On my 65th birthday, I wrote a letter......

[suncat05]

to my first grandson who is in Boot Camp in that wonderful vacation resort known as Parris Island, South Carolina.
How did I ever make it to 65? I can thank God, AND my wife for seeing to that. Maybe HE does have a plan for me.
I am so proud of Donovan, and of what he is doing. His future is bright and promising. I have high hopes that he is able to reach his full potential as a man and a United States Marine.

[KSRBEvans]

Suncat, that's a great thing to do. And as I've been blessed to move along in age and hope to continue to do so, I hope God isn't finished with me and I can still be useful.

I'm sure you're very proud of your grandson. What a great choice he made. He's going to come out a changed person (mostly for the better!) and will learn lessons he'll hold onto his whole life.

[suncat05]

Thank you Evans!
I told my daughter "you're loaning them your boy, but they're going to give you back a man!"

[KSRBEvans]

It's a far cry from Navy Boot Camp to Marine Boot Camp, but I still remember the first letter we got from our daughter after she went to Boot Camp in 2012. It started, "Dear Mom and Dad, I think I've made the worst mistake of my life" and went downhill from there. We were distraught but we learned most recruits feel that way at the beginning and pick up significantly as they go on. So if your daughter gets that kind of letter, hopefully she'll take it with a grain of salt.

[suncat05]

Her Dad that she grew up with, before she found out about me, was in the Marines, so she is being well guided on the intricacies of being a Marine's Mom.
She also has joined up online with a group of fine ladies that are the Moms of other Marines as well.
She will do fine, of that I have no doubts.

[suncat05]

Evans, if a young man or young woman doesn't think that then they are 1)way ahead of the training curve already, or 2)they are crazier than a sprayed roach and have zero business being behind the trigger of any firearm.