I am starting this blog WAY late but I'm also using it as a journal for his experiences in the Marines.  Its for those that want to know what he is up to and how he feels about everything. We know he won't share those things so I will do it for him.

This was the very first photo I found of him!

This is Ethan's very first letter!  

So Ethan has been gone for 12 days and it seems like months!  We got our first letters from him on Monday and they made me cry so much he is so homesick and its crazy what he says.

Hey so it sucks here so bad this is a lot harder then I thought it would be and its not the getting yelled at and stuff it is missing all of you guys. I feel so alone here we can't talk to anyone and that doesn't help.  I have made 3 good friends the best one is Louis Bordell he has helped me keep going through all of this cause I want to quit so bad. But I don't want you to be ashamed of me. I am depressed all the time here because all I think about is you guys and Cheyenne. I hope things get better here cause it is not fun at all. I don't know why anyone would want to do this.  I wish I never would have done this. I miss all of you so much I took all of you for granted and I'm sorry I wish I could come home.  I have cried myself to sleep almost every night. We get an hour every night before bed and I like that it helps me. There isn't a Mormon church here its just  general christian or Catholic and the christian one is super stupid they listen to christian rock and I didn't like it so this next week I'm going to try the catholic one my friends go there. It really sucks that there isn't a Mormon church here.  I have to go for now but can you write me everyday that will help me a lot!   Love Ethan

This next one is his 2nd letter.  This was one letter and I about died reading it!

So today wasn't that bad but I was really sad when I saw family members here for graduation because I know I'm so far away from that. I know I have a lot of hard times coming.  I haven't cried the last 3 days so that's good. So far for phase 1 I do PT (physical training) in the morning which sucks because its cold in the morning and then in the afternoon I have classes those aren't bad because I sit by Bordell and we write notes back and forth like we do at church. I wish there was a Mormon church here I know that would help me through this but I do pray every night for help through this and for all of you to be safe. I miss all of you so much there is nothing more I want than to come home. I had it so good there and didn't even know. I hope you guys write me back soon and please someone write me every day. I can't wait to see all of you again and miss talking to people and laughing and joking and smiling I can't do any of that here. Every day is like a hard practice but you don't get a break and its a lot harder too.  But I think my platoon is getting it and the DI's (drill instructor) are better.  I will write tomorrow.   Love Ethan

3rd letter

I got your letter today and it helped so much. Dad I love you so much. I can't wait to be done with this. I miss all of you guys so much I want to come home so bad this place sucks but I have to do this. I miss you so much I think about you all the time you hit it on I felt so alone here but I made 2 really good friends that have helped me through this but like I said in my other letter that is the only hard part here is missing you and everyone else and please write me often it helps so much but it makes me cry.  But I have to go for now I'll write you soon dad.  Love Ethan  P.S. the marshal arts we learned so far is stupid and we are punching and doing karate kid stuff.  haha

4th letter

Hey mom so today is Sunday and I found out there is a service for Latter day saints I thought it would say Mormon but it didn't and I'm going to that one next week and I hope its everything that I hope it is like home.  If its not I'll probably just stay here at the squad bay and write some letters and pray for you guys cause that's what I do on my free time. The catholic church was kinda weird I don't think I'm going back there haha.  This is getting a little better here I like the head DI and senior DI to but the other 2 suck the head DI is funny and the senior is cool cause he motivates us sometimes and tells us about values and stuff like that but you and dad already raised me with better values then they are teaching and most recruits here don't seem like they have very good values but the 2 DI's I said I liked they seem like they do to an extent.  I love you guys so much I can't wait to see you and I think about you all of you all the time every day. Love Ethan

So its getting better and he had got 4 letters from me 2 from Robyn and 1 from dad up until this point.  I had a talk with him before he left and I asked him if he wanted me to write everyday and he said NO.  So I told him that I would write 2 times a week.  But now I"m told to write every day.  He is going to get a lot of letters because I sent out a message on Facebook to family and friends and told them that he needs letters from us. I know this is a long email but I thought you might want to know how he is doing.  I AM ONE PROUD MOMMA!!!!!!! I'm a Missionary mom and a future marine mom! This is what I wrote to Evan back in November!