Sam’s flight finished the hardest unit of Tech School today, and will have a major test either tomorrow (Friday) afternoon or Monday. Please pray!!! He feels ok about it but would like more prep and confidence.

~A

this week

Sam has moved to a different dorm and started the hardest unit of Tech School. His new roommates are nice but the new situation, noise level, and study load is stressing him out quite a bit - please pray for God’s peace and strength! His test is on Friday so hopefully he can relax this weekend.

Also, Sam asks for prayer specifically that he will be able to get a weekend pass for the time that I will be down there (August 6th). He is on Phase III but passes are not guaranteed, and just the time it takes to obtain one is hard to come by these days.

In general he is doing well - he is making excellent grades, has a good grasp on the material, and has his phone & internet - aaaand he shaved his mustache! The guys were going to keep the ‘staches until the wives come down, but it seems like Sam couldn’t wait :) 

Thank you all for your questions and curiosity, and especially your prayers! Tech School is pretty straightforward right now - he wont find out where he’s being stationed or if he can come for a visit until September but we’ll be sure to spread the news when he finds out!

~Ashley

tornado 2010

Here are some pictures from the tornado that ripped through Loudoun County earlier today - it left a lot of damage, including a ginormous (and gorgeous) tree in our yard! But God is good: we got out of the food pantry safe & sound, there is no damage to the house, and the cat (who was left outside!!!) came home safely!

crazy weekend at the 344th

Live from Lackland! I finally have internet! It only took a month and a half.

A bunch of things have already happened and will happen this weekend. What has happened:

1. Another 100% on my test today. Is it getting old? Nope. But now we’re moving into the notoriously most difficult block of material in the entire Airborne Mission Systems course. 3 weeks of study into 4 1/2 days. Please pray for it. It’s on computers though, so I already know about half of it.

2. Our punishment ended! Haha, funny to say. I finally got moved into Phase III of tech school, which means I have no curfew on the weekend, and I can go off base outside of class hours in my civilian clothes. Praise the Lord after 2 weeks of not knowing if Ashley can come visit - BUT NOW SHE CAN! :)

What will happen:

Tomorrow the entire 344th training squadron (my dorm) is moving to another dorm to make room for another tech school group that won’t move in for months. For the next month and a half I will have a room that half my size, share a bathroom with 5 people instead of 2, and have to fight to wash my clothes. Here’s to a great rest of my time at Lackland before I go get destroyed in Washington.

And now, what you’ve been waiting for. The ‘Stache.

My class of 1A3s (my job code is 1A3X1) decided to start an AMStache contest. There are AF regulations: it can’t touch your nose or your upper lip, and it can’t go beyond the corners of your mouth. Yes, I read the rules. I am of course in the lead by leaps and bounds. Even with the rest of my face being perma-grey, it’s unbelievable how dark it already is after only 7 days. I have developed a few nicknames that have already been picked up by a few people outside my class, as well as my instructor: Wolfman, Pep Boys, Used Car Salesman and Chief of Stache, as well as a few others I can’t mention here. At first it was to only go as far as whoever had the lowest test score had to shave, but since all of us have gotten 100s on both tests since we started, it’s now to the point of holding onto them for the mere fact that they look absolutely ridiculous. We completely hate them and have decided to only shave when our wives come to visit. Looks like I’ve got 2 more weeks. But hey, when am I gonna do it again?

So that’s the low-down right now. So glad I’ll be able to do this more often. And by the way, I have a webcam! Get one so we can talk!!

-sam

studies & ‘staches

Please keep Sam’s test in your prayers (Friday/today depending on when you’re reading this) - this unit was lighter than the others and he studied a lot so he feels pretty good. 

“‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered. ‘I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.’” - Mark 11:22-24

…speaking of his test, Sam is in a little “I am man, watch me grow hair” contest with some of the guys. Didn’t think Airmen were allowed to grow mustaches? Yeah, me neither. But apparently they are so he promptly got into a contest to see who can keep a mustache the longest based on test scores: whoever makes the lowest grade has to shave until only one guy is left standing. He will have to post the rest, there are more testosterone-fueled details than I can remember that will have you in tears, one way or the other!

~A

(the ‘stache)

Congratulations to my roommie, Rachel, who found out she will be adding another boy to her wonderful family on December 15th!

~A

MyNiceProfile.com

seeing red again

Well that weekend visit we were planning was annihilated by the only half-decent testimony to the theory that we evolved from apes: a girl who was caught stealing and single handedly swept 400 Airmen back to Phase I…again! But Sam is handling it well despite getting disappointed or turned upside down every time he turns around - praise the Lord for His help through this wild ride!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:2-4

this week

Sam is delving into Electronic Principles and will end the week with a test on Friday…which is perfect timing because there is a good chance I can fly down for a visit this weekend! He was told (in a meeting earlier tonight) that he will move up to Phase III tomorrow instead of next week! He will be 100% certain tomorrow and I will will book a flight pronto. Please keep all of this in your prayers!

~A