And the BEAST is slain

THEY DID IT!  The Class of 2021 has completed the BEAST.  Now all they have to do is their 12 mile march back tomorrow.

yep, you read it right.  12 miles.

And Hallie is SO BUMMED she can't be there.  Yep, you read that right, too.  Thoroughly, completely bummed.  She is REALLY going to be bummed when I tell her that her company won the competitions, and have the honor of leading the entire class back tomorrow in the march back.  COMPANY D is where it is at!  (Dang that dangling participle).

Every year, each class comes up with a motto they carry through their 4 years.  This year, the class voted and here is their motto.

Man, I just love that.  So many meanings to so many people in that one statement.  Powerful.

So since my last blog, a few things have happened.

- Hallie received her boodle box from me and one from her dad.  Her needs for blankets (me) and junk food (dad) have been met.
- She got a boot to walk in, and lost the crutches.  She is feeling much better about it, and told me today that the foot felt fine, no pain at all.  (we shall see)  MRI is Tuesday.

She is loving volleyball (as I knew) but is anxious to get her squad back from Buckner. (where they have been for the last 2 weeks of beast).  As happy as she was to be in "out of the woods", she definitely suffered from FOMO the last week.  For those of you that don't know what that is  (Fear Of Missing Out).

She calls her friends from Oklahoma her Okla"homies" and adores spending time with them when she can.  She is anxious to get to her barracks (equivalent of a dorm room) and get a drawer, and a closet and quit living out of her pack.  She gets her phone TOMORROW and look out, she won't sleep a wink Monday night for being on the phone all night.

Kip and I are heading for New York on Thursday of this week to go see Hallie march out on "A" day (acceptance day) and turn from a "New Cadet Candidate" to a "Plebe" or "Cadet".   When you send mail from after August 19, drop the New off her name and just send to

Cadet Hallie L Hembree

PO Box 1732

West Point, NY 10997-1732

She is allowed "Boodle" now.  Basically that means, send her a box of yummy stuff.  She likes everything chocolate and nothing peanut butter or peanuts  ( I KNOW, who's kid is she?).  You might wait a couple of weeks, then pace yourselves.  :) 

So next blog will be either after New York, or after we find out what is up with her foot.  She is convinced it isn't a stress fracture, she was jumping in her volleyball shoes with her steel plate in it to keep the weight of her body off her toe, and she think she just strained some ligaments.  Kid is determined to play volleyball this season, and so far all she has proven to me is nothing stands in her way, when she makes her mind up.

An upperclassman stopped her yesterday, as she was walking after volleyball, and said something like, "New Cadet Hembree, you impressed all of us with your fortitude during beast.  Very commendable".   

Duh, kid's a bada$$.  

FOUR DAYS, people.  I don't know if I'm more excited to see Kip or see Hallie.  I think it's a toss up.

They did it!  The Class of 2021 done kicked some beast's butt.  

And all the parents of those cadets, said A M E N.