The box

[supermom(PIR 4/4ship9 div 130)]

You wait....like a child on Christmas....then it happens...The Box arrives. you carefully place it on the table, you stare at it and you walk away. I need a minute you think. No wait I'll need a few, you gently run your hand across the top of it. You stare at the writing on the outside, you see the name. You walk away looking back at the box. Carefully deciding..when to open it....how to open it...you mentally prepare yourself. You come back over cut the tape, it's almost too much so you set the knife down stare at the box and walk away, looking back. Your heart has been waiting for this box, but you cannot prepare yourself for this moment, though you've tried. You want to savor it, spend every minute thinking of everything you can to remind you...memories, smells, voices, laughs. You smile because you hear that voice in the back of your head saying....mom just open it.....a tear falls, because you know what's inside. A smile creeps out because you know that they left wearing one thing but now are wearing a uniform the represents honor, courage, commitment. You gently run your fingers across the box then open the top. Time freezes, your heart stops a moment. You take a deep breathe......the box is now open. You stare, you cry afraid to touch...but oh so curious as well. Then you start to see the contents. You take out the dirty laundry and laugh thinking! even when they aren't here I'm still doing their laundry. You smell the shirt they had on, you know the one they wore when you hugged them goodbye. You now find the most precious part of the box. The note....the note from them...you stop, put the dirty laundry down and you stare. As you reach for the note your heart beats faster, your eyes well up. You are so overcome with joy, sadness and an immense sense of being proud. You hold the note to your chest. You walk away from the box...forgetting you've waited all week for this box, so worried about seeing their clothes. For that moment you are alone with your child, alone with their smell, voice, memory. You open the note and read the last thing on their mind before they became a SR. You take every word they wrote, you laugh, you cry you remember. The box is them leaving behind what used to be to become what they have wanted so long. You look back at the box and smile. Your child is becoming a US Sailor...You have a raised a hero. They carry your love with them and in 8 Fridays you will hug them, kiss them and meet your very own US Sailor....

[HuffyMom23]

You know I thought I was being weird smelling my sons shirt when his box came, but I now know many mothers do this.  ha  I thought I would cry when I opened my sons box, but for some reason I didn't.  I think I was just so emotionally drained from the last few days before he left.  That last night with him just tore me up.  I cried all night and hardly slept at all.  I wanted him to stay all night in our room with us, but since a room was provided for him, I knew he needed to go to it. He came to our room bright and early the next morning before going to swear in and leave.  I honestly think that was the saddest thing I have ever dealt with so far in my life.  There is the sad part in letting your child go, and then the proud side knowing that they will be a US Sailor.  You worry so much about how they are adjusting in bootcamp and if everything is going well for them.  Then after bootcamp you realize how well they were taken care of.  Good luck to you and your recruit!

[supermom(PIR 4/4ship9 div 130)]

Ohh hugs huffy we are navy moms..we got this

[ProudMEMom]

Aww, while reading this it brought me right back to when I got "the box"  - I was in tears the whole ride home knowing I'd have to open it eventually... I literally felt, thought the same things, and I too, smelled his shirt :/  I didn't get a little note, not sure my emotions could've handled it at that moment.  He is still my lil man, my bugga boo.  I raised him alone for the last 8 years (up to the age of 2 before that)  I miss him so much, his sister and I are lost without him.  I am so proud of him and CANNOT wait to be reunited with him at PIR and see him in his dress blues!! 

[Proud AG Mama]

Wow, you have me pegged to a T, even the walking away and then back to the box. Perfect.