Send letters - ASAP!!

Ok, so its been three weeks since my brother has been gone in the Navy doing Boot Camp. And I think its safe to say he sounds home-sick! We just got our second and third letters from him today - both were two pages about needing more letters, and the time and way they get their mail - and that mail is the only thing they all look forward to. SO, if you would like to send mail here is his address - mind you, I think he's just looking for ANYTHING, even if its what you had for lunch - tell him about it!! He may not have the time or chance to write you all back always, but please know that him receiving these letters is what is keeping him going - he NEEDS them!!
SR, Thomsen, Michael
Ship 13/Division 284

Recruit Training Command
3420 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL, 60088
But please do not send any food, just letters/cards

His first letter was interesting, he said that he got 5 shots, 3 of which were done needless - compressed air gun shooting the stuff into your arm - he also said they hurt WAY more too. And that right after those he was asked a question and got it wrong and had to do push ups, and blood was streaming out of those 3 holes. He also said he kept track and was up for 53 hours from when he was first picked up from the hotel to when they were allowed to go to sleep, and so his ID pic. looks like he's a meth-head...nice. And if they close their eyes longer than it takes to blink then they do push-ups. I had a weird dream that he was home and that his body looked still the same, but he had these crazy big arms...strange. There was more in his letter, like he missed everyone - wants EVERYONE to write, and that he misses his girlfriend Krysta "real bad".

They are only given their mail on Sundays for some reason, so write - and write often! He said everyone else is getting a ton of mail. My kids are sitting at the counter writing him a letter, both just showed me them, and they both said that 4th of July will not be fun with him not here... maybe we should work on happy things to write to Uncle Michael about :)

Oh, we also just found out that his graduation is Aug. 8th. Mom, Sadie, Krysta and I will be going to Chicago on the 7th and will come back either th 10th or 11th. We're not sure yet how much time we'll have with him. He said in the letter today that we will be receiving a graduation packet soon with more info.