At this point I don't know if I'll be able to afford a trip out to Great Lakes for PIR.  It kills me inside but the money just isn't there.  I've prayed and asked God that if I'm supposed to be there to make a way.  I talked to my son about it before he left and he said he'd understand if I couldn't make the trip but I still feel like I'd be letting him down.  Right now reading all the comments and posts it seems like everyone is headed out to PIR to see their sailor.  I just feel awful…

Hello everyone....

Does anyone have the website or address for the military pay.  I checked my daughters checking account today and she only received 1/2 of her pay.  I had the website, log-in & password written down but for the life of me I can not find it anywhere.  Thanks for your help ladies...

And time won’t stop, he has grown up,

My little boy, a Sailor now,

Already moved to the next round,

Life just begun, there’s more to come.

I hold his hand and watch him fall,

I always knew he was strong,

And many times he got upset,

Not understanding his mama’s way.

 I only wish I could go back,

But life is short he’s now a man,

The many things I wish I’ve done,

I hold forever, he is my…

Every afternoon I hurry home from work so I can check the mail.  Nothing yet.  I'm kind of bummed.

I write Mal about every other day.  I bought a roll of stamps last week and I'm looking forward to using them all up.  I really just want a letter...a real one.

~ A post on my blog about letting go...…

My son announced to me in January of this year that he wanted to join the Navy.  WOW, what a shocker.  We started the process in late January and believing in full disclosure I stated all medical issues since the beginning of birth.  You would think that was a number of issues but in fact it was only two.  One issue being reactived airways.  Not asthma, but something that only occurs when he has a cold.  Well, more information from the Medical Review Board was requested.  Got that and…

I find the map and draw a straight line

Over rivers, farms, and state lines

The distance from here to where you'd be

It's only finger-lengths that I see

I touch the place where I'd find your face

My fingers in creases of distant dark places

I hang my coat up in the first bar

There is no peace that I've found so far

The laughter penetrates my silence

As drunken men find flaws in science

Their words mostly…

Yes, it's been 33 days. Have received letters for 4 weeks in a row. He mails them on Mondays & we've been receiving them on Thursdays. Thursday has become my favorite day of the week. Haven't been able to focus much at times, find myself wondering, what he's doing, guess it's the same of all of us moms, dads, wives, etc.? I understand the Navy must evaluate the new sailor recruits & see what they're made of...but this really tests what we're made of too! His letters are full of info…

 Today is my son's 19th Birthday and is the 1st birthday we are not together, I miss him a lot. Can't wait to see on on his graduation.