Comment

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on October 4, 2008 at 7:56pm

Heard from Andy again today in Qatar as he changed planes for Kabul. When he gets back in December, he'll be in Norfolk for a few months for instruction, then he goes to Great Lakes for 3 years as an instructor! So even if he's not home for Christmas, we can handle it, knowing that for at least that long, we'll be seeing him a couple times a month at least.

His little girls are 3 1/2 and 6 1/2. They come to our house two weekends a month now. There should be a group for Navy divorce and child custody! But with a lot of prayers and tears, things have calmed down at least for now. They've been divorced for two years, but was difficult until recently. Might be because she has a one year old and a new baby, too.

I feel for the sailors who don't have someone to advocate for them during divorce even though I feel I got the divorce!

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on October 3, 2008 at 9:18pm

My sailor left Thursday after two wonderful weeks of leave with us. He's in Kuwait awaiting a flight back to Afghanistan. It was the best time ever! His little girls are with us this weekend and everything brings up questions about Daddy. They understand he's fighting bad guys, so they seem to understand why he's not here now. He's the best--he left sheets he's used there and told me to put them on the girls' beds so they'll know he's close to them.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 28, 2008 at 7:07pm

Andy says sailors should be able to get time off for Christmas because instructors want time off, too. They have to pay for their own ticket home though. You can try priceline or calling an airline to see if there's a special military discount. Things change so often and are different with each airline. Try seeing what it will cost into DM, CR, and Moline, but Chicago will be the cheapest.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 27, 2008 at 2:00pm

I am loving every minute my son is home! I am starting to realize that he's seen far more than I thought. He's always led me to believe that he was in safe places, but he's just protecting me, I think. He has to go back next week. I can't wait for December when he'll be back in the States!

Yesterday we spent the day in Grinnell visiting my parents. We had such a good time and celebrated his birthday which is really today. His dad and he went out last night; today I told him he can do anything he wants to do.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 25, 2008 at 10:31am

Cherie, I've been to both San Diego and Little Creek. I love both! Where ever Jake ends up, go visit! Both places have Navy Lodges, but the one at Little Creek is really, really nice. No pool because you're on a base with access to one, but it's a short walk to the NEX. You can't shop without him, but you can use the food court. The Navy Lodge there has a kitchette, too, and the coffee is always on in the lobby. We were there in March 06 and decorated our window with shamrock lights. The staff loved it. And it costs $65 a night. There might be cheaper hotels in the area, but you won't find a nicer, cleaner, safer place. The NL in San Diego is nice, but not quite as nice. Actually, we went on priceline and got a Holiday Inn for part of our stay for $45 a night! I got to know Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Little Creek pretty well--went five times when Andy was stationed there. I'll be going out in Feb. probably to help him move all his stuff to Great Lakes. I'm looking forward to going there. Oh, at Little Creek, be sure to go to their beach and if anyone golfs, you can use the driving range and course for very little.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 22, 2008 at 12:51pm

I visited Great Lakes this weekend and actually got to go shopping at the NEX. To do that, you have to have your sailor with you for his ID and bring cash to cover what you want. I got a new Navy mom car sticker, thermo cup, and the girls got little sailor hats and teddy bears. In case you ever need a hotel, the Residence Inn at Lake Forest is really nice. Andy got a suite (regular $189) for $79 a night; the regular room rate for AAA is $90. There's little difference in the two rooms except that the suite has a wall and door separating the bedroom from living room area with a sofa bed. There's a full kitchen with both, but a huge full breakfast every morning. The little girls turned into Ariels with hours in the pool.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 19, 2008 at 2:48pm

Thanks! I've got the van packed up to head to Great Lakes late this afternoon. Since he's there taking care of some business, we decided to make a weekend of it. He'll spend time with his girls, and granny gets to go shopping or whatever I want to do! He will even take me to the NEX and let me shop.

By the way, if anyone wants to walk in the Veterans Day parade in Davenport on November 11 (line up at 9am downtown), I have a supply of Navy sweatshirts to borrow. I've got a contact in Norfolk, a Navy vet originally from Moline, who sends me sweatshirts. She's great!

We can also walk in the Festival of Trees parade on Nov. 22; decorate stockings 10/12; pack stockings 11/09; cookie exchange 12/14 (The Marine moms and Navy moms exchange cookies, but also make up plates for all the military offices and recruiters locally.)

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 19, 2008 at 9:21am

He hasn't done the schooling yet. He has to go back to Afghanistan till the end of the year, then Norfolk for school for a month, I think, before going to Great Lakes for three years. He wanted to be stationed at GL, so his detailer found him the job, I think is the way it happened. He's been doing instructing in Afg., but it was more about being at GL than the job though he will love it. He wants to be closer to his little girls.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 18, 2008 at 9:16pm

My son, home on leave from Afghanistan, went to GL today to be fitted for the new uniforms. He doesn't like them either. He says no one does except the chiefs, I guess. He'll have to wear them soon when he becomes an instructor. I'm including a picture from his homecoming on Tuesday.

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on September 15, 2008 at 12:30pm

He's a gunners mate over there, working with the Army. The Christmas stockings are homemade, big stockings decorated at a meeting. Several of the moms sew all of them first. Then at another meeting, we'll stuff all of them with goodies and toiletries and pack them in boxes for each person overseas we have an address for.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• Next ›
• Page