USS Essex Navy Moms

I am so happy for you Tina

oh I'd love to see the pictures Kristy!

Well it is official my son proposed and she said yes.  I just pray it doesn't make things harder on them, but she will be a great addition to our family!

Exciting Kristy!!

Kristy - Congratulations to your son and his beautiful bride.

Kristy, congratulations.

kristy-congrats!  beautiful pic!

hope all are doing well.

snowy and cold here in central ohio.  bbbrrrr  sure not as much snow as others in this group.  :)

Hi All!  We had a dusting of snow late last week here in upstate NY.  Very unusual winter!  When I got up this morning the temp was 0...we are now up to 7!  Burrrrr!  We enjoyed the 49ers/saints game last night.  My husband and my boys Josh and DJ are big 49er fans and have waited a long time for their comeback!  Really exciting game (and I'm not a big fan of football)!  Even I was jumping up and down at the end.  It was fun watching my husband text with Josh as he was watching it in Japan and our other son who was in Florida.  He's leaving for a cruise to the Caribbean.  I'm so excited for him!!!  The texts were flying among the three of them!

On my way to visit my Uncle.  He was diagnosed with end stages of cirrhosis early last week.  He is 80 and never knew he had it.  I think the only alcohol he has had in his life is the wine from Church and has always been in good health.  They also found 3 large masses - liver cancer - which I understand is a result of the cirrhosis.  He had his abdomen and lungs drained on Thursday - 4.5 liters.  Then they wanted to discharge him home.  My older sister is a nurse....and I Thank God for that.  She has been by his side in the hospital to oversee his care.  She demanded PT to evaluate him and after a few minutes discharged him to a nursing home.  But last night he took a turn for the worse and back to the hospital.  Now he is having problems with this amonia levels and is very disoriented.  He thinks he is 52 and living in another town.  Breaks our hearts.  So so sad.  I pray he's not in pain. 

Well...take care,

Cathy 

Cathy - Your uncle and your family will be in my prayers.

Cathy, you and your family are in my prayers.  It's hard on the family but it might be easier on him to be in another reality.

I am working and watching football.  I'm not getting a lot done but enough to free up some time during the week to get my errands done.  I need some things done for meetings tomorrow.  TOUCHDOWN, Baltimore.

Thank you all for your prayers.  They were able to get his amonia levels under control for now.  And right now seems to be ok.  He is back in the nursing home and still under the watchful eye of my sisters and me!

Soooo cold here!  It was 0 when I got up this morning.  Calling for icy weather overnight and into the wee hours of the morning...UGH!!!

Good news cathyo. 

I don't miss the Toronto winters.  How cold are you Marianne?

In southern MI we are rain, fog and 40s this AM and will be in the 20s with snow tonight.  Haven't had any of the 0' around here, but my daughter in the Soo has had that and a lot more snow.  Alicia is home right now with a really bad case of pneumonia.

Tina, that must be a really nice feeling knowing he will be only 10 hours away!  Enjoy! 

Sharon, 10 hours seems like a dream come true to me also.

Katie called last night.  It was so good to hear her voice!  She called to see how Alicia was doing after being diagnosed with pneumonia on Sunday (pulse ox 92 - 96 by Tuesday). She is still tired.  The pediatrician I work for said it may take her a month to really feel good again.

Katie thinks that she will hear soon where she will be headed some time after the hull swap.

4 degrees here this am

Sharon - Thank you.  She seems to be improving a little every day.  Think she will be leaving tomorrow afternoon. 

Katie said that Seattle had so much snow the other day they closed the base.

hi all!  hope everyone is doing good.

marianne, hope alicia is doing ok. 

tina, how great that you will be only 10 hrs away from james!  (not a whole day--haha)

Thanks for sharing Tina - it was very nice.

Tina, that was beautiful!

Hope everyone is well and in good health.  3 degrees here but expected to go up to 30.  Then temps will bein the 40s tomorrow!  Crazy winter so far this year and loving it!  DJ our oldest comes home from his cruise today.  Can't wait to hear about his trip!!

...And today....49ers play the NY Giants.  My "boys" will be sitting on the edge of their seats watching this one and cheering on their team the 49ers!!

Enjoy the day,

Cathy

Here's a quilt I made for one of Katie's corpsman friends

wow, marianne, how nice!  they'll love it!

oh, just a little cool thing.  my marine nephew will be in the half time show at the pro bowl in hawaii.  not sure how he is involved, but i'll let ya know if i find out.  not that i'm a big nfl fan, but i think i'll watch the pro bowl half time show...  :)

Marianne, how beautiful.  It reminds me of being a child running around my grandmothers quilting group in the church basement.

RIP Joe Paterno.  My youngest is at Penn State.  Very emotional experience last fall but the entire campus is just 'sad' this weekend.  (son tells me that high school students tipped the van). The media is interviewing everyone and anyone and not getting a story.  My son is 1/80,000 students but I am proud of them all.

Marianne, you are so talented.  The quilt is beautiful! 

Kyann...that's exciting!

Too bad niners lost, but was fun texting with Josh.  For my hubby it was like he was there in the room with him :-)

Happy Monday!

hullswap@lhd2.navy.mil

I see they posted on the FB page if you have questions about the hullswap to send them here.  It would be nice if they would just post the ??s and answers.  I think it is interesting to read what others are asking......often it is something you may not think about...

Marianne, I guess the name of this group will have to change?  How is your daughter doing?  I hope she is feeling better.

Cathyo, I was cheering for Baltimore and San Francisco.  Oh well, they where good games.

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well.

Something I just wanted to run by you all. Jess said that he talked with a career counselor and found out that "IF" he can find someone (in San Diego) in his same rank/job, that he could switch with that person (if they were willing to go to Sasebo and be on the B.D). Yeah, he is still not doing well after being back after leave. I'm not sure if going underway (whenever they go) will snap him out of it or not. Historically with him, though, he has been a little less depressed when he's super busy while underway. He has been so homesick being overseas since the first day he got to Japan over a year ago. He has felt fortunate to travel, but this kid needs to be on American soil (when he is on base, that is - so that it might be at least feasible for people from home to visit him or for him to come home more than 1 time per year).  (please, friends, no "flames" saying that he should have known that before he joined the Navy). He did not know he would feel this way till after it happened.

Wait - where was my question. Oh yeah! They haven't told him how he would go about in a search for someone who would want to "switch".  There should be a "hey, do you want to "switch" message board out there for sailors! LOL.  Have any of you heard of this "switching" ships thing?

Thanks for "listening"  as always.

(ps. beautiful quilt Marianne, you are so talented. I can't finish a "latch hook rug" LOL. Hope Alicia is doing better too!)

Mary

Mary, try posting that question on the Japan site that has at least two people who have served.  It sounds complicated.

Thanks for asking....Alicia is doing better.  She went home to Sault Ste Marie on Saturday.  I'm calling her later after she gets off work (at least she was scheduled to work today).

Sounds like Katie will be on the George HW Bush when she comes to the USA this spring/summer.  Details aren't set.

Wow, Marianne, the biggest, newest ship in the navy.  I am jealous because I can drive there in under 5 hours.  I looked this up 

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=64289  Cool. 

Kim - Thanks for the article.  I hadn't looked into where the ship had been on its first deployment...England, Spain, Italy...nice.

Yes it is about 12 hours' drive from our home to Norfolk, but it is only about 2 hrs by plane.....that is if there is a seat availabe since that's how we fly on Delta with Dave working for them.

thanks everyone

mary, wish i knew more about that stuff, but i'm too new at this stuff to give advise.  although the chaplain sounds good to me.  hope it all works out for jesse--you know i'm praying for him!  :)

my Marine/nephew will be carrying a flag during the 1/2 time show at the pro-bowl--fyi

marianne, i can't wait for hunter to be able to be back on us soil, but i got a long wait for that.  ugh  LOL

have a great evening, all!

Mary - Hope Jesse can figure things out and gets some answers....or at least seeks help if that is what he needs.

Was at GFS (Gordon Food Service) this afternoon and was looking for an ingredient for some cookies I plan to make this weekend for Katie & Co, and mentioned that I was baking for them, found out that one of the ladies has a Marine son on the USS Makin Island.  Really enjoyed that conversation and connection.

ok, i need to vent.  my Marine/nephew posted pics on his fb page that are very troubling to me!  1 is a pic of, i guess it is of Marines aiming guns with the caption underneath "USMC cuz the Army can't fight for sh**" and the other "US AIR FORCE like the military but with nap time and recess."  i responded saying "dislike...thought we were all on the same team...still love you, michael.  (my nephew;s name.  some other person commented on rivalry makes each team member wanting to be better.  i'm sorry, i just think the captions are a slam.  i want to put "so where's the one slamming the Navy???"  

ok, am i being petty?  sorry if i'm blowing this up, but when it comes to ANY branch of the USA's Military, i love them ALL!!!!  and would not say 1 bad thing about the other.

thanks

Good morning all!  Last night I purchased through the on line NEX store the AT&T ship to shore calling card.  Has anyone done this before?  I hope it works and they find their way to Josh.

I don't think you are being petty at all Kyann. I would feel the same way.

After reading your post here Sharon, I checked out the 31st MEU FB page.  Yeah, I was surprised too to see that information. 

Well.......we know what are sailors are going to be doing.

Katie emailed her W-2s yesterday....guess that means I have taxes to do.

Auntie J - is this what you are looking for?

cvathyo - Katie has used the ship to shore cards, but she has purchased them herself.

Sharon, I went to that site and I think some comments have been deleted.  Someone name Celia was being told not to post schedules, yet there is no Celia post.

The Boxer has the Ombudsman monitor N4M, official and non official facebook forums when the ship is deployed.  It has its good and bad points.  The good point is that they have you remove posts that are invalid and stop discussions that might be 'going' in the wrong direction.  Ie. "My son is bummed, no port visit in over a month?"  They did allow the beer day posts.  (the navy has a two beer party when they haven't made port in 45 days).

I wish all your sailors a safe voyage.  I have no idea where they are going (and I shouldn't), but I will be keeping tabs on their adventures.  Post pictures when you are allowed.

Sharon!  If there was a  "thumbs up" to your comment about some of our our young people FB posts, I'd give you a double thumbs!  My husband and I just had this conversation last night.  I too get disturbed from some of the things my son posts.  LOL...keeps me on my knees too!!!! 

HEY!  Check our Essex FB - our Jesse (OK, not ours, but Mary's!) is there in a picture of a fire drill!!!  I was so excited to see a name and face that I knew!

Quick text from Josh last night.  Did anyone else hear about not going or a delay?

Sharon, I always wondered about some of the things that navy.mil posts.  They have posted their port visits while they are there.  Every year they posted a shot of my son and gave his name, rank and hometown.  Makes you wonder?

Delay...

Great pic of Jesse

Katie called last night...spent her lunch hour with me;)