and now the adventure continues

Today I was awarded my MOS: 42R 09L.
I was also awarded the ASI: C1.
After 3 months @ BCT & 6 months @ AIT, the Army finally thinks I am ready.

Acronnym Legend:
BCT - Basic Combat Training
AIT - Avanced Individual Training
MOS - Military Occupational Specialty
42R - Army Band Member
09L - Army Band Saxophone Player
ASI - Additional Skill Indentifier (shows additional skills, training, and qualification a Soldier may possess, in addition to his/her MOS)
C 1 - MACOM band qualified (in the Army we call it a Charlie One)
MACOM - Major Army Command Band

The military is full of acronyms and even with a legend it is sometimes hard to understand so here is the basic translation.

I AM FINALLY DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A little further explanation about the ASI. Each music student who receives a score of 3.0 or higher on their final audition at the School of Music is awarded the ASI: C1. The "charlie one" qualifies musicicans to be placed in a MACOM band. There are only three MACOM bands in the Army and only musicians with this score are placed in these bands. I will not be going to one of the three MACOM bands yet, but now that I am C1 qualified it will open up more opportunities for us in the future.

We will soon began our travel to my first duty station where I will finally begin my new career.
So please continue to pray for us as we make these transitions and continue on this adventure!

i am second

Well only 4 weeks left in AIT training and we'll be moving to Oklahoma. This last stretch is going to be pretty stressful, because we have a lot to do to prepare for the move. Please continue to pray for us during this transition.

I wanted to share a great website with you. Rusty, a friend of ours had this posted on his blog back in December and I just now found it. It is a great website with many celebrities and regular folks like us talking about their relationship with God. It is interesting to see the celebs especially and to hear their stories. When you have time check it out. www.iamsecond.com

seven weeks

I 've not had much time to keep up with this blog, but hopefully after we get settled I will have a little more time.

Only seven weeks till graduation (March 6).
At that point we will be off to Oklahoma. I am very excited and I am counting the days (literally). I am looking forward to getting my new career started. However, the thing I am most looking forward to is actually living in the same house with Misty again.

Well I will keep you posted as much as I can.
Keep us in your prayers we are in for a lot of changes and have a lot of decisions to make in the next few weeks.

Happy Birthday Misty!!

Today is my wife's birthday. Since I met Misty in the music building at OBU in September 1995 my life was changed forever. On December 21 we will celebrate our 12 year anniversary and I can truly say that I love her more now than ever before.

Misty has put up with me and my crazy antics for the past 12 years. Of course I have had to say I am sorry for thousands of stupid things I did or said. Each time she has always found a way to forgive me even when I didn't deserve or it took a while for the hurt to go away.

Now she is demonstrating her love for me again by agreeing to sell our house, put her career on hold, and to literally follow me around the country so that I can pursue a dream of mine.

God placed Misty in my life that day back in '95 and I thank Him daily for her constant love and support. I plan to spend the rest of my life trying to show her the same unconditional love that she as shown me.

Misty,
I love you and look forward to many more birthdays together!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!