Finally

[momof3djm]

The last three days have a been crazy. We had my sons going away party Sunday and it was great. Then Monday it was off to the recriters where he checked into a hotal for the night, we were able to take him for dinner and we as a family had a great time, we laughed so hard we cried. Then when we took him back to the hotel is when it all fell apart. He was so strong, his sister who is 20 and has acted like she didnt care about the whole thing fell apart and just cried so did his little brother, they have been best friends for ever :( Dad and I didnt do to bad but on the drive home i just kept thinking how do i do this how do I go from having all 3 kids at home down to 2 it will be so quite and i just cried and cried. We got up this morning and went to MEPS for the swaring in ceremony, that was good and we went to the airport to see him before he left we saw him briefly and then he was gone flight is leaving now. He keeps texting me and he sounds so good I know he will be fine, but will I really be ok when it sinks in that he is really gone when the text stop?

[Leisa Ship13 Div309 Grad 9-28]

I am trying to find the words that wont sound harsh, but i did the same thing you are going through today on Aug 1 2012.  At 9 pm i received a call "I am here and bye" and my mouth was opened waiting to say i love you and then i  was cut off...i immediately broke down and started crying and the feeling is indescribeable.  All i can say is let yourself cry and just let the feelings out  3-4 days before he left i was sunk with the reality of it all i just cried anytime anyone spoke to me.  August 1 was a Wed, the following Tues i received his clothes and thats it, the thursday following the clothes i received the form that had his mailing address.  I had already been writing letters each day even if i was just babbling i wanted him to know about it.  So by the time almost a week went by i was mailing him about 6 letters.  So prepare yourself for the emotional roller coaster, your a mom you miss your boy and its just the thought of not being able to text or anything leaves you empty.  After a little over a week it got better.  I have no other kids home either he was the last to leave.  I did hear from him last sunday had not even been 2 full weeks as he won a competition and earned a call home...very lucky!  My heart goes out to you.  Big Hugs!  It will be ok, and all over this site they same time will make it better and thats true, at least for now for me thats true

[Jennifer <3 Ship 03/Div 330]

My son left today and we were up at meps to see him off it was a long process and then before you know it he went in a room got his things and was out the door. I held up pretty good i didn't want to break down in front of him cause i did not want him to worry . I have been a single mom for s long time and my son is older then my two younger boys so as hard as it was to say goodbye to my first baby and my bestfriend i waited to breakdown till later. He has been in the DEP for 1 year and today he finally left sad but im so proud of him.

[Patty]

We all know what your feeling. My 1st born left 8/2. I did the same thing as jennifer<3 tried to be strong for him.I did go outside @ MEPS and had a melt down but he did not see it. When @ the airport he came over put his arm around me and said I Love You mom and I lost it a little. Once he boarded the plane I looked @ my husband and said now its ok for me to cry. He texted me also when he landed....then the texts stopped. But the 15 second phone call was hard to swallow. It's been almost 2 weeks and I still have melt downs. But I write so much. For me its the unknowing I think as we are so use to talking/texting and now nothing. I hve talked to him twice already but still hurts. Hang in there.