I let my son go too!

[niftygal62]

My son left for Bootcamp on 2-7-11 and it has been so hard for me, I think about him all the time , I also feel lost.. I can"t wait to here from him!

[NavyPops_Ship09]

Your not alone, As a matter of fact the statement you made has probably been posted here countless times. Good news! Your in the right place! A quick bit of info that you may or may not have already found here is as follows. You can expect to wait about three weeks before you hear from your son. and although that seems like a long time, it goes by believe it or not and gets a little easier as it goes. you will probably recieve mail on either a Wed. or Thursday when it does start comming. Your son will consider the letters he gets from you and loved ones as Gold so start sending as often and as soon as you can. Your son may from time to time earn the ability to call home, this will usually be on a Sunday if and when it occurs. There are a few calls you can count on but other than the Im a Sailor call after battle station21 in his 8th week I forget when they are. sorry.. but just ask someone will know. Your son doesnt want to stand out so be careful what you send him. plain white envelopes are really the best. anything you send him that would other wise stand out could cause him much grief! and he is going through a very chalenging time so try to stay upbeat. : ) even though you do feel awful that hes not home. and most importantly join some groups here and start asking questions.. Im currently at my sons PIR weekend and its been Great! Hope ive been of some help. hang in there it will go by fast...

[prdmom (ship 4, Div 807)]

My son also left on the 7th....haven't received his box or his address yet. This is definitely NOT his first time way from home but this time i find myself anxious every day...waiting and wondering how he is doing and when i will hear from him. So we are all in the same "boat" so to speak..hang in there;)

[AJVNavyMom]

Hang in there.  It's one of the toughest things you will have to do as a mom.  I said goodbye to my son 6 weeks ago and it hasn't gotten any easier...we miss him crazy!  I still walk in his room and sit on his bed and talk to him as if he's right there.  Stay busy, it'll help pass the time.  All the best to you and your son!

[TJ's mom (S11/D122)]

Hey niftygal, me too. I've been crying in spurts since the 7th, everytime I think about him. Only 8 more wks till we can hug our sons again!!!! My box arrived on Thursday but my daughter didn't give it to me today because she didn't want to see me cry again. She brought it to me today with her confession, and yes I cried as I went through each precious item in the box. It's comforting to know I'm not going through this alone. It's a mom thing.

Good tip from Peg...I started my letter to him on the 7th and have been writing a little each day, but have been putting in how much I cry and miss him. I'm going to go back and delete all that emo crap. You're right, it is all about him and what he's going through. He doesn't need to know what a crybaby his mom has become. I'll make sure he LOL instead of cry when he reads my first letter!

[ProudMomma]

Hi everybody!   My son also left on the 7th and I have been trying to keep myself so busy. It's so hard not having him around. When I got the box with his clothes in it,  I too lost it. I got my letter yesterday with his correct address. His recruiter gave me the wrong address so I had already sent out 3 letters to him with the wrong address on it. What I'm understanding from other people though is that he will still get the letters. I found out his PIR date is April 1 so now I have some concrete information. I just wish I could hear his voice though. I think I would be able to sleep better. We already booked the hotel for graduation so I feel one step closer to him. Tomorrow it will be 1 week he is gone. 7 more weeks to go!!  

[TJ's mom (S11/D122)]

Peg - I've now updated my letter and cannot believe how much I took out. So glad I did, because it really was all about what I'VE been going through. It's a much better letter for HIM now, thanks! Come Hell or high water, I'll be there at his graduation!!

ProudMomma, you may want to double check his graduation date. From what I understand, the first week is proccessing and his 8 wk countdown begins tomorrow. I won't trust any information until it comes from my son himself. Plus, I've read about recruits that don't graduate with their original class. I know your pain. I can't text him, call him, e-mail him, and would just love to hear his voice saying " Hi Mom". Tomorrow is the first Valentine's Day that I'm not able to give him a heart shaped box of candy, as I've always done for both my kids since the were little. I only bought a card & candy for my daughter this year. It felt weird :(

I hope I get to meet ProudMomma & Niftygal on graduation day!

[sailrgrlsmom]

I so can relate to this.  My daughter was to leave on 2/8 but was delayed 1 day due to weather.  She has left home before to go to school but this time seemed so different.  I know I will see her soom but I am use to talking to her everyday.  So hang in there.

[niftygal62]

Thank you all for your support, it makes me cry when I read your comments because it brings great joy to know you all care so much! in this hard time, it's been one week today that my son left..

[TJ's mom (S11/D122)]

Hey niftygal, I got my form letter today with his address! I cried when I saw his handwriting on the envelope and couldn't read his comments on the 4 lines they give them to write on because my eyes were so watery. It is such a relief to now have an address to send my letters to!! He's Ship 11 Div. 122. There are 5 places they fill out information & 1 section for comments. I've looked at those six places a dozen times already. If your letter hasn't come yet, I hope it comes soon!! Although you will cry, know you're not alone. We're out here crying with you, and going through the same thing you are. Only 7 1/2 more weeks!!

[Tina - socalnavymom]

Hi All, I'm glad I'm not alone.  My son was supposed to leave from San Diego for Bootcamp on the 9th, but ended up leaving on the 10th, anyways, I just received "the box" today. I've been thanking God all day for my son, so receiving the box wasn't as hard as I expected.  I received a prayer request email this morning about a family of a 13 year old girl who has a cancerous brain tumor and the Doctors told them they couldn't do anything more for her.  So with that on my heart all day, I came to the realization that my son is alive, in good health and is in a good place and I will see him soon.  I won't lie these past few days have been the hardest days I have ever had to go thru, my house is so quiet and it just seems weird not to have him walking thru the living room or hear him clicking away on the computer.  He is my baby and last one to leave the nest, so I do miss him terribly and this is really nice that I know I'm not the only one feeling lost & lonely.