USS Essex Navy Moms

YAY!!!!!  got a wake up call this morning from hunter!  pretty sure they are on their way "home."  he said the phone cards i put in the package wouldn't work.  :(  i bought them at kroger and they say international.  phooey!  maybe they'll work off ship??? 

anyway, think i'll be taking a nap later...haha  it wasn't all that early, my hubby was up and getting ready for work, but i still had about 2 more hours to sleep.... but i'll take those calls ANYTIME!!!!

have a great day, all!

♥ A Sailors Christmas♥

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived in a crowd,

In a 40 man berthing, with shipmates so loud.

 I had come down the exhaust stack with presents to give,

And to see just who in this rack did live.

I looked all about, and a strange sight I did see,

No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, just boots close at hand,

On the bulkhead hung pictures ...of far distant lands.

He had medals and badges and awards of all kind,

And a sobering thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, it was so dark and dreary,

I had found the home of a Sailor, this I could see clearly.

The Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,

Curled up in his rack, dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle,

the berthing in such good order,

But not how I pictured a United States Sailor.

Was this the hero whom I saw on TV?

Defending his country so we all could be free?

I realized the families that I've seen this night,

Owed their lives to these Sailors who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,

And grownups would celebrate a new Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,

Because of the Sailors, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help but wonder how many lay alone,

On a cold Christmas Eve, on a sea far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,

I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The sailor awakened and I heard a rough voice,

"Santa, don't cry, for this life is my choice."

"Defend the seas this day, the peace do I keep."

The sailor then rolled over and drifted to sleep,

I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours so silent, so still,

 And we both shivered from the night's cold chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark night,

This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the Sailor rolled over and with a voice soft and pure,

Whispered, "Carry on Santa, it's Christmas..All is Secure"

Rats!! I missed a phone call from Chuck this morning at 8:30!  I HATE not being able to carry my cell phone while I work. Anyway, he said they had a karioki contest on ship, and he and two of his best buddies won!! They sang "Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, from  the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou", a favorite of Chuck's. He said to check the Essex FB in case they captured a vidio. Non there yet. If anybody's son/daughter has pics, please ask them and see if they can be posted here. I would LOVE to see him! And there will be a "cookie reward" on the line to he/she who supplies the photo!.  :-)

Man!  I wish my sailor would call.  I hope Thomas was one of Chucks buddies that did this with him and I hope they post a video also.  Great idea with the "cookie reward"!  I need to call you and let you fill me in on whats up lately with the boys.

And I love the Sailor Christmas posted below, thank you for sharing!

Found that Christmas poem floating around on facebook. Someone sent it to Jesse and he said he posted it on the shop door. So excited to see him, one week from Friday on Dec. 16th!!!!!  Haven't seen him for a year, and 10 days isn't long enough, but I'll take it! Talked to him Monday about 11pm Cleveland time (I could hear a lot of them all on the phone talking to people), and he sounded good. He has been working hard (getting about 4 hours a sleep per day), but he is really getting good at his job and sounds more confident about his work. so damn proud of that kid!    When I was on the phone with Jes, I heard cathyo's son, "Ox" say, "hey, is that your mom? tell her I said hi" LOL

hi Mary - I can't read that poem without crying.  It's beautiful though.  WOOOHOOOO and let the countdown begin!  You must be on cloud 9!!! Excited for you!!  HA...that's funny you heard Josh!!  I haven't heard from him yet :-(

Mary - I was thinking that you should be having a countdown.  So glad that you will be seeing Jesse soon.

Here RPT is coming up before those start going on leave. 

Katie said she would CALL this weekend between duty on Friday, Satturday  dinner with a few friends for a going away and then later with a group of my guy friends to go celebrate!!!

I received the news from the ombudsman about the Essex homecoming.

Congrats to Katie and Hans.  Jonathan transferred to another LHD so he didn't need to redo the ESWS.  I learned the ESWS is a big deal on their resume if they leave the navy.  Also, it is the biggest piece of bling on their uniform.  LOL.  He is now working on the air surface warfare.  I have no idea what it is. 

Happy birthday to the December birthdays and welcome home USS Essex.

EAWS study guide for the Navy Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist program.

One of Katie's corpsman friends told her she should go for that next - that it was easier, at least that is what she thought.

Paper work coming along for Kayo?

what is RPT?

Got a text last night when they were still out to sea that said "almost back."  Then saw the email from the ombudsman.

...and chatted this morning.  He's happy to be back "home" in Sasebo.

My email

subject: ;)

It feels great!

navy-prt.com/navyprtcalculator.html

Guess it was PRT

a week from tomorrow!  and I'm off work the whole time Jesse is home!! talked to him today for an hour before he had to go on duty or watch or whatever. (I always mix those up LOL). It was like 2:30 am his time.  Countdown is funny since he has 1 less day to come home than I have to wait (time change is so weird!). Hope you are all enjoying the holidays!  I posted some pics of Jesse's room all torn apart, we are remodeling his room, and is in the basement. Putting in a new shower in there and re-doing the bathroom. I hope we get it done before he comes home!  I saw a few Essex homecoming pics on FB, really cool. Jesse wasn't maning the rails this time. He said he was glad because it was cold out!  He was busy with the cht hookup to the barge. Yeah, Jesse THAT sounds better than manning the rails (NOT!). lol

Katie in Manilla

Mary - Excited for you too that you'll be seeing your son soon!!

Love the picture.

Wow, they made new ports this time.

I love the Santa video.  I made one already.

Kayo's interview is in Tokyo December 19th.  She is flying there 3 days ahead to do her doctor appointment.  We booked her flight for December 27th.  I hope she has her visa in hand by then.  Say a prayer please.

I forgot to add congrats to all moms seeing their sailors soon.

The flight on the 27th is to San Diego.  Jonathan has booked vacation and they hope to have a honeymoon.

Saying a prayer that Jonathan and Kayo will finally be together!!!!! in the USA!!!

great pic, marianne!  can't wait to hear more from hunter.  so, that video thing is for real?  i might have to try it, sounds neat!  thanks for sharing, all!

Tina, that is very nice of you to say.

great picture of Katie!

Thanks, Tina, for sharing the Santa video email.  Love it!

Tina - Katie says 'Thank You' for your compliment.

Sounds really exciting for Hans!

Sounds great Kim.  I'm sure Hans will have a wonderful time in Australia.  Sure to have plenty of picturs and stores to share.

Spent the evening talking with Katie.  Thomas answered the phone around 7:30 p and talked with her for a while first.  Katie was doing her laundry, picked up something to eat, said 'hi' to some of her friends, had to swtich phone cards, finally said goodbye a little before 11!  Her last phone card and 1 min left and her phone was about out of power.

Found out some of the sailors call me 'Momma Krueger' because I adopt the orphans who don't get cookies baked for them (and those who just help eat my cookies).  Katie said her chief is always looking for her to get a package.

Whenver her birthday package arrives, it has 5-6 #s of fudge from Fudge du Lockes (my oven went out on Thanksgiving).  The Christmas package didn't have any room for homebaked goods. Some sailors are going to be disappointed;(

Katie was alldressed up and no place to go!  She said she went up to 'man the rails' and they were full.  You know how they uniformly are spaced apart.

ok, i think i did it.  might be rather large, but hunter is standing in the back, 2nd on left.  love to see his face.  not really sure what port this is as the date says november. 

Kyann - Looks like Hunter and his friends were having a good time.  Think they would have been in Bali at that time.

Love your pictures Kyann and Marianne!

My son just boarded the USS Essex about a month and half ago now. I am amazed at all he's seen in the short time he's been onboard! He's brand new to the Navy so this is his first Christmas away from home. :(  I know he'll be ok with his new "family" but it's just not the same for us here.

LoL... yeah I hope that's a good thing too! My son does manage to call me at least once a week or so, even while underway, so that helps alot. What is WOG ceremony? :/

Ok, I'll look it up now. No no.. you didn't scare me! LoL.. thanks for the info!

Ohh ok..I know what it is now. Yeah it's tamed down ALOT. My brother is retired Navy and I don't even want to repeat all the gross stuff they used to make them do years ago!

Welcome USNavyMom

Tina - How wonderful!  I'll check out the letters on your FB.

Katie's 6th grade teacher has sent her a package each year with cards/notes from the class and then some goodies.  Katie in return has sent them candy and such from Japan.

Donald is now on the ship.  Had indoc yesterday, so I have an address now.  He called the other night, but FACEBOOK seems to be his favorite communication source right now.  When do they do the WOG?

WOG ceremony is for when they are crossing the equator.

Pictures of Christmas time in Sasebo from my son's FB.  Looks like he is having fun...

Welcome USNavyMom!  What's your son's job on the ship?  Josh is DC - damage controlman.  He's been on the Essex since mid May 2011. 

Sorry my pics are so big.  Not sure how to make them smaller :-)

Thanks for sharing your pics Cathy!