My son leaves for Boot Camp Aug 13th 2012 from Tampa

[mommaross CVN77]

The closer it gets the worst I get.  Everytime someone asks me about my son I tear up - don't know how I'll cope on the 13th.  My questions are; Can we go to MEPs with hm to watch him swearing in?  Can we go to the airport with him?  Can he take stamps, paper and envelopes with him?  Can he receive mail from England.  We're English born so all his cousins/aunts/uncles live in England and want to write to him too.  Can he write back to them? 

He's taking his cellphone with him so he can call when he gets there.  We have a Verizon family plan and Verizon will put his line on hold with no charges while he's in boot camp.  Not sure if anyone knows that.  I'm really proud of him

 

[frogkisses]

Mom of 2...

I am hanging in there but I noticed today that I am wishing we did more things together this summer. I was out shopping for school clothes with my 16 yo daughter and there were two little boys with shorted buzzed haircuts. They reminded me so much of Jonathan when he was lil I thought I was gonna cry right there in Kohl's. 

I am looking forward to planning my trip out there. I really don't know what to expect not having done this before. Tho I have been to Chicago a few years back. My parents are driving their motor home out and I will be driving from the airport to meet them. I will stay with them. So any suggestions would be great as the time gets closer.

Jonathan and I talked a bit today and I am confident that he is ready. I feel at peace that he can do this. I had some nervous moments earlier this week when I was reading so much about what he was going to experience. 

We can do this! mommaross...how are you doing?

[mommaross CVN77]

How are you feeling?  I'm doing ok managing to keep it all together.  Ross has an appointment at 9.00 tomorrow at the Recruiters then we leave at lunch time for Tampa.  Swearing in on Monday then the airport if Ross will let me go :(  I think the tears will come then!

Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you.  Good luck

[frogkisses]

Good luck to you too. I am about to get ready and head out. I think we are all as ready as we will ever be. Keep me posted on your day.

Jen

[mommaross CVN77]

Hi Jen and Mom of 2, How you both doing?

We got to Tampa yesterday at 3.30 and after Ross signed in he wanted to go to the movies - we went to see the new Bourne Identity movie (his choice) then to Cheescake Factory for dinner.  Ross paid for Dinner and the Movies!!!!  Transformation started already lol

MEPs was long drawn out very boring wait!  But the swearing in was really moving and as I was videoing it I didn't cry!  Ross was really, really tired and very very crumpy when we left him at the airport.  We did get gate passes to go through with him but he didn't want us to - so we respected his wishes and left him at the gate 1.  I got one big hug and an "I love you mom" and he was gone.  He wouldn't of even turned round to wave if his big sis hadn't called to him lol!  He was just so anxious to be with the other recuits.  There were only 3 families that went to the airport, no one else's families went.  I think he just wanted to get on with it and spend time with others who were going through this and to try to sleep before the plane.

I had a couple of text from him just before he boarded the plane and now just waiting for the "I'm here" call!

I'm going to upload the video and pics later.  If it will upload - never done it with a video before so we'll see.

Thinking of you.  Let's me strong and happy we raised great kids who want to help defend this amazing country!  See you at PIR god willing

Allison xoxoxoxoxo

[frogkisses]

Hi Allison and Darlene...

Well I am exhausted. MEPS was a boring affair indeed. I go there and he wasn't even in the room with the other recruits. he was still shuffling back and forth doing paper work and such. So much paperwork. So I went with the other families into the family briefing that they  had. I found another Navy family and sort of hung out with hem the rest of the morning since I was all by myself. There was one other navy reservist there but she had no family. There were a lot of Marine recruits at our MEPS this morning. At least half of the bunch were Marines. I will put up pics as well when I can. We were not allowed to video tape the swearing in. Pictures only. I will put up pics tomorrow. Then we waited til almost noon. The recruits had their travel briefing and I said good bye to him at MEPS. The other family and I had talked about going to the airport, but MEPS seemed like a good place to say goodbyes so they could start talking with each other more. Jonathan texted when he landed in Chicago. I am awaiting the "I'm here" call as well. I am afraid I will fall asleep before then. 

After I left MEPS I went to join my other children at the county fair. I just got home. I am gonna hold on though til I get the call.

I feel pretty good about everything though I did cry when the bus pulled away and I walked back to my car. There is only one thing I worry about with boot camp and that is his health. He is a healthy kid but it just seems to be the thing I am most concerned about.

I hope we get the call soon.

Keep me posted.

Jen xoxo

[frogkisses]

I got my call about 5 minutes ago!

[Mom2Matt]

I just dropped my son off at the recruiting center an hour ago. He'll go to MEPS today and Great Lakes tomorrow. (We live an hour away) He was great and gave me the biggest hug and "I love you" I told him I loved him back but it came out more like "I..sniff..love...sob.. you, too!" Then I took the long way to work and cried all the way. I keep thinking of him as the little busy boy that he was and the busy happy teen that he's been. Now he's on to bigger things. He's ready to go. It's harder on those of us left behind. Time to let go. My job is done. I'll always be his Mom, but I know, from my older son who joined the Marine Corps, that our relationship will never be the same. He'll come back to us a man. We'll always share so much, but his new life begins now. Fly free!

[frogkisses]

Glad to meet you Mom2Matt. Keep us posted on how things go. Are you going to MEPS? I am so glad I did. It was  just the right way to say good bye for us.

Jen

[mommaross CVN77]

I got my phone call last night 10.30 Chicago time.  It was literally 20 seconds long lol. NO I love you mom.  He sounded panic stricken and stressed.  I'm sure he's fine.  I know he was really tired and he doesn't like being embarrassed so he probably wanted to make sure he didn't get shouted at!  I've written him 2 letters already.  I wrote on on Saturday night after his goodbye party/get together and one last night while I was waiting for his call.  He called while I was writing his letter.  I rambled on about the journey home ( his big sis drove my car and I'm not a good passenger) knowing he'd have a great visual of me and his sis snipping at each other about her driving skills lol.  I've a whole list of motivational quotes from great English men (we are English - moved here 9 years ago)  throughout history that I've been researching and saving.  I'm going to finish off each letter with a quote.  My first was a Sir Winston Churchil quote and yesterday's was a William Shakespeare quote.  I kow they will only make him roll his eyes but it will make him smile.

Doing his laundry this morning and work this afternoon.  The waiting begins.  Can't wait for PIR ladies, hope we all get to meet up.

 

Allison 

[frogkisses]

I keep thinking...in a good way...not a worried way...about what he is doing today. I read that info about the first 5 days of boot camp so I have some idea where he is at. Today I am playing catch up as well. We were totally out of food. The house is a mess, and I have no clean clothes. :)

I hope we can meet up too. That would be lots of fun. One day at a time now! :)

Jen

[Mom2Matt]

I went to MEPS. It was busy! Matt has never done well with sitting around (Hee hee he'll learn!) so he was antsy to get going and nervous about the busy-ness ahead. There were a lot of Air Force recruits, a few Marines, some Army and 5 Navy. They were all going to the Milwaukee airport to drop off the other services' recruits flying out, pick up the Navy recruits and then make the drive to Great Lakes. We gave our hugs good bye and I left. I didn't cry on the way to work cuz I know he's ready. I cried this morning before leaving when the house was so quiet without his "noise". It's such a change but great for them and hard for us. A friend brought a gift bag to our party with a box of kleenex and a bottle of champagne. Perfect! Hang in there everyone! PIR is so wonderful - keep looking ahead.

[Mom2Matt]

I just got "the call"! But he called from his cell phone and it was hard to hear him. (It was having some issues before he left) He said something about a package arriving in 3 days?? 3 weeks??? What did your recruits say?