PIR 11/25/09

[Heidi - Eric's Wife DIV 007]

Anyone else? Would love to talk with you! My husband is ship 07 div 007. how awesome would it be to meet a mom/wife/girlfriend/fiance to share this stressful, lonely, and exciting experience with?

[McGill]

My son Lonnie is ship 07 Div 010. We're from Stuart, Fl. and he went in 10/1. We are really looking forward to PIR. I'm trying to make airline reservations early due to Thanksgiving the next day. I am so glad we are going to eat Thanksgiving dinner with him. Where are you from? Lonnie's Mom

[andyo523]

Hello,
My son Reese is also on ship 7 div 010. Glad to meet you...We have received the box, but not the graduation letter. Have you gotten yours in the mail yet?

Others on the site that are graduating on 11-25 seem to have enough info to book rooms and such, but I am a little hesitant to move on reservations. Do you know how the liberty will work? Will the sailors be available over the entireve thanksgiving weekend? So many questions.
:)

[Heidi - Eric's Wife DIV 007]

For liberty they will get 4 days after graduation, so yes, the whole weekend. they have to be back at night though (as far as I know.)

The reason I made reservations immediately is because hotels are very good with changing dates for you, and I'm driving. If I were flying I'd be more hesitant. If you do fly, make sure to buy refundable tickets, just in case! Unfortunately in the military nothing is set in stone until it happens, that's why everyone will advise you to buy refundable tickets.

[McGill]

We have not received the grad info yet, but he called a few days ago. He did say he will have 4 days leave after. WOW.

[McGill]

Andy523, Bo, Lonnie and Reese all called us at the same time last night. Did you hear them laughing about that? Our young men sound like they are actually having a good time.We hope to meet you at PIR.

[JB's Mom Cori]

That's awesome that these guys have gotten over the homesickness stage and are bonding as a group! Guess the Navy knows what they are doing, huh? I'm glad you got phone calls. Bet it was a wonderful surprise!! Keeping my fingers crossed that maybe on Saturday my sons division will get phone calls. *fngers crossed*

[Niki'sMomKaren]

Hi Erics Wife My daughter went in 10/5/09. She is ship 07 div 012. She too is to graduate on 11/25/09. I have been looking into airfares and hotels. Travelocity seems to have some good deals. My oldest daughter who is going to be coming with me is going to do a little more checking into it tonight or tomorrow. This will be the best Thanksgiving I can ever remember. Where are you going to be coming in from. We are coming from Tennessee.

[Buttercup (Ship03, DIV044)]

Hi Niki'sMom Karen. My daughter also left on 10/5...but have no info about her ship or her grad date. How did you learn of her PIR date and would you know how long their liberty might be? In other words how long can we stay...Don't know what to do about airline reservations. Thanks.

[Heidi - Eric's Wife DIV 007]

Hey Suzanne: You will get a "form" letter very soon. I got mine exactly one week after he'd left. Look in the mail for it soon. If you live farther away it might take longer for it to come. It will be a 2 page typed letter giving you information about what you can/can't send, what to expect, etc., and the back of the 1st page will have her ship, div, and address on it for you. Their liberty is going to be 4 days because of the holiday, but they have to be back in at night. They must be in their ship by 2100 I think. It may be 2200, I don't remember. Also on the back of back of the 2nd page she'll have written 2 lines of "details." Basically, "I love you, miss you, don't send food." Mine said, "I love you so much. I might not get to write as often as often as I want and be sure to not send any food. No picture that's too revealing either, make it a nice one ;-). P.S. Give the other copy to my dad." It's basically almost word for word on everyone's except maybe a term of endearment here or a cute comment there, but nothing too detailed on the form.

Mcgill & Karen: I am coming from Michigan - a 6 hour drive. My mom lives in Milwaukee though which is very convenient and since my husband and I lived there for a bit we know the downtown chicago thru milwaukee area pretty well, luckily. I obviously am not flying, I'm driving, but I made hotel reservations at hotel 6 last night. It was only 47.99 a night for a king sized bed room. I am staying there 4 nights. The night of the 24th when I arrive, checking out the 27th and staying the other 2 nights with my mom because it is only a half hour drive. The grads can go up to 50 miles away and milwaukee is 49 so I was very lucky! They have excellent rates, obviously, and give you a discount if you check in on a weekday and mention you're going to your daughter's graduation. it's 4 miles away (in waukegan) and the have a shuttle to the ceremony. Although I will probably just meet my mom at my hotel and we'll ride together w/ my in-laws.

Lucky for us, I can bring him to my mom's for thanksgiving, so that is very handy to have her live so close!

If you are looking for deals, try checking out kayak.com That is usually where I make reservations through. Also if you are renting a car, it is sometimes cheaper to fly into Milwaukee (MKE) and it's only a 30 minutes drive (90 from downtown chicago.) Great lakes is smack dab in the middle of the two. If you have any questions about the area, i'm pretty familiar with it, and I can try to help answer them!

[Niki'sMomKaren]

Heidi this is very helpful. We were thinking about coming in to Chicago but definetely (i can't ever spell that word) will rethink this. I will check out Kaya today too. You are so very fortunate to be able to bring him home for a Thanksgiving meal....I am sure he is going to be thrilled. I am sure I will have many more questions. Thanks Heidi...have a good day.

[Heidi - Eric's Wife DIV 007]

Yes, I am very lucky to have my mom so close. Haha, I haven't told him yet. I'm not sure if I want to tell him yet what she's making because it will definitely make him miss our cooking! (I also very fortunately inherited her cooking skills.) So the day of I'll pick him up and bring him to my mom's... We're making stuffed chicken, cheesy mashed potatoes, corn, cauliflower, biscuits, home made chicken gravy, and my mom and I are making home made peanut butter cookies the night before for dessert, along with home made pumpkin pie... everythings home made with us! It is so much work, but I have no doubt he will greatly appreciate it after eating bc food for 8 weeks... I am actually glad he decided to join the navy over the marines because I wouldn't be able to give him a good tgiving dinner if he was in san diego!

If you are all coming in the night of the 24th, we should get together and meet and have dinner or something! Let me know if you're interested!

[JB's Mom Cori]

Eric's Proud Wife.....does that menu come with directions to your mom's house? You have MY mouth watering and I'm NOT on a military boot camp diet!!! lolol Can't wait to meet everyone in Great Lakes!!!