Chicago Mom's

Ladies I have to brag a little about my son he was put in for a metal;

NAM_WRITE_UP_ITSN_COLLINS.doc

Very pretty dog. I hope you daughter has a nice birthday, it is hard when they are away from home. I have missed several of Stephen don't like it, but what can you do. I bet Rylee misses Oreo, they get use to one another that is for sure. My two dogs don't get along, Shawna is 14 and does not like Daisy, Daisy is Stephen's dog that is how we got her and she is going to be 4. Shawna has bitten her twice and she has had to get staples. No fun when they don't get along. Just take care Julie, it will get better.

julie I am sorry tht you have to go thru the loss of you dog. I am dreading even thinking aobut that. We have two also and they are so close to each other and both of my kids I will be a mess also. I would wait until after her birthday to tell her, but she needs to know. Great job Stephen!! :) I have been pricing flights for the holiday leave also...its crazy!! Mine is looking for a car right now. Fly home for hloidays or car??? Hummm we will see what he chooses. LOL Barb glad Tom is coming home. Coco are you still hanging from dinking all those beers?? :)

Way to go Stephen! Julie, I know what you are going through with your dog. We lost our dog Rex over Labor Day weekend and had to tell both our Navy son and our son who is away at college. Both had seen Rex over the summer when my Navy son was home before being assigned to his sub. While Rex wasn't his old spry self when they were home, he was infirmed and really sick so they were happy to have those memories of Rex rather the ones of their dad and I helping him down stairs and then carrying him to the car. My son has also gotten his holiday leave dates and I am scrambling to get him a flight home...expensive but so worth it! I'll go without and sacrifice to get him home for that week...can't wait!!

Stephen is looking into flights to come home for Christmas, last year his leave was turned down. He will be home for two weeks if he can come, very expensive to fly home from Italy. I hope we all get to see our sailors at one of the holidays, that would be the best.

Hi Julie how are you today?

Julie glad you are a little better today, I have been through it before and it is not fun. If you don't have animals you really don't understand. Sorry I will not be there the 20th, I will be leaving for Florida that day to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. I will miss everyone, I did not make it last Friday either, I know it was not as much fun without me. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Such a cutie! I love that kind of dog!

Hey all I saw this link on another N4M group and fought it was cool. Seeing we are all animal lovers I knew you would like this. http://fostermilitarypets.com/

Annie, very cute! That little one can go anywhere! Looks like a Yorkie!

Just stopped in to say hi! Hope everyone is well!

Julie, how are you doing?

Hope everyone is well. Puppy is tooooooo cute!! If I fostered a pet I would'nt be able to give it back. LOL Paula from Hinsdale are you going to the packing party?? Mary you are right you can celebrate when Dan gets home, it doesn't matter what date it is as long as you all are together! :)

I will be at the packing party!!! I shopped untill I dropped so to speak LOL
I so need girl time!!! My husband has been in and out of the hospital for three weeks now. I just had my firt mamo since breast cancer came back all clear then got a call that I might have cervical cancer so I am going in for testing today at Rush then need to get my husband who is being discharged from Rush. Mean while some of you know I have sever chronic pain from Occipital Neuralgia well they recently came up with a surgery like the spinal cord stimulator but for the Occipital nerves which run under your scalp (I think) well they are going full force getting me ready for the surgery for when I get back from seeing my sailor so I hope this cancer scare is minimal so it does not screw up my other surgery!!!

Pray for me, I need it!!! Love you all thanks for listening!!!

GO APPLEBEE'S

All U.S. veterans and active duty personnel with proof of current or former military service will eat free at all Applebee's in their respective neighborhoods on Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11, 2010.

. Proof of service includes the following: U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, photograph in uniform or wearing uniform, DD214, Citation or Commendation.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We will send a follow-up reminder with a press announcement and link to summary video closer to the date.

Please feel free to pass and post the attached flyer around at your discretion.

Again, thank you!

Derek Farley
for Applebee's
derek@dfpr.com
704-926-6580 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 704-926-6580 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

MissMySailor, my prays and thoughts are with you. I hope everything turns out good for you. Keep us updated ok!

That is so cool about Applebee's no Applebee's in Italy. LOL

Hi ladies? Paula how are you doing? How is things going with Holly?

Diana, how is your daughter doing in France? She should be coming home soon right?

MissMySailor-Keep the faith and I am praying and sending good thoughts your way!

It sounds likeLauren, is having an adventure. I know you worry but she will be just fine. So many exciting places she is seeing that is so awesome. I will keep her in my prays. How are you doing?

Have fun at the packing party, let me know how it goes and what you sent.

Ok got half way done,, I will have to read the rest at home my eyes started to tear, so I will finish the rest at home, thanks for posting it Mary!

Oh Paula - I am sending lots of prayers your way.

My life is on overload so I will not be at the packing party on the 23rd but hope you all have lots of fun.

My sailor started FMTB training last week. And right before he started he was given an award for his outstanding service at the clinics he worked at prior to trainig started. He was so proud he actually sent me a photo of the award via text - something my son would not normally do.

Mary - thanks for posting...the story was beautiful.

Mary that was so touching what a woman how increible.... So glad you shared that with us.

Incredible story...thanks for sharing it. I'm going to pass it on.

Hi Everyone, UPDATE on the packing party. There will be a representative of the Governor's here. Also MAYBE press coverage and a Pepsi bottler rep. The PR rep for Pepsi contacted me and is working on it. GO NAVY MOMS!!!!

Coco, way to go to your son, that is wonderful! BRAVO ZULU!!!!!

So cool, N4M should do a lot for all our men and women out there we should get some credit, can't wait to hear how it goes.

Not a Chicago Mom, but have to keep up with your adventures in Illinois!

This is wonderful news Pat L. Keep up the great work!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO, how did everything go????

Hey Carol! Where do you live? Where is your son and what is he? My son is in Italy and is an IT. Love to hear from you.

We had a great time at the packing party. Ran out of boxes at 63. Will finish tomorrow and give you a final count!

I had such a great time and was so glad to meet everyone!!! Navy moms ROCK you all made me feel so welcome and Mary was the only one I knew previously. Excelent job on the party hosteses!

Most of the faces look, familiar! Great job Sorry I could not make it.

Hi Deb. I'm the Mom of a machinist mate/welder/sub volunteer. He currently is out of King's Bay, GA. When he's on deployment, there's no way of knowing where he is-- ha ha!
Been in southern Illinios since I got married almost 30 yrs ago. I'm also on the Illinois N4M page, which is how Pat and I met. (http://www.navyformoms.com/group/illinoisn4m)
I'm usually up in Chicago once a year for Pampered Chef conference--in 2011 it will be July 7-9. So, if someone wants to keep me an extra day, let's see what works and I'd just need someone to find me in downtown Chicago, kidnap me for a day, and then get me back to the train station--lol!
My small town is down by St. Louis (just 20 minutes from the Arch.)

Congratulation Pat and Sally - what a great event! You all should be so proud!

Mary - FMTB is Field Medical Training Battalion and is the training you go through as a corpseman to serve with the Marines. He will be the first point of medical contact for marines injured in battle. And I am really really really struggling with that fact.

NOW HEAR THIS!!! Final box count is 86!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Ladies, I was looking for some help. My son and second sailor has his PIR on 11/24. We are looking for a place to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner for the 4 of us. If you have any suggestions I would really appreciate your help. Thanks.

Hi, JM-Smamx3, Did you do a search in groups here on N4M to see what other families who's children are graduating? Also here is a link to an adopt a sailor program for thanksgiving many families would take in a family I am sure here is the link http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=50370

I know of a GREAT place to go always a killer Thanksgiving feast and not too far from the base here is the link to that http://johnnyskitchen.com/

My husband used to live up that way so he knows some good places. We live 30 minutes from Johnny's but drive there in a heartbeat the food is so good.

I hope this helps and please contact me anytime for more info. Take care, Paula

WOW MissMySailor those are great suggestions. ALso there are TONS of places to eat around Great Lakes. That is too bad that the base does not provide a dinner, LOL I just heard myself they don't even feed my son in Italy. LOL

Way to go on the boxes, what great job, ladies you did a great job!!!!

What do they get in the box? Anyone can do this? I can send one to my son?

Thanks I am going to check it out!

Hi, I did fill out the information for Stephen but it did say only for military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hi I signed Stephen up and I was told no, they do not ship to Italy. They told me that he can go out and buy what he needs the other sailors cannot in Irak and Afghanistan. The lady was very nice I got an e-mail from her, she told me to sign up again if he every get deploit.

I kind of felt I was talking to the people at work telling me oh Italy is not that bad why do you miss him and worry. LOL But I do understand the sandbox is no place I would want my son.

Is everyone sleeping???? Hope everyone is ok!

Ok Julie, glad to hear it. Have you heard from your sailor?

I'm here! Not much to say this week except the sandbox is where my son will be going and I thought I was okay with it but I am really not...and I cry big tears every time I hear about someone's child being killed over there now and I never did before...but I guess I better get used to it cause its what he wants to do and he is enjoying training...sigh...and he is really good at what he does. God has a plan for him and I need to get past my tears.

Other than that I'm good.

I have good news. I went to the GYN today for my biopsy. He said he got all the Cancer out at the area that showed up during the colposcopy. There are precancerous cells left but he says they just watch them and I will have paps and ultrasounds every 3 months for a while to keep an eye on it but I am so happy feel like a ton of bricks are off my shoulders.

Coco you are in my thoughts! I recently met a mother of an Army Ranger she was smiling and so proud when she spoke of him. I looked at her in amazement and asked why she is not freaked out. She said it is in God's hands and she has to have faith in her son's training and the training of the men around him. Well with that said I would be like you and worry. I know it is hard but when a death of a military person comes on the news try and change the channel. It is not being disrespectful it is keeping your sanity. I will watch for you and say a prayer for them from the both of us! Hugs Paula

YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Paula2, I am so glad for you, I know that good news made your day, God was watching over you.

Coco I could not even think of my son going there, but I feel the same way he is in Gods hand and in my heart I do know that God does not want us to lose our chidren that way, they are all going to go from old age. I will keep your son in my prays and thoughts. We are here for you so if you need us just post HELP!!! We are with you and we love you so try to think positive.

Great news Paula2...I'll continue to keep you in my prayers. Coco, it won't be easy but you have a great support system here and so many prayers and good thoughts coming to you and your son. Sharing your feelings is important and finding a group that understands is paramount. Keep the faith!