Boy was I fooling myself...

[sflirtingwith40 (Mom 13/160)]

My son finally left 2/26 for BC after being in DEP for 6 months. I thought I was prepared emotionally after all he did attend The Citadel but boy was I wrong! College was way easier b/c I knew he would be 'home' for breaks, holidays, etc...I have been a hot mess since he left. I am a single parent and he is my only child. We have always been extremely close and since my surgery first of the year he has been home handling everything from errands, pet care, household chores and being my coach/cheerleader thru therapy so when I hit a milestone during therapy on Friday I immediately grabbed my phone to share the news with him but quickly realized that he didn't have his phone.  I lost it - again. I cannot wait for his 'box' and address hopefully it will not be too much longer.

Once a Navy Brat now a Navy Mom.

{{{HUGS}}}

[sdees3]

You should get his box maybe this week and the letter and address around the same time or maybe next week for that. Hang in there you will survive just know that he is so busy right now and start writing to him now and once you get his address then mail them but number them on the outside so he knows which to read first. Do not say you miss him in every letter,  keep it positive and keep telling him how proud you are of him.  If you can't think of things to say in a letter every day tell him about your grocery list, tell him jokes, write positive quotes you find on the internet. He misses you too and if he knows you are miserable it will be harder on him. I wrote to my son every day and sometimes twice a day and when he came home the first time he had all my letters. The SR's look forward to mail call so keep them going. I think my son said he got like 15 letters the first day of mail call. LOL  I feel your pain as our son was our baby and our last to leave home.  It 's been 247 days since we last saw our son but I know he is protecting our country and I am so proud of him. When I do hear from him he is happy and taken care of.  He is currently deployed and we will see him in May. Keep that cell phone on you and turned on. Sleep with it!  You  never know when he will call. 

[sflirtingwith40 (Mom 13/160)]

Thank you!  I have been writing, numbering and even have stamps on them just waiting on the address. When he was at The Citadel I  learned to keep my phone with me at all times no matter where I was or what I was doing because I didn't want to miss that call or text. I can't believe it has already been a week since we handed him over to his recruiter. I pray it continues to go by this quickly.

[boolie1992]

My husband and I are now officially emptynesters as well.  Our daughter went to a university 65 miles away and our son, 19, went to GL on the 27th.  My husband has night shifts often and am having a hard time being alone, well at least I have my 2 boston terriers and 1 cat.  Still waiting for his letter with his address, We did get his box yesterday.  Just know you are not alone, and facebook has US recruit training center and other sites that you can chat with others in the same boat.  You can also go to his PIR page when you get his ship/division number.  

[sdees3]

I feel for you both and for all the parents with kids at GL. Looking back I really have fond memories of that time and their is now way to describe the feeling sitting in the drill hall watching the door open and seeing those SR's march in the hall. My son was there fall of 2011 but we were fortunate that he was a part of Adopt A Sailor and we were able to go see him on Thanksgiving Day as long as we took a sailor buddy with us whose parents couldn't make it. So we did get to see him before PIR and then the following week was PIR. The amount of pride you will have is unbelievable. If you can make it there please go. Yes, once you have his PIR date go tot he page and also check face book for the PIR also. You are not alone. I am now with you in the same boat and I won't be able to see my sailor now until May. The anticipation is killing me but I know he is in the ocean somewhere with a crew that is so well trained. God Bless your children. 

[sflirtingwith40 (Mom 13/160)]

I got his box on 3/5 and the formal letter on 3/7 he manage to sneak a lil note at the bottom that made me feel so much better. 7 more Fridays until I see him graduate!

[sflirtingwith40 (Mom 13/160)]

I have 2 kitties and a 8mo puppy that I rescued from the animal shelter bc I knew I was going to need something to keep me busy. A puppy is just like raising a toddler! LOL

[ebigirl]

sdees3; You have described PIR so well. My son PIR'd 5/2011 and it seems like just yesterday. Of course I was proud as could be and still am of my son, but also the feeling of pride as an American!! All of the formal pomp and circumstance was awesome. Our PIR was the Friday right after Bin Launden was killed. We were on pins and needles all week not knowing if PIR would really happen that week. It did, and it was great.

My son told me that the Monday morning that Bin Lauden was killed they woke up to, "YOUR Navy Seal Team 6 have captured and killed Osama Bin Lauden"!! It was a very happy day at RTC that Monday morning. :-)

[bugzmom24 (Ship 3 Div 337)]

I just dropped off my son at the recruiters office.  He heads to boot camp tomorrow.    I am so proud of him, but both are lives are changed now.  He's my one and only son and he's never been parted from me for more than a few days at a time.  God give me strength!!  I've cried for 2  1/2 hours straight now.   I thought this would be so much easier.  

[spomss]

Hugs bugzmom  & congrats!  We are here for you-it will get easier!

[bugzmom24 (Ship 3 Div 337)]

Thanks spomss!!   I think I'm all cried out now.  By the time I got his call, I was way too exhausted to cry anymore.  Today I spoke about him and felt proud not sad (for myself).  I guess I finally realized that he's all grown up and there's no turning back.  This house will forever remain changed, time to look forward.  (but it's still so hard!!)

Thanks sdees3 on the ideas for letters.  I've already started working on my letters.