Having a "BLAST"!!!

Hey Mom!

Mama still needs to get used to this!

This week has been AWESOME!  A total BLAST..ha ha....get it?!  But, really, we started off the week with getting to shoot the M249 SAW Gun (Squad Automatic Weapon) and we were going to shoot the 240 Bravo which is even bigger but lightning storms hit and we couldn't stay out longer.  Then we finally got to throw the Grenades.  We really lucked out and got to throw two of them!  Most BCT's only get one.  It was way cool.  And, of course, being left handed I get to do things different from everyone else.  Left handers have to hold the grenades upside down so you can release the safeties the right way.  That was really fun.  Kinda like being allowed to light a really big firework and then throw it at something.  (Can you tell his Mom NEVER let him do things like this??!!)  Yesterday we started Urban Operations training, which is tons of fun.  It's mostly breaching doors and clearing rooms, but it looks way awesome when we stack up and file in.  At the end of the Training Day we had to clear a building as a platoon and half went down as "casualties".  So we had to secure the area, retrieve the casualties, and get everyone to safety so that we could call a "Medevac".  It's been awesome!  Tomorrow starts Mounted Assaults where we get to ride on Strikers...at least that's what I've been told.

Lance while serving his mission.

 It's kind of a bummer that now we're finally getting into all the really fun stuff that there's only a week left.  Makes me a little sad.  And then I remember...oh yeah...I'll be free from this place and be able to eat and drink something other than warm water and the occasional Gatorade from the Gut truck.  Yeah...but honestly, I'm mostly excited to see you guys and be able to graduate!  This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done besides serving a mission and it's been totally worth it.

Church today was really cool.  Instead of regular Sunday School we watched a video from Elder Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman about how to be faithful members while in the military.  It was really cool.  And then I was able to give someone a blessing and it made me think about just how awesome it is to be one out of so many that has the priesthood and is able to give blessings, but at the same time makes me wish there was at least one more in the company because if I get hurt (knock on wood) I'd need somebody to give me a blessing.  Thankfully that hasn't happened.  It's crazy to think that it was my last Sunday at church at Fort Benning..well...at least at Basic.  Who knows if I'll end up back here. I would hope not, but that's only because I'm not a fan of the humidity.  I'd much rather be stuck in 3 feet of snow all the time, but that's because I'd much rather be cold than hot.

Can't wait to see ya'll in a week!  I don't know what all ya'll got planned for the family day, but I think lunch, Batman (I KNEW he was going to say that!), the NIM (museum), and dinner would be good.  We don't need to do anything special.  I just wanna have family time and treat it like a regular Saturday.  I freakin miss you guys!  And tell Nerm Happy Birthday for me!

I love ya'll!
Lance