6:36

I am vastly opposed to taking my cell phone to church. Sure it would keep them more quiet but I don't let my boys play games on it. I hate it when Ace checks scores in between meetings. I don't even like to read my scriptures on my phone and choose rather to take my actual scriptures with me even though they are bigger and heavier. But I made an exception on Sunday.

I was supposed to hear from Ace. I not only took my cell phone to church but I had it either sitting next to me or on my lap the entire time. I did think to put my phone on vibrate, thank goodness, but I was still distracted by it. I kept checking to see if I had a missed call. How do you miss a call when you are practically sitting on top of your phone? When I had to take Romeo out because he was being too noisy, I took my phone with me. When I had to escort Mac to the bathroom, I took my phone with me.

We made it through Sacrament meeting without a phone call. I dropped the boys off at their classes and went to mine. Again, I was glued to my phone. My friends knew I was supposed to be hearing from Ace so they would ask if I had talked to him yet. I would tell them that I hadn't and point to my phone so they knew why I was sprinting for the door if my phone should start buzzing.

Relief Society started and still no phone call. I sat in my seat rather impatiently and strained to hear the slightest sound coming from my phone. No luck. Finally about half way through our lesson my phone started vibrating. I grabbed it and bolted. I was confused why the number was a 435 area code since Ace said he would be using a calling card but I didn't care too much. I was going to talk to Ace.

Wrong. Out in the hall I answered my phone and was startled to hear a feminine voice. The girl on the other end of the line called as a favor to Ace. For some reason he wasn't able to call but she was able to talk to her fiance who had reported to boot camp with Ace. She passed along the message that we would not be hearing from Ace on Sunday as we originally thought but that on Tuesday processing would be over and he would officially begin boot camp and be able to call me. I wondered why her fiance was able to talk to her and I wasn't able to talk to Ace. Doesn't husband and father of three children trump fiance? Oh well. There wasn't anything I could do about it.

I promptly started crying. I was devastated that I couldn't talk to my husband. The last time I had heard his voice was Monday. I have never gone that long without talking to Ace. I never want to go that long again. I had even called Ace's cell phone one day during the week, knowing it would be off, to hear his voice mail message. Unfortunately for me it's a new cell phone and Ace didn't record a message before turning in his phone. I'm sure it wasn't a major concern of his (especially since he hates receiving voice mails) so I was disappointed but not surprised to be greeted by an automated voice telling me that Ace wasn't available.

I trudged along Monday and made it through the day. I could hardly wait to go to sleep that night because the sooner I went to sleep the sooner it would be Tuesday and I would get to talk to Ace. I went everywhere with my phone on Tuesday. If I left it in a room for even a few seconds I would run to go pick it up and have it by my side. I have never been so attached to a cell phone before. I had no idea when he was planning on calling and I wasn't going to miss it.

My phone rang during the morning and I hurried to answer it. It was my doctor's office confirming my appointment. Who cares? A few hours went by and my phone finally rang again. I answered as promptly as I could and it was an insurance adjuster calling about getting my windshield fixed. Really? Now? Not exactly who I wanted to be talking to.

I really didn't know if Ace would call. What if he just thought he would be able to call but he really couldn't? He wouldn't tell me he could call unless he had been informed of that himself, would he? Could he have been promised he would get a phone call and then have that rescinded? I had started to lose hope that he would be calling. As desperately as I wanted to talk to Ace and hear his voice I wanted him to know that we were okay, things were getting better, and we were being taken care of.

After staying in all day and waiting by my phone (Do you know that you can't will a phone to ring? If it was possible I would have done it.) we finally decided to get out of the house and run some errands. As I was getting my shoes my phone rang. I couldn't help myself and I got excited thinking and hoping it was Ace. Finally!

I have never been so excited to get a phone call. Ace casually greeted me as if he was just calling to tell me what time he'd be home for dinner. He told me that everything was going well and that he was fine. He sounded surprisingly upbeat. I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. That's Ace.

He told me that he finally made it to basic and that he was fine. He has two LDS members in his platoon. I was grateful to hear that. It's always nice to be around people with your same standards, especially in what I can only imagine is such a harsh and at times degrading environment.

Ace has been able to read almost all of 1 Nephi. While standing in line this last week they were allowed to read either spiritual or military material. Ace chose to read his Book of Mormon and always has it in his pocket with him.

Now that Ace is officially at basic he can write me a letter with his address. I'm so relieved! As hard as it has been for me to be without my husband, he has been without any of his family. Yes, my boys drive me crazy sometimes. Yes, they're hard to deal with. But they are sweet and loving and it's a great comfort to be with my children now. So now we can finally send him some letters and packages and let him know just how much we're thinking of him. I don't know how much time Ace will have for letter writing but I plan on spoiling him with mail.

The phone call only lasted 6 minutes, 36 seconds. I wish it could have been so much longer. While we were talking I heard someone yell in the background and hoped that wasn't the end of the conversation but it was.

As I walked down the stairs to my boys Romeo asked me why I was crying. I told him that I had just talked to Daddy and that I missed him. He asked, "You okay?" and I could honestly say that I was. 6:36. It was such a short time but it was so refreshing. I felt so supported from just hearing Ace's voice and being able to tell him that I loved him and to hear him say those same words to me. After the phone call I felt so much happier. This is still going to be extremely hard and demanding on me and my little family but we can make it through this.

Four more days and I get to talk to Ace again. Looks like I'll be taking my cell phone to church for a while.