# 12 Dear Papa Bear October 9, 2007

It's just 6 more days before my "littlest" and last child gets married. It is a bitter-sweet time to think that we have raised our 5 children and now they will all be married. We are very excited to be together as a family to celebrate Dustin and Ashley as they get married on Friday, May 23rd ....

Tonight's post includes a picture from the shower her sister and sister-in-law planned and threw for Ashley a few weeks ago ....

And tonight's post concludes with the 2nd to the last letter she sent to her dad from boot camp in 2007, a little less then 7 years ago. 

Hence the post title: 

Dear Papa Bear ....

Well, it's Tuesday night and I had some extra time so I thought I would write to you! I had such a good time talking with you the past couple days. I really hope it happens again soon. :-) Anyway, today we worked on more detainee operations. Today was pressure points and restraints. I learned like 20 different places to cause pain and how to move an unruly detainee. It was a lot of fun. Tomorrow is the last day of classroom stuff so I think we'll have our practical exercise on Thursday. I'm gonna be so happy to get out of the classroom finally! I've decided to go on a diet for the rest of my time here. I would still really like to lose weight so I'm gonna try my hardest. So when did you start training at Balance with Lisa? I think that's great. Have you lost weight because of it? I'm sure that You are still going to be golfing for a couple weeks so that's a good source of exercise. I've decided that the last couple nights here have been amazing because I haven't had fireguard. This is the 4th night in a row that I haven't had it and that is a first. I mostly hate it because everybody is supposed to clean, but there's only a handful of us that actually do clean. Shifts are an hour and a half so you get really tired by the end of your shift. Well, I'm still counting down the days and soon enough I will be counting down the hours! Trust me it will definitely be one of the best days of my life I know that for sure. I have to get to bed now, but maybe I'll get my cell phone tomorrow night so I can call you! I love you and I miss you with all of my heart. I can't wait for that Big bear hug!! 36 days!!! 

Ashley Pederson (#5)