6:12 am

For some reason, unknown to me, Bogey has decided that 5:30am isn't really the best time for us to get up for a walk.

He prefers 4:00am.

After a couple hours of trying to get our 53lb canine infant back to sleep I finally gave up. He spent the next hour playing soccer? Rugby? Football? under the bed with Dallas.

I can't really decide which sport they were playing.

By 6am I finally caved in and started to slowly get ready for our walk. I had put my phone on silent last night, thinking that no interruptions would buy me some sleeping in. Then, as I grabbed my phone to put in my sweatshirt pocket I glanced to see what time it was.

A missed call? From a 609 area code?

NEW JERSEY!!

I called the number back and got Company Commander (CC) P- he's an assistant to D's head CC. I started to panic a little because it's only D's second week and, although from his letter he's doing well, nothing is set in stone.

Me: Hi I just received a missed call from his phone number...?

CC P: Ahh! You must be D's wife!

Me: Yes! Is everything okay?

CCP: Oh yeah. He and another female in his company biked the furthest on their bicycle workout today so I awarded them both with a 5 minute phone call. Hold on let me get him....
MERCHANT!!!!!!!

Then he said, "Is it true that you named your cat Lt. Dallas?!"

Me: Yes.. and our dog's name is Bogey. You know how in Top Gun they say 'I've got Bogies all over me?' That's how we got his name.

CCP (laughing): That's ridiculous!

Me: Well... they're sort of ridiculous so it fits. It was the only names we agreed on.

While I waited for D, his CC said, "D is doing really well, although I'm not letting him know that yet. He'll go far."

D came to the phone and we got to chat for 5 minutes. He was very, very proper in how he spoke, answering everything with a "yes mam" or "no mam."

I started to cry from just be overwhelmed with excitement. I didn't really know what to talk to him about since it was unexpected. I asked him about his blood pressure test when he arrived. He said it was 170/ 69. I asked if they were monitoring him and he said, "No, mam." I asked if they were doing anything about it and he said, "No, mam they are not."

He said that his main CC, CC R, said that he thinks it's funny that we named our cat Lt. Dallas. He also said that CC R is monitoring a CG forum that I post on, and figured out my screen name. CC R told D a few things that I had written.

He said that it's very humid and, "I sweat everywhere I go." Then he added that he's already lost 10 pounds! I said that will help him meet to new weight standards. He said that when he first arrived they measured him at a half inch taller than what his recruiter did. (That gives him an extra two pounds more leeway)

He said his job in his company was to be in charge of the watchmen. Every night someone stays up half the night to "guard" the barracks. Then, a new person takes over to relieve the first person. They do this every night. D said that he's the person that assigns who's going to stand watch each night. I asked him if he's stood watch and he said that he doesn't have to since he's in charge.

Then he said that he was recently promoted to Squad Leader. Their previous Squad Leader did not know the required information as well as D did, so D took his position. Squad Leader is a very big deal! I can't remember what he's in charge of but I know that D has to be able to recite his 11 General Orders, the time the sun rises and sets, that day's meals, etc, etc. all on a moment's notice.

I was SOO excited to hear his voice! It definitely made my day and made my morning run much more bearable!