Words cannot express the emotion, pride, gratitude, joy, and the list goes on... about how I feel about MY brother finishing one of the hardest, if not the hardest, boot camp known to man. Just some of his stories where they got "destroyed" over anything and everything would make some just really want to die. He is such an inspiration to me, and I am so proud of him! I am so glad that Breyten and I were able to go to his graduation at Parris Island. It was so surreal actually being able to see the place where so many Marines started. The barracks, infamous yellow footprints, and the small Iwo Jima Statue where at the end of the Crucible march (which happens the week before graduation) the drill instructors shake the hands of the recruits and call them Marines for the first time. We were able to witness part of this march the last day we were there. My mom, Austin, Breyten, and I were leaving before dawn to go back home. There was a group of recruits who were marching and yelling. You could feel the energy that exuberated from what they were yelling. They were excited to become official Marines after going through the most challenging test ever. The Crucible consists of several days of no sleep, going through war, bullets flying, carrying a "dead" Marine over many miles, etc. I'm sure it is very physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually draining. But, worth it in the end to have the one who was yelling at you for so long finally welcome you into the brotherhood of being a Marine. Congratulations to my little brother, Austin, who isn't so little anymore, but is now a United States Marine. OORAH!
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