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We’re about half way through, and we just got our Marine pictures taken in full dress blues I felt a little like crying It’s funny, I haven’t had the urge to cry one time, not when I’ve been sore and tired and screa lump in my throat Unbelievable For the first ti to have to give in and read Jane Eyre one of these days But I can’t read it during boot camp, so please don’t send it toout Jane Eyre? I’d be on the quarterdeck for a year

I think I’ Beethoven withdrawals What have you done to e,

Samuel

I immediately rushed to my little desk and wrote him back

Dear Sained youin your dress blues Will you send raduate? I can’t wait to see you all serious in front of the flag You do serious pretty well, so I don’t think you will look too different toso well I love the stories about your grandma Someday I’d really like tostill why you are running forward I feel a little anxious and antsy, uess I’ll have my chance soarden today She talked about you a little She said you sent her a letter She told s I already knew, but of course I didn’t tell her so She’s very proud of you She’s looking forward to your Marine picture too She showedit She’s picked out a spot next to a picture of Don in his Army uniform She said he was in the National Guard, I’ about I saw another picture in her hallway I hadn’t noticed before I’ve been in the houseroom It was a picture of you with your mom and dad when you were about four years old I know pictures can be , but you all looked happy You look like both of them - don’t you think? Your dad was such a handsome man and your mom is so lovely

Life can be kind of cruel Sometimes I think of my mom, your dad, people we love that have left us I wish I understood God’s plan a little better My mom’s death has definitely made er, better person I just miss her sometimes I miss you too

Love,

Josie

I didn’t receive another letter until Sa ready to start eighth grade He sounded so different already, so grown up and focused He seemed so far away I h thewas impressive to me

The best part of the letter was the little wallet sized picture he had included My breath caught insione, and his strong jaw and cheekbones were proainst his head, no pixie ears for Sa just below the slim black bri His deep blue unifor down his chest The flag stood behind him, and there was a look on his face that said ‘Don’t ht on a sob, and I threw myself down on my bed and cried untilmonths, the letters came fewer and farther between I wrote as faithfully as his location allowed Then the letters stopped altogether I didn’t see Saain for two and a half years

11 Interht over a plate of Christotten very little snowfall so far, but the teid I welcomed Nettie into the house with a whoosh of cold air and forced the door closed behind her as I ooohed and aaahed over her offering

"Co for you, too" She followed behind me into the kitchen where I had loaves of chocolate chip zucchini bread wrapped in tinfoil and tied with cheerful red bows I had at least twenty loaves spread across the countertop Christmas can be especially stressful in small towns You don’t always knohere to start and stop in the exchanging of ‘neighbor’ gifts Everyone is a neighbor, and people get easily offended The sas You have to practically invite the whole town and have an open house That way you don’t riska Hatfield and McCoy situation that could last for generations People were generallyofany chances

"Zucchini bread? Is it my recipe?" Nettie sive you any credit on the Christmas cards" I smiled back Chocolate chip zucchini bread had become one of my favorites since I’d used it as an excuse to ply inforhed good-naturedly and pulled out a chair next to the kitchen table where I had been tying the bows on the loaves of foil wrapped bread She obviously wanted to visit a little, and I couldn’t blaid evening