How do you all do this?

[emtbuggy]

Hi I am new to the site my son will be leaving in 5 hours and 5 minutes to start his adventure at Great Lakes boot camp and I am a mess. I have so many emotions and I feel like nothing I do is gonna truly prepare me for this. Don't get me wrong I am so very proud of him and I can see that I have raised an amazing young man but letting go... not sure I'm ready for it. My son is 18 and this has always been his dream but he also is the father of a 1 year old little girl and I'm not sure how she will handle his being gone either because he has been the primary caregiver for her. I have assured him that his father and I will do all we can to take care of her but I know this adjustment is going to be so hard for her. Just looking for some support and helpful advise and prayers. I look forward to building some friendships with fellow navy moms who are going through the same thing.

[stavsmom]

I hope your hanging in there. Time will fly by. Sends lots of letters and pictures of that lil one. My son said the letters was the highlight of his day. He has only been in 6 months and is on deployment already. If you can go to the graduation it is the most incredible thing. on the Navy website there is a lot of info about what he was going through http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/fam_guide.asp.  God bless and hug that baby

[emtbuggy]

I am doing OK, today he has been on my mind non stop, I was not sure if we can send pictures or not so I have been just writing lot's of letters waiting to get his address so I can mail them. We will most definitely be attending the graduation, I can hardly wait! I will keep your son in my prayers as I will all of our SR's and other military family and friends. Thank you for your kind words.God Bless

[momm2five (GM MOM)]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it to you or not. A great way to send pictures during RTC is to print them out on paper and write your letter around them. That way it doesn't make the envelope thicker, and he still gets them.

Hang in there. It's rough. I won't lie . . . RTC was the hardest 9 weeks of my life. Don't be too hard on yourself, allow for days where you are weepy all day long. 

Once he is done and at A school it will be so much easier . . . although we do not have the grand daughter situation, so that may add to it! But he will be able to call, text, and Skype! That will be fun for her.

(((((NMH)))))

I still have days where i will hear a song, or have something I want to tell him, or just want to HUG him. It won't get easier than this, lol!

Laura

[Donna Sue]

Prayers, letters, and other Navy Moms will help you to get through this. I met some of the sweetest women here when my son went to boot camp. It hit me a lot harder than I ever imagined it would. I wrote him everyday but I didn't necessarily mail them everyday. I just kind of continued the letter and changed the date. My son has been in for six years and just left for deployment on Saturday so I found my way back here. It has been a long time but I can see that it is still a great support system and source of strength. God bless you as you begin this very exciting journey.

[emtbuggy]

Thank you and God Bless

[EvaJeannine]

Believe it or not, your son is making a future for he and his little girl :)...The detachment thing is horrible, kinda like a death in a way.My son left for BC Jan 7, and has his PIR 2/28..It really has gone by fast for me,but as a mom of an 18yr old myself, it weighs on the heart strings of them leaving.You'll get through this, I promise,and you will be giving advice to newbie moms in 2 months when your son has his PIR...Hang in there Mom.

[emtbuggy]

Thank you and God Bless

[emtbuggy]

I got my son's " Box " today !!!!!!! Cried a little but smiled a lot, so good to sniff his shirt and have a little reminder of him here with me. Now I wait for the paperwork I guess it gives me something to look forward to! Hope you all are having a wonderful day.

[Susq]

Hang in there..My son left me about 15 days ago and all the not knowing and waiting is what hurts the most. If you need to cry for days then you cry for days. We are all here to support you and help you along with all of this. My son called me about 9:50pm the night he arrived at Boot Camp. He will only get a min to talk to you and it will sound very scripted. He's being told what to say to you. I got my box about 4 or 5 days later and my form letter which had his grad date on it and some other info. I'm lucky I did get 1 call last Sat and we talked for maybe 7 mins or so. Still no personal letter from him but the call has helped me to hang on a little longer. STAY STRONG NAVY MOM!

[cjsmom]

Hello emtbuggy,

My son is in BC at Great Lakes, he arrived on January 21st,  I know how you feel, when I received my first letter from him, it was as though it came straight from God,  I was like a little kid getting mail for the 1st time, and then when he was able to call that was the best and fastes 5 minutes of my life.  He sounded great, and different in a good way. He told me that he was enjoying his experience. I was very surprised to hear from him when it hadn't even been 2 weeks.  I truly believe that your son will do fine. he will have a lot of support to help him through his heart ache of missing his daughter. Remember it is only 8 weeks, and hopefully he will be able to call and talk to her.  have her make pictures to send him, it will warm his heart. I miss my son very much, and was just having a big miss him day today.   God Bless you and your Family, hang in there. 

[emtbuggy]

Yay I got form letter today he is ship 09 division 139 PIR date April 11 anyone else have a child in his division?

[lemonelephant]

Join PIR 04/11/2014 TG 22 to connect with others with loved ones training with your SR.  Divisions 139 and 140 are brother divisions and train together and will have Battle Stations-21 together, so look for others with loved ones in either division.  There will later be a discussion within that group for the two divisions.