My youngest son graduated from bootcamp Aug 31.  I was used to seeing my son in a uniform because he had spent 6 years in the sea cadets but this was different.  He wore the uniform differently.  He walked differently.  He talked differently.  His attitude was different.  He has transformed into a man in just those 8 weeks. He got his heart broken the day after PIR by his girlfriend of one year who decided that she "needs to figure things out"  but he handled it with maturity and grace.  He…

I can't seem to shake this feeling of dread.  I have gone all week without a letter from my son who is in bootcamp and I can't help but worry that it's bad....REAL BAD.  All of his previous letters were so upbeat and he has wanted this for so long but I'm getting information from other mom's in his division that their son's are saying they aren't doing good and they may hold back the entire division 2 weeks before PIR.  I know that if I haven't received a phone call telling me there is a…

My youngest left for boot camp on July 2nd. I am very proud of him and supported his decision to join the Navy.  Even signed the papers as soon as he turned 17 so that he would get in DEP and start learning as much as soon as possible.  He has a girlfriend who I really like and she is so supportive of his decision to be a sailor and unlike so many young kids in love they understand that they can have goals and lives outside of each other.  They are both very mature.  When my son arrived to…

My son's plane to Great Lakes left about an hour ago. His journey begins. He has wanted this ever since he was 11 yrs old and first started in the sea cadets and went crazy for anything navy. I didn't go to the recruiter's office yesterday before he went to meps and didn't go to the airport today as I didn't want to embarass him by grabbing him around the ankles and begging him not to go so I said my good byes to my youngest child yesterday then cried for 2 hours. Have not actually cried…

Just got home a couple of hours ago from taking my son to his girlfriends house. He is leaving for a week to visit with her grandparents in Montana. His girlfriends parents are taking both my son and their daughter to grandparents lake house were they will be able to boat and fish and just hang out before he leaves on July 2nd and then she leaves for Texas for college in the fall.  It was a generous gift and I know that when you're 18 and in "love"  the idea of long-distance relationshop is…

We celebrated my son's  18th birthday today.  He is my youngest child and leaving for BC on July 2nd. I have been feeling very nostalgic today, thinking back on the day I found out I was pregnant (yes, he was an oops! but what a wonderful Oops!!) and of course the night he was born. First day of school, first girlfreind, first heartbreak and the day he told me he wanted to serve his country.  He has always talked of making a difference and he knows that the Navy will offer him the kind of…

Tonight my future sailor and I had a good ole fashion Mom and Me night out. We went to our favorite mexican restuarant and ate way too much food and drank way to much sweet tea and talked and talked. He even turned off his cell phone during the meal so he wasn't distracted (without me asking him to) . It made my day. My son and I have always been very close and talk about everything from his classes to his girlfriend and even politics. As I sat there tonight eating salsa and chips and…

For some reason everything I saw on tv or head on the radio today brought tears to my eyes.  It's hitting me hard today that my last child is leaving in just a few short months and unlike going to college or just moving in with friends as my other 2 children did, this child won't be available to me to check in with and talk about his day.  I know this is just a bad day and tomorrow will be different and to be honest I'm the sappy girl who cries at all halmark commercials, chick flicks and…

My son leaves for boot camp July 2nd. He of course is counting down the days and so very excited. Joining the Navy is something he has talked about since he turned 11 and first joined the sea cadets. At first I thought "don't worry so much like all kids he'll change his mind half a dozen time" but he never did. His dream and goal has stayed true. When he turned 17 I went with him and we signed the papers. I have never been so proud. But now as the months fly by it's starting to hit me that…