NUKE moms

B'sNukeMom - I am so excited for you!! We took a quick weekend trip to see our older grandchildren who are all turning another year older. Our sailor baby is still in the NICU. We just have to look at pictures for now. 

Gigi - Great advice on the packages. 

Lolli and Pops!! I love that too :)

Chipmunk- I didn’t know about your baby sailor in NiCU, as we DM back and forth, hope she will be home very soon. And Birthday Blessings to your other grandbaby 

Thank you so much for the package advice, Gigi and Chipmunk!

This is the best group of women EVER!  

Happy Monday!

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We had our Sailor home for Thanksgiving, and he will be able to be home for Christmas. He is in the process of doing a PCS back out to Bangor, WA.

He sang with us in the choir on Sunday, which he used to do before he joined the Navy. We almost drafted him to fill in on handbells (a ringer ringer). It was so nice to sing with him again. I keep telling him to find a choir to join, because I have never heard of a choir that wouldn't welcome a Tenor who can sight-read.

WLH - sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy Wednesday!

WearsLargeHats - What a wonderful time to have your sailor home during the Thanksgiving holiday. I am sure it warmed your heart to have him singing in the choir. I love to hear my husband and kids sign - they were blessed with beautiful voices. I just make a joyful noise!! 

All the best to him as he prepares for his PCS and another trip home for Christmas. 

How are our Pipeline families doing? I hope your sailors are going to be able to come home during holiday standdown. When my son was in Prototype, he was not able to fly home and be with us, because of his rotation schedule or something. He was able to go spend a few days away from it all with one of his roommates' family. I was so disappointed, but I knew how difficult it was to travel. I stuffed his stocking with goodies and mailed it to him, all tied up and he could not open it until Christmas morning. We were able to Skype with him and he opened his stocking and his presents so we could see him.

I have a feeling we are going to have to figure out doing a Skype call again this year. The grandbaby is still in the NICU but hopefully home for Christmas, but flying with a little one at this time of the year is out of the question. 

Chipmunk, thank you for asking about the holidays and for sharing about your experience.  My son is no longer in the pipeline, but this was our first Thanksgiving without him.  He graduated BC the day before Thanksgiving, and we were able to see him at Thanksgiving while at GC because we were only 4 hours away.  But this year he is 11 hours away and only got one day for Thanksgiving.  We thought he would get 6 days leave for Christmas, but his leave has been cut short (needs of the Navy).  We are grateful we will get to see him for a few days over the holidays, but we had to rearrange lots of schedules.  My sister said, "When one person is in the military, the whole family serves."  I told her, "Yes, but I thought it was just immediate family!  I didn't realize it had an impact on the whole extended family!"

MomofJoseph - it is true, once our kids leave home and go off to do a job they are beholden to that schedule, and with the military it can be even more unusual than what a normal job will be like. It can affect the extended family as well. 

For me, I think it was a little easier to realize my son would not be able to do the holidays because one of his siblings had worked a job that required them to be on the job for all of the holidays as it was their busiest time of the year. We quit doing as many trips to extended family for the holidays as we used to. But I sort of had the idea that now that my son was out and only my DIL in the Navy, maybe we could plan for the kids to all be home on the Thanksgiving or Christmas rotation of the married kids. My son said, "Mom, we are still needs of the Navy!!" So much for my lofty ideas.

Chipmunk - Thank you for sharing that.  I am actually grateful for my husband and his family because they are less traditional and that has helped me a TON!  Maybe because his dad is retired Air Force, but they've helped me be okay with celebrating any time (and not just TGiving Day and Christmas Day).  But we still try to do extended family, which is getting trickier.  One nephew is a firefighter and his schedule is crazy, too.

But your message helped me so much!!!  I realized how much I have to be grateful for.  God worked it out that my nephew and my son have time-off that overlaps by two days, so we will at least get to get that set of cousins together.  And for that I'm truly grateful!  <3

Hi all - Happy Monday!

So you all know my DIL is a Veteran and she had our first grandchild in May, well she got a call from the VA office (she delivered through the VA and delivery/hospital was covered 100%) and they were inviting her to a baby shower for everyone who delivered in 2023!  Turns out it was a "drive-thru" shower and they asked if she would rather have a stroller or a pack n play and what size clothes/diapers they want.  They went on Saturday and they literally loaded up the back of their car with all kinds of goodies.  Everything is donated to the VA and they did this for everyone in their Michigan area VA that delivered in 2023!  That is just the sweetest thing ever!  I'll post a picture from my phone so you can see what they got.  And they even got some gift cards, games, a quilt, Boppee pillow, some outfits, bath tub....just so much stuff.

B'sNukeMoM, that is absolutely awesome. What a great way to show appreciation for our military for their service.

B'sNuke - that's awesome!!!! 

Not sure if you all heard about the Osprey that crashed in Japan..  8 military members died.  One of the Airman onboard was an Air Force Major from our town, 34 years old.  B went to high school with him (same class) and his siblings (he was a triplet). Heartbreaking.

B'sNukeMom - That was such a horrible story. I'm sad for all the families and loved ones of these service members. Prayers for your son and your family as you mourn this loss.

Thanks joe-mom. His brother is also in the Air Force, they are a strong military family.

B'sNukeMom- that was a terrible thing that happened.  My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these kids. I'm sorry for your loss. 

Today’s the day!

Well, we didn't beat Army but it was still a good game!  I hope everyone had a nice weekend.  We got our Christmas lights up so that was nice!

Welcome to our newest member ~ Lisa!

Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page.  Lots of good info there.  Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all".  And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule".  And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Good morning all. I am a new nuke mom. A school begins on the 18th for him. He got there on Saturday. Just found out Christmas home is a no go. I'm sad especially since I missed Thanksgiving too but I get it. Learning lots from the discussion posts. Thanks for the info on what to expect. 

Welcome, Lisa! Congrats to your son and best of luck to him in A school. We're here to help in any way we can.

Lisa - Welcome to the group!! I am sorry that your son will not be able to come home for Christmas. This seems unusual for A school to start on the 18th of December, they used to take a Holiday stand down. If you are able to give us any updates, that would be great!

Is your son actually starting classes, or is it just a matter of he just got to GC and so he is still INDOC? Let your son know that if he is able to get any of his "UI"s - Under Instruction done (basically learning how to stand watch), during this holiday time, then that would be a good thing. I can get those done and not have to work them in later when he is trying to study. 

Happy Wednesday!

Proud Momma - I love the picture!! Thank you for sharing. I was having issues with my computer and could not open the picture up from my email yesterday. 

Happy Monday!

@Chipmunk ~ I was happy to share the picture! :D  Glad that you got to see it! May you have a Blessed Christmas! Me?  I'll be pretty sad. My Sailor isn't coming home for Christmas :'(