232 PFC Mueller :)

I found this recent picture of Travis (232 PFC Mueller) on the Fort Benning photo website. I'm a member of a group on facebook made especially for those waiting for loved ones who are in training in the same company as Trav. It is really fun and helpful to see interactions between other people and see that I'm not the only one with questions. It helps to know that there are other wives out there who don't just feel bad or "know what it's like" from past experiences but who are experiencing this at the same time as me. We all discuss what we're told in letters and try to figure out our plans for the 36-hour pass next month and graduation. It's like I found a new group of friends I can relate to. I guess this is what they call the Army family.
Travis is doing really well. Although they only give them 4 minutes to eat he has gotten better at eating faster (what an accomplishment...) so he's eating more. Still, he's lost over 20 pounds. Makes me want to go on the Army diet almost... almost.
In his own words he's "been kicking butt this week." He got perfect on Advanced Marksmanship last week. Here is a large excerpt from his last letter:
"[Battle March and Shoot is] a competition between the platoons which consists of running an unknown distance carrying boxes of MREs, jugs of water, a stretcher with a drill sargent on it and pushing a truck the whole way. When we get to the end we have to shoot at a bunch of targets while controlling your breathing (or else your aim is way off). It was a 3/4 mile run and it was a competition too so my platoon freakin sprinted the whole time. While we ran, there were DSs who would hide in the woods and toss dud grenades at us (the first one scared the piss outta me). It's supposed to simulate like a situation where we have malfunctioning transportation and we have to run to a battle while dodging the enemy. Our platoon had the fastest time but like 5 guys' guns jammed so we lost and were pissed and exhausted. It was pretty darn intense so I thought it was pretty fun."
 "Thursday we had IEDs and mines... they also showed us how vehicles defend themselves from IEDs. Then we were taught how to use a claymore mine. Then we had to march, not walk, march 4 miles back to the barraks."
"Today (the 10th) we had rocket launchers and I did well (blowing stuff up is what I do best). It was the AT-4 if my dad asks. Tomorrow we are gonna shoot the M240 and M249 SAW. They are both BA machine guns so we are all pretty stoked about that."
"We are supposed to do the .50 cal (machine gun) and MK-19 (grenade launching machine gun) sometime soon too."
"Anyway, we had locker inspections today and we passed so we were pumped about that."
"I had CQ (change of quarters) from 8-9 so no fireguard tonite... "
"The DS was cleaning out their truck and gave my buddy and me a soda and granola bar. It was like liquid heaven."
"We have a 3.5 mile run (sprint) for PT tomorrow."

So, things are really rough but he is surviving. We both can't wait for this to be over but while it is lasting he is making the most of every day. I am very proud of how well he is doing. If you would like to send him a card or letter (no packages please. The drill sargents use every excuse to get the soldiers in trouble) here is his address:
 

232 PFC Mueller

Alpha Company, 2-19 Infantry

198^th Infantry Brigade

9050 Kinsman Drive

Fort Benning, GA 31905

Thanks for your support (and for reading all of this!).

Trucking along

Days keep passing and I'm finding ways to keep myself busy. I'm taking a Statistics class at the community college. I'm not a math person AT ALL so it is really rough. It's half done- I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Last month my mom and I spent a long weekend in Florida with my Grandma. She has no internet or TV because she doesn't stay at her house full time so he had a hack of a time entertaining ourselves. We went to walmart more times than I ever have in a weekend. We hit up restaurants, Rita's, rented movies, and drive up and down the beach. My grandma (and mom) like to throw bread to the birds as we drive along in hopes that they will fly behind us. It wasn't too successful this time.

 Cute little grandma in the back of the convertible- we prop her up with her hat and glasses and she doesn't complain.

 There was a FROG in my grandma's shower that my Uncle Robert carried outside to set free. EEK!

Look closely. The epitome of Florida: about a hundred pink flamingos in the front yard!

My younger brother, Javi got his Eagle Scout so he had a court of honor with two of his friends who had also recently gotten their Eagle. It was a lot of work for him (and mom!) to complete and everyone is proud of him for achieving this rank! It was a nice evening. My older brother, Jae, spoke. People are still talking about how great of a talk he gave. Of course there was a shattered picture frame, crazy kids, and cake dropped on someone's foot but would it really be a church event without that??!! We are all happy for Javi!! (And thankful to Jae for taking us to Artie's afterword!) 

Some exciting news: I'm officially a Mueller! My name is changed on all my legal documents to Susanna Mueller. It's different and taking some getting used to. I have the best husband I could have ever asked for. He may be away for a time but he still makes me so happy. I am very blessed (and lucky) to have gotten to marry Travis and I am thankful for him, every day. 

He is hanging in there at OSUT at Benning. He finished Red Phase of training and is in the next phase already. He is learning a lot but they don't ever take it easy on the guys. He has lost about 20 pounds already and is getting in such good physical shape. A lot of his buddies have gotten sent home for various reasons. Trav passed his shooting assessment, made it through the gas chamber, learned how to use grenades and lots of other manly things. I'm very proud of him and know he won't be anything but successful.

My home away from home... away from home

Lately I don't know what to call home. My parents's house, Travis's and my apartment, or Buena Vista, the place where I grew and really became "me."
On the way back from Abby's I stopped in "BV" for the night with my girl, Alyssa. (I don't give her enough credit for being the funniest person I know so here's the credit.)
It's weird to think that things will never be like they were when she, Abby, Becky and I lived together at SVU. We have thousands of memories and jokes that I hope never to forget. Living with them made life so great! The past 3 years have been awesome but I am looking forward to the great things each of us will do with our lives.
Alyssa and I rented a movie and hung out for the night. Of course we had to get some super unhealthy snacks to go along with our girl night! One thing I know for sure: Alyssa is the type of person who if we didn't talk for months or years (heaven forbid!) we would get together and still have the same type of great, funny relationship. Nothing bugs her and she rarely gets offended. I really could take a lesson from her! 

The picture doesn't do the spider justice. I could have sworn this was a mini-tarantula. It was about as big as my thumb!!!

Kentucky and Abby!

The other week I spent Thursday to Tuesday with the Baxter family in Kentucky. My very good friend, Abby, is leaving next month to serve a year and a half mission in Germany for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know she will be a great missionary; I've always thought so. I had such a fun time with Abby and her family.
Abby and I went kayaking- Well, we paddled for a minute and then sat there for a while. That was so fun to be out on the lake!! Another day we went to a Shaker Village where they have reenactments of what the Shaker people were like and did. It is similar to Williamsburg and was a pretty cool place. We got to see a sheep get shorn- now that doesn't happen every day in Northern Virginia! The founder of the Shakers, Ann Lee is mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants even! Saturday I was able to go to the Louiville Temple with Abby and her family- that was a great experience! We watched a few movies together, had Pad Thai, went to Brusters Ice Cream, at at Stake and Shake, watched her two younger sisters' soccer game, walked around Keeneland (a horse race place) and mostly enjoyed each others' company. 
Abby is a great person and I miss living with her. Since she came into my life she truly has influenced it for the better. 
Here are some pictures of our few days together:

Busy with nothing to do

The past couple weeks I have been all over the place! I drove to my good friend Abby's house in Kentucky for about 5 days, stayed a night with Alyssa at SVU, then came home with just enough time to pack and make it to the airport with my mom to visit my grandma in Florida for 5 days. We got home this past Monday afternoon and I had to rush to class about an hour later. NOVA has been hassling me about this and that and prerequisites for a bio class and yadda yadda. Needless to say, I've been running around. So, I'm not really sure how it is that I'm not getting anything accomplished.
Expect more updates on these trips and such later.

Mail Call!

Travis is now all settled in at training and has an address. I got a phone call from him yesterday, 4 minutes total, and he had just been worked so hard he couldn't even talk. It was really hard to hear but this will all be worth it in the end, at least that is what I keep telling myself. It doesn't seem like it is going to get any easier on him in the next few days but it should be better as the weeks progress on. We are coming up on finishing 2 weeks this Monday... 12 more to go. His graduation is August 12th!

Travis would really appreciate getting some mail if you want to send him some words of encouragement. Don't expect too much of a response but it is lonely and tough there and the best thing he gets is mail.

232 PFC Mueller

Alpha Company, 2-19 Infantry

198^th Infantry Brigade

9050 Kinsman Drive

Fort Benning, GA 31905

Osama Bin Gotten

This past Sunday I got a text around 11 pm as I was on my way up to bed from my friend, Kayla, to turn on the news. This was very out of the ordinary, so I did! That is when Javi and I heard the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed!! This is HUGE news for all Americans but especially those of us who live right outside the nation's capital- the hub of all exciting political happenings.
Long story short, Javi convinced me to go into DC with him and join whatever festivities might be going on there. I was not all that into the idea but thought I may as well go along. We threw on some clothes (notice my patriotic red shirt) and grabbed some flags. We got into DC after midnight and drive up and down the streets with our flag out of the sun roof. It was AWESOME! Tons of people were heading towards the White House and as they saw us with our flag would yell and cheer.
Javi parked and we too went to the White House with a thousand+ other young adults. It was pretty cool to have so many people there cheering for the same reason. Surprisingly people were really friendly- not something you would usually experience in a large crowd in DC. After an hour or so we decided to head home (that was when the drunks started coming out and we realized we were tired of standing in a hot crowd yelling and cheering and singing).
I'm glad we got to go- it was a really cool experience and if it weren't for Javi I would have missed out on something really great! Now we are all praying for no retaliation.