Japan Moms

My son uses Soft Bank.  If she has a tablet or laptop where she can access wifi you can talk on Skype for free.  You definitely want a Japanese plan though.  International roaming is way too expensive.  If she gets an Iphone you can face time too if you have an iphone.

Kim he did apply for open billets in Italy, Greece and Singapore.  No go on any of them. So it will be Chinhae.  I am staying in Japan Moms group though.  It doesn't appear that there is a Chinhae moms group. 

DREW7062 I found that posting embarrassing comments on his Facebook page about how much I miss them and wish we could talk usually resulted in a phone call.  Usually once they have been there a while and their liberty is unrestricted they start exploring more.  His shipmates will look after him. 

Thank you all for the info about shipping!!   Knowing to use flat rate boxes and shipping early in Dec. is invaluable!  I appreciate the help.  :-)

HI. When my sailor was first in Japan - he was busy with getting settled - teh culture classes - learning his duties - learning the ship - that honest - he didn't have time to call. He told me once - he didn't call because he was just too tired and just wanted to sleep. Your sailor will come around. Like the others have shared - send emails and packages - especially home made cookies !!! They ship !  And if you have a pet - the pet can send a letter and package. OUt pet turtle did! Her name is Shark and she is 43 years old.

Shark once sent a message saying how upset she was. That sailor was sending post cards and presents to everyone in the family - but her. That did it. Shark got postcards from then on and she got a Kimono too. I'll try to find that picture and post it later. So just be patient with him and your heart. Send pkg ( Long Johns! ) and letters. Soon I bet you wil be sharing with us what he is doing.

Oh  - Shark heard the word - Santa. She is now getting more active. So I will have to get her picture with Santa to send to Sailor.

Hey miss - good hearing from you. As usually you are keeping up with Blondie and running circles :). Wonder where Joshmom is? And Blondie did not post. I thought she was getting a computer at home.

Wish I had some gossip to share. still none.

OH welcome new moms :)

kjsdaughter didn't you say your daughter leaves soon? Make sure to have your ID with you when you go to the airport with her. Then ask her to ask for a pass for you to go with her to her gate. You can get a pass to really see her off.  And does she have a pass port?

Oh - need to get - Laundry Fairy visiting  hugs all

One more - What areal plans for Thanksgiving?

Anti M - Your hubby doing ok on the road? No more bad weather? And how are you?

T ... doing okay.  Medical stuff is in hurry up and wait mode, I finally got in to see the military doc, am waiting for my referrals.  Tricare is great, but does one thing at a time.  I know surgery is looming, just not when or how much.  Oh joy.  Hubby is fine, although he did get stuck in Wyoming for 22 hours on Veteran's Day in a dinky truckstop.  Winter weather and I-80 just make driving terrible.  

Say hi to Shark for me!

Welcome to all new Moms!  You have hit the jackpot with theses ladies! 

Sorry T-Lynn, that is has been a while since I have updated.   Sometimes, busy, just doesn't explain it!  LOL!  We are still in the middle of our kitchen remodel.  I somehow thought it was going to be five days (Picture hubby's eyes rolling)LOL! Well we are now on day 38!  Making progress, but it is slow.  You can only do so much after you have worked all day.  Hubby and I were talking how we use to could work forever, but now 10:00 or 10:30 is our limit and we just have to quit.   We did take this past weekend off.  We celebrated our 35 wedding anniversary and we went out of town.  I knew if we stayed home, we would end up working all weekend and hubby needed a break.  We went to Nashville, did some Christmas Shopping for our kiddos and went to the "Titans" football game. We had a ball!  It was a much needed break for us.   

My Mom has been having some health issues.  I am taking off Friday morning to take to see a heart specialist.  She had 5 bypasses several years ago, and has a wagon load of health problems.  Will update after this appt.   Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.   She is 85 and still lives alone and takes care of her flowers, housework, and all of her business.   I keep reminding her that she has a lot to be thankful for.  She loves to make quilts, and keeps busy with that in the winter.  She is after me and my sister to get her a quilt put up and I know I am going to have to take a day and do this.   Kind of hard to get that done, when I have so much to do at home. Just going to have to find a few hours and do this for her.  

Thanksgiving....my daughter called yesterday and told me she will be home Tuesday night, so she will go to grocery for me on Wed. and start our cooking while I am work!  She is the BEST!  We will eat lunch with hubby's family and then come home and cook again for dinner with my family.  It will be a busy, and long day, but a good one.  I am hoping my daughter does not want to shop on Black Friday, but if she does, I will tag along with her.  She will be heading to the Egg Bowl on Saturday.  We will watch it on TV.  She is a graduate of Mississippi State and the rest of us are die hard Ole Miss fans!  It makes for a fun day. 

Prayers for you AntiM with upcoming surgery, and for your hubby on the road. 

I hope everyone is well and that you all have an awesome day! 

MIss Mom, thank you.  I will keep your mom in my heart.  LOL, and the kitchen remodel.

Thanks T-Lynn. We were able to get passes to see her off.  I spoke to her on last night and this morning.  We both have to get used to the time zone difference.  So we are not disturbing each others bed time.

HI :),

We are under snow here. And I mean under snow. Started last night and still going. When it finishes - haha - possible 10 inches. Weather man said it will quit around noon. That is if he remembers to flip teh switch.

So hubby and son will go out snowing blowing. Oh is my son ready to get that machine out. Then he has to go to work. He is on the radio this afternoon.

Riker got to see his first snow. But mostly he tried to hide under his blanket than look at it. He seems to like looking at it from teh window.

Kj - doing the happy dance. So good you got to sit with her at the airport. And about when she calls - honest - you will that ring and it will not matter what time she calls - you will have energy plus to talk :).

Blondie - gee - why am I not surprise how busy you are. But as we all came to conclusion once - this busy IS how you stay healthy.  Now if we could just get the stress out it - it would be easier. Gentle hugs good friend -  your Thanksgiving will be awesome.  So if you hubby offers to remodel the kitchen for you - you still say no? I can't find the voodoo doll pic. do you still have it?

Anti-M , gave shark a hug from you. I said your name and she bounced her head. She remembers the gift you sent her from Hawaii. She still will cuddle in the towel with turtles on it. Fingers crossed all goes well for you and the docs.

Well there you are Miss: love the gossip. But you only filled up half my tank - share more.  I am doing the happy dance for you too. So glad - SO VERY GLAD - you took time off to celebrate. Will do for you - positive thoughts for your Mom. If you like, I will gladly send her Reiki energy :).  Your Thanksgiving sound fun. You will love every minute. And the Black Friday Shopping too. By the way - are there really deals on this Black Friday? Honest - never been out that day.

Here Thanksgiving will only be us 5 and the pets. DIL and son have had overtime at their jobs. And both are doing so wonderful are receiving rewards from the bosses. So they are bone tired when they come in. Plus, Riker just will not nap long. Also, up at 3 to 4 times a night. Just a ball of energy with no turn off switch. So we plan on simple foods, watch tv in PJs and veggie out.

BUT -Christmas - is another story. Its Riker's first. So you know it will be something. Oh will there be a bunch of rosters and hens at the coop. And the coop is my place. I just went grayer.

Hey - we just had a rumbling on top of our house! And then a huge amount of snow fell off!!! Still snowing too. guess we need to have helmets on to go outside.

Shark is getting active - she heard the word Santa. Have to get her nails clipped and make a time to take her to see Santa and a picture. Will share it. DIL has not place Riker with Santa's picture on fb yest. So I can't steal it yet to share here.

 Kim and Maggs - check in. Feel you two.

Hey - need to split. HAVE to get scout paper work done - that Laundry Fairy is still too. Hugs all.

 hugs

I'm here.  I had a root canal last Wednesday.  The pain got worse all weekend.  I'm on antibiotics now so I should heal soon.  I'm busy baby proofing.  I can't figure out the gates I got, so I pulled out my Christmas decorations and I am using the bins to block the stairs.  I can't wait to see my grandson crawling.  I'm soooo far behind and I leave the following weekend for vacation.  I need a do-over for last weekend without the pain.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I hope everyone hears from their sailors.  Does anyone want to pick a time to toast each other?  I will be toasting a "thanks" for my navy moms and saying a prayer for all of your sailors.  We could all do it at the same time.

We will be having Thanksgiving with the neighbors.  My nephew and family are in town, but the night they were going to come over, the baby got sick and they had to stay home.  They're staying with her grandparents this time, her grandfather had terminal cancer, so they want to see him as much as possible.  I am hoping it is a great visit for them all.

Good morning, Ladies! Update on my Mom, she went to Dr. on Friday, they wanted to use her in a study.  Wanted to insert a devise that would transmit to the office when her heart flared up.  This devise would do nothing except transmit.  She would have had it done that day, but had to be off of antibiotics for a month.  There is no way she would ever qualify for that study, but apparently the Dr. didn't check with her family Dr. to know this.   Several of my brothers and sisters and I read the information and we all were in agreement that this was not a good idea.  She is 85!   Well I was nominated to call her family Dr. and he had a fit!!!!  His answer was NO!  She is at the Dr. that he wanted to send her to first, but she dug her heels in and said no, cause somebody had told her something about this Dr. (we don't know who or what), anyway she is there this morning, so we will see what he says.  Her family Dr. had told her a pacemaker was what she needed and she needed it done ASAP, then we when half way around the world and now we are back to square one!  LOL!   Gotta love that sweet Momma of mine!  I told one of my sisters that if we didn't laugh, we would be crying all of the time.   

Progress is being made at my house!  We still have so much to do, but I finally have my daughter's bed cleaned off! Yay me!  All of my kitchen was (is) in my daughter's and son's rooms!   I worked last night and have got her room where she can walk and have washed all of her bedding and will make her bed up on my lunch break and run the vacuum.   She will be home tonight and will start our cooking tomorrow.  I also have all of my appliances back into place and working! Hubby promised that I would be able to cook Thanksgiving meals,and he has kept his promise.  He is working in the dining room today.  He is off this week, so he is making good use of his time.   I will get off tomorrow at lunch and will be off the rest of the week.  

Kim, bless your heart, nothing worse that pain in your mouth.  I sure hope you feel better soon, and that you are much better when your sweet grandson gets there!  

Thank you all for your prayers and sweet thoughts for my Mom, please continue to lift her up in prayer and send positive thoughts to her. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you all hear from your Sailors!    

Happy Thanksgiving

 Oh Kim -- ouch!  Tell me , lower left jaw where you had the root canal?  Oh what a great picture! All those boxes to block the stair way. Your grandson will look so cute trying to get over those boxes!  Take care - gentle hugs

Anti M, oh darn. I hope baby gets better and they find the time to come see you. Would love to see  a pic you holding that baby.

Blondie, good the kids are home and the dogs like each other. Now TRY to find time to just be family and enjoy. hugs

Miss ! You are getting to by SO like Blondie and be a Busy Queen Bee! Will keep up Rieki energy for your moms ( ditto for Kim and Anti M ) And have a great family Thanksgiving.

I am toasting at 4 PM Central :

 " Too the Pan Moms

some being here for awhile and some just brand new

Here we all are sailing through the internet

- to help each other keep away those Sailors Blues.

Our pictures - chats - laughs, and tears, we all share

Isn't it great how we all care :).

So I raise my glass high to honor all of you.

But also to say Thank You for gentle hugs too.

Happy Thanksgiving Pan Moms!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Prayers to all of you and your sailors.

My sailor arrived late Wednesday night because he got away late.  He was just promoted to LPO and is swamped with work.

This morning daughter-in-law was picking up baby from playpen.  Her back popped, she dropped baby and fell to the floor in pain.  He is ok but, we couldn't move her.  They were worried that tri care would not cover an ambulance but eventually I called an ambulance.  Backup arrived to babysit, so I am headed over to hospital.  I'l update later.

Kim, sending love and healing thoughts to you DIL and family.  An ambulance ride and ER visit are always 100% covered by Tricare.

My grand-nephew Killian came to visit!

XRays were negative.  Her back muscles are in spasm and something about her spine being pulled.  The gave her pain med and muscle relaxants.  She can walk with help this morning.  I don't know when she will be able to lift the baby.  I'm on baby duty and he is into everything.  I better go.

AntiM.  Adorable.

have to brag - my son was received the Sailor of the Week award this past week.  (he's on the Chancellorsville).  So proud of him.  He had been asked by the commanding officer and command master chief to do a special financial seminar to all the sailors (under their direct supervision a few weeks back).

Awesome scully so good to hear    tell  your sailor way to go

congratulations   :)

Scully...Brag away...This is the place to do it.  Congrats.

HI

Anti M - Doing the Happy Dance!! I was so hoping that you would get the chance to start spoiling that baby. He is precious. i just want to know what song you all are singing. My grandson has the same warm bundle outfit. I think he likes it because he stays toasty warm - but can still move!

Congrats Scully and Kim. Good job for sailor of the week and a promotion!!! Yes - BRAG away.

So Kim - getting your exercise chasing your grandson. Now I know you really wanted to watch him, but I am sorry your poor dil back is hurting so. Sending her Reiki - [lease let her know. And how is your jaw from root canal?

Blondie - have fun!! Party and hugs.

Maggs - gentle hugs. Share when you can.

hugs

Hi fellow Japan Moms!!!  I am new to this group, my son has been in Japan for about a month now.  He has also increased in rank since he's been there, he is now an E-4. Yaaayyy!!!  I have a question about sponsorship, how does it work and when should he start to apply???

Sponsorship for what?  Bringing a dependent over?  

I guess so Anti M... I really don't know, I just read something (months ago) regarding sponsors...

Ok, I've been doing some digging around and I need clarity on what command sponsorship is vs a waiver...Thanks

hi, sonya welcome!. congrats on your sailor's promotion. so awesome to see them being successful on their own!!!

Ive presumed that if I send care packages or cards to my sailor car of his carrier's APO address.

Okay, the word "sponsor" means at east three things, so it is easy to get confused.

1.  Getting a sponsor.  This is someone at the new sailor's command assigned to get information to them, help them figure out how to get there, check in, and settle in at their base.  If they are already there, they no longer need a sponsor.

2. If a sailor is married, they are the sponsor for their dependents. 

3.  Command sponsorship.  When taking a family overseas, the sailor has to get command sponsorship for the dependents.  This way they get the right visas to live overseas, be eligible for on base housing, medical, work, and the allowances and benefits which go along with that.  E-3 and below cannot take dependents overseas.  If a sailor is overseas, makes E-4, and wants to get command sponsorship, they will ask for a waiver.  A waiver is a special request, basically.  The family which didn't qualify to move overseas would need a waiver granting permission to do so.

That is a super-simplified version, there are a ton of details in all that.  That's why I asked if your sailor has a dependent spouse who wants to move overseas.  Many do when the sailor makes E-4, if they can get a command sponsorship waiver.  

I have a blog about it:
http://navyformoms.com/profiles/blogs/what-is-command-sponsorship

HI

FINALLY I am back on!

For some reason, Navy for Moms told me I had to rejoin!

I even set - RESET your Password three times and NEVER got an email back form them. So I had to go on the main page and find a way to leave a message. Finaly found the complaint box and told them I have been a member for over 5 years ! 

Well being so frustrated - I  tried again.   I typed in for the fifth time a password and it was right! I'm writing that password on my wall - so I will nvere forget again. Now I have to go and send an uncomplaint.

Welcome aboard new MomSonya209. HOpe you enjoy being here and we all love to share. I see you have met Anti M. She is awesome.

How is everyone doing? Christmas decorating, gifts all done ? Me - no not done with either.

Funny story Maggs. Wish you had a picture of him with all those bows and tinsel on.

Wish all sweet dreams.

dil finally put some pics on fb, so I could share here

Here is Riker enjoying playing the piano. The kids were on the Christmas Walk Festival adn at one of the centers, was a piano for kids to have fun.

Riker loved that piano. Dil is in background in blue coat.

T-Lynn....the same thing just happened to me too. I had to reset my password. Irritating  ...don't they know we have been on board for years! LOL

Wonder if the navy for Moms is doing a check of members. Seeing if we can remember our passwords. Glad you are back on too.

hey - anyone else having problems?

Found the picture!  Here is the pet turtle - Shark with her Japanese Kimono.

Wishing all sweet dreams - talk at you tomorrow. hugs

The shrunken head asked me for a date.  Cheeky!