so spparently the war type video games do have some value after all, yes? Hahaha.

He got his first fitting for uniforms yesterday and has regained most of the weight he lost.

So for the last almost 9 weeks, what all the recruits have been training for – The Crucible – is only 8 days away, 54 hours of only 8 hours sleep that will challenge them to their very core. When he hikes back down the “Reaper” (mountain they must climb up and back down at last part of Crucible hike) he will be considered one of the proud and few….go Ger go!

What an experience with Ger going through Marine boot camp for me as a mom and Jordan Ervin as his brother. Reading his letters and seeing the transformation is absolutely amazing. I cannot even begin to fathom what this experience has been to Geramie Ervin, but he is earning his title, and I can’t be any prouder or excited!

Delta Company Platoon 1062!!!! — feeling amazing.

The Count Down Is On!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s Monday, time for my diary entry. This time next month you will be returning to your barracks after spending time with Jordan Ervin and I for Family Day we can’t wait to see you!

Some of your letters touched me deeply knowing the struggles you were enduring, yet at the same time, hearing your resolve to make it through was so encouraging, especially to your brother.

No matter how many times I Google Marine websites and look at the Matrix as to what week you are on and what you may be doing, I cannot even fathom enduring what you are going through both mentally and physically. My hat is off to you, my son. I cannot be prouder of you.

Just think, Geramie, in 32 days our plane should be touching down in Sacramento and you will be able to shower and get in your fave gray sweats and lay in your own bed with lots of snacks!!!

I know mail has been slow while at Camp Pendleton.  I haven’t received a letter since the qualification day telling us that you got Expert in shooting, but I know I will hear from you soon. Isn’t that bananas – since I wouldn’t allow you or Jordan to play with guns except water guns growing up? hahaha Guess all those video games came in handy after all.

The FB group I joined is wonderful for support and most of us will meet the night before Family Day at the Meet ‘n Greet. I cooked dinner for Jelline Valentin on Saturday, and she filled me in on what to expect these next 4 weeks. She says you will do fine and be a Marine just like her soon.

Well, 22 days until the Crucible, and 32 days until graduation. I bet you have that list made for all the food and desserts you want me to cook when you get home. I can’t wait to cook them for you!

I LOVE YOU, GERAMIE!!!
STAY STRONG
OOH RAH — feeling optimistic

A Sunday Morning

Happy Sunday morning all. After my morning prayer was said, my mind drifted to my son , Geramie Ervin in Marine boot camp. Since the day he told me, “Mom, I’m going to be a Marine”, which left me in tears, it has been quite an experience and journey from acceptance to support to pride.

Not knowing what your recruit is experiencing – it is a mad mixture of emotions. Humbleness, pride, love are at the top of my list. There are several books, of course, about this but not quite from a Mom’s perspective and a brother who have seen their recruit through the transformation of deciding to become a Marine to earning that title and becoming one.

My novel is on the back burner again, because thanks to Jordan Ervin and another recruit parent, this weekend I began writing a new book on becoming a “Marine Mom”.

Ooh rah !!

Midway Boot Camp Update

My Marine recruit, Geramie Ervin, is still hangin’ tough. The DI’s and J-Hats are WAY harsh, probably more than he expected though he watched every Marine boot camp video known to man, I think. Lol!

Heads up: Nothing you hear, are told, or see, can exactly prepare you for the Marine boot camp experience.

I cannot lie. A couple of his early letters broke my Mama Bear heart. Even in those he still had his eye on the “prize’ of becoming a U. S. Marine August 8, 2014. PT at the office makes ALL the difference. So tough it out. Sacramento Gonzalez and his crew know what they are doing at PT to get you Poolees ready to rock it in boot camp.

This is quite an experience for me as a mother and Jordan Ervin as his brother. Sure gives a different perspective on what matters most….the whole “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”, sure pops in my head quite a bit these days.

Just letting you know, he is halfway done and evolving; got his game face on, and getting more steel in his spine as this experience continues.

His words as he ended his letter to me today sums up his mental game:

“I WILL PERSERVERE!!”

42 more days until Family Day

43 more days until Graduation

Delta Company-Platoon 1062!! Ooh Rah!!!

You go get ’em son!

Love you!!! –feeling proud

Two days later

It’s a double Hump Day for you because you are also officially half way through boot camp today, Geramie Ervin, Ooh Rah!

43 more days until Jordan Ervin and I can see you and hug our then Marine son/brother!

Hang tough, my strong son. You are living your dream and meeting the goal and won’t ever have to say, “I wonder if I had joined the Marines when I was younger if I could have done it?”

The whole family and your friends are so proud of you and support your decision to serve our country as a Marine!

Love you

Mom n Jordan