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Hello All,
Finally made it to GL. Very cold and I can not wait to see my son in the morning. My US Sailor. I am glad that I drove because he told his brother to bring a lot of stuff. Clothes, xbox, phone, shoes, books, etc. He wants to pick out what he wants then I can take it back. I am the moving company this week. Just left the Meet & Greet and it was nice meeting some of the moms I have been talking to for eight weeks. Our children have bonded and now we have built a friendship that will last a life time. Well going to sleep now so I can be rested for my tears tomorrow. I already know I am going to cry. I started to cry when I passed by the Naval base today:)

StarChil enjoy your day today...Mistydawn will be sending good thoughts your way today keep us posted.
To Everyone who won't be on here because of Thanksgiving enjoy!

Starchild...you are making me cry!!! I am so happy for you!! I hope you have your hugging arms ready to go!!

Thanks everyone!!

Corey is flying into Baton Rouge tonight.Had a medical release due to a broken toe. He must wait 6 mos then re-enlist. Kind of a bummer.Mixed feelings....glad to have him home but know he needs to return to complete what he started.The Navy will be a good life for him. WOW , never thought I would want to see my child leave the nest???

All the best to those Moms without their son/daughter this coming holiday. Be proud.

I only know the swim...10:17. Waiting waiting waiting waiting.....

If he does the run again he has passed!!! He did it last time, so he should do it this time...

HE PASSED HIS PST!!!!!! WHOOO HOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!! Praise Jesus!!!

Starchild- my nephew graduated today too! My son will be the third grandson to go in the navy in sence last year! My son goes in March.

Mistydawn congrats! What a great way to start the holiday weekend.

Is it march yet, your family must be so proud of all your Sailors! It will be interesting to see if there paths cross in the coming years.

isitmarch..i watched that comedian..oh my gosh, TOO FUNNY and TOO FITTING!!! ahahaha.. Thanks jdmom! There are two contracts left for December. His motivator was going to call his times and numbers in to the Cheif (? ) and then find out if he got a contract or not.

I'm so glad to get on here and hear of all the good news!! It really keeps my spirits high!!! Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!!!!

I am proud of the 386 new US Sailors that graduated today. My son is a
Sailor in the US Navy. The best Navy in the world. And yes I cried when I
held my baby for the first time in eight weeks. He is a MAN now but he
will ALWAYS be my baby.

It is so cold here. Please bring warm clothes if your recruit's PIR is during the cold months. The wind is blowing so much. Started raining with some sleet earlier but has stopped. I saw Div. 011, 012, 013 and 014 marching and they look great. All the recruits wore a white scarf around their faces so only their eyes were visible. Including the new Sailors. It was funny standing with other moms and dads trying to find our Sailor when they were walking back with their bags on their backs. ALL of them look alike. The female Sailors wore different hats and that is the only way you could tell it was a female. One mom just started calling out her daughter's name and the Sailors kept saying, Not her ma'am. My son walked right up to me and I did not know who he was but when he said Ma. I started melting. Your time is coming Ladies so bring the tissue too.

Oh star child..!!!! I am so so happy for you!!!

I am sitting here talking to my son and he has me laughing but I wanted to come back and tell you about my crazy Sailor.
My son told me that so many thoughts went through he head during the first week: 'I want to go home. What the heck did I get myself into? I don't have my phone, my Xbox, can't watch TV. I'm calling home so somebody can come get me". Well he is now a handsome Sailor. Glad he didn't call because you know I would have been in Great Lakes like Bewitched or I Dream Of Jeanie!!!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving ladies.

StarChild tell your SAILOR we all wish him a Happy Thanksgiving and are so proud of him!

Happy Thanksgiving to my new Navy Family! I am so thankful to all of you.

Happy Thanksgiving Ladies, Just wanted to stop by to let you know how we are doing. I am enjoying my son and the cold weather. Wish it had snowed last night. The Meet and Greet was nice. It was so good to meet the moms and it was great meeting the Sailors of some of the moms after graduation. The graduation was lovely. I broke down and sobbed when my son hugged me. Eight weeks without a hug then WOW! All the memories of his birth and growing up went through my mind and I just broke down. I fell asleep while we were watching tv but I held on to his arm. I watched him fold his uniform so neatly. That boy never folded anything! I watched him put on his NSU today along with his peay coat. I was so proud. I started using the lint brush in the lobby of the hotel to clean the coat. He was a little embarrassed but I'm mom and that's what I do. I'm okay about leaving him here now. He will be okay.

PLEASE BRING A LINT BRUSH!! Your recruit will need it and storage space is small. I found 3 small lint brushes. Don't forget to have your recruit pack a box. My son could not wait to put on his briefs and his shorts to relax in the room.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Love hearing the wonderful stories you are posting. MistyDawn - Wonderful!!

One step closer....
Just dropped my daughter off at the recruiter for her final paperwork. Then she's off to the hotel for the evening. We will be meeting her at MEPS in the morning for her swearing in and watch her load the bus for the airport. Excited and anxious for her all at the same time....

gittimom do you know what time the swearing in is? Who told you?

Good Luck gittimom, we will be thinking of you and your daughter!

jonsmom- I was told by her recruiter to be at MEPS by 9am and that she will be sworn in between 9:30-10am. Then she loads the bus to the airport.

jdmom and Janet R.- thank you for your support

thanks 2boys1girl09

Oh gittimom!! Thinking of you tomorrow and wishing you strength!!!

gittimom - you will be in my thoughts tomorrow! Hugs!

thanks mistydawn67 and kathymmom.....hoping all goes well

Sean officially changed recruiters today. Hopefully this works out well. It will be easier to get there, and Sean is going to be attending college in the new recruiter's town in January.

Kind of bummed, we found out last night that my son's ASVABS were 9 points short of qualifying for SEALS. He can retake in January. But upon the advise of his the petty officer here at the recruiter's office he changed to rescue swimming. I wish his recruiter would have told him from the beginning. He can always switch back and he had to do the same physical anyway, so I guess all is not lost. I guess they are drawing contracts next week. So here we go again!

Mistydawn-my son was originally on an AO contract and then got the SEALS a couple months later, this was not because of a score I think that he was just waiting for an opening, so there is hope if that is his dream!
gittimom-thinking of you today!

2boys1girl09...All went very well. She just called to let me know that they have landed and she even still sounds great! There was alittle panic on the runway when they heard possible flight cancellation but the airlines just changed routes. Now to wait for her last call and then the "box"....just happy to be off the emotional roller coaster of the past weeks...lol...the next roller coaster is yet to come :o)

...should've mentioned that the only tears were when we hugged good bye... luckily she made a friend at MEPS this morning and she was also a Navy recruit which was even better...

she just sent us her last "I love you" text...her and 61 other recruits were enjoying pepperoni pizza and ice cream once the arrived....she called it her last meal...lol

gitti...I have been thinking of you all day. I am glad things seemed to go well. I will be in your shoes in about three months and every mom that gets through makes me realize I will also. Please come back and keep us posted through boot camp. Extra prayers for your daughter and all the recruites that are joining her.

thanks jdmom...I'm sure all our kids will do great!

My son left for boot camp today...very emotional day but he was soooo very happy. Which made me very happy. He landed in Chicago around 2:30 pm. I look forward to hearing from other parents whose children went to boot camp today.

I am in need of some help. My son was supposed to leave for boot camp on 12/14. We had not received a call or letter so he contacted his recruited today who told him that he was cut out in October and would have to go back through meps. He already swore in and signed his paperwork. Can they do that? We have been expecting him to leave since Febuary...Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on what we should do next?

...just received my phone call from Krissy...very short and to the point...box within 2wks and next call 3wks...I could tell she was upset but told to be strong and that we love her....brought me to tears afterwards.....actually my first tears too because I didn't want her to see me cry...

Channon, how far is the recruiter's office from you? I would go there in person.

awww gitti ............soooo soooo sorry!! Maybe it was just overwhelming for her is all. Praying and hugs

my son ships out next week. it has been a long haul to get to this date he is ready not so sure I am. he will be greatly missed around here.

My son's RDCs had a slightly different way of handling the calls. They kept getting promised a call if the do X, Y or Z. They would "earn" a call, then when a recruit screwed up, the RDCs took the call away, completely. His division really only got the three "guaranteed" calls (arrival, end of week 3, and post-battlestations), and one in their final week after battlestations, just before PIR. All but the arrival call were "long" calls.

There really isn't one single strategy RDCs use to break down their divisions. Back when I was in boot camp myself, my RDCs used emotional/mental methods and we got very little physical punishment, our sister company's (back before they had co-ed divisions) RDCs broke them down physically but did very little mental/emotional stuff.

Gitti - I got my "I arrived" call last night at about 11:10 pm. My son sounded very exhausted. I know he will be fine but I miss him so much. Now to wait for the "kid in a box" and the letter with his PIR date. I can't wait for the date so I can start making plans to go to Great Lakes.

MNNavtMom....I feel the same way. I moped around the house all day thinking about her even though I know she is fine. I also started to write a letter to send once we get their addresses

My son leaves Monday morning for basic; his recruiter will be picking him up at 5AM to go to MEPS then to the airport. Does anyone know if they will have him sworn in again that morning?

My son went down and spent the night at a hotel and was taken by bus to MEPS the next morning. He was swore by 9:30, at the airport by 10:30 and off to Great Lakes. I would say, yes, he will do his final swearing in that same day.

Are our children able to receive packages over Christmas (speciafically Christmas cookies)?

My son is in the DEP program, leaves 12/14.. only 11 days! Just wondering, his recruiter has told us that they are not allowed to do PT at DEP meetings anymore as some people were hurt or injured. Is that the case for all deppers or just this area?