A School~ check!

Going to see my sailor graduate from Nuclear Field 

A School was a great experience!! 

I am so grateful that I was able to attend

and share this moment with my son.

The graduation ceremony was impressive. 

My sailor is very proud of his "crows" and red chevron

that indicate his new rank of MM3.

He is a 3rd Class Petty Officer!

He worked hard for this!

Yes, I took a zillion pictures! 

The one above is inside the legendary

Rickover Building. I did not, for the record,

have my soul sucked out of me, but the sailors claim this 

building does just that. ;)

It was so good to see the base and know where my son lives.

Behind him is the Subway where he eats OFTEN! 

He introduced me to the guys and gals that work there

and they were so sweet and friendly. 

I met some of his buddies and passed on mama-hugs

from their moms. 

We visited the USS Yorktown- a WWII era aircraft carrier.

It was so fun we went back the next day 

with some of my son's buddies.

It was cold, but beautiful in Charleston.

And we got to go to Folly Beach, which was so pretty!

We nearly froze, but it was worth to see the beautiful Atlantic! 

What a blessing it was to spend these days with my son.

But let me tell you this...

goodbye does not get easier. 

My sailor starts his next level of schooling,

"Power School", in April. The next time I see him

will be September or October ~ the longest

time not seeing him so far. 

I remind myself that he is doing well,

that this is HIS journey and his life

and I am filled with pride and happiness.

Still, I miss him every day. 

~♥~

thank you, heroes

son and sea shop

When my son was in boot camp I began making

Navy mom, wife, girlfriend, etc pendants.

I have opened an Etsy shop and will keep

it stocked with lots of Navy pride designs.

I am saving my profits for care packages

and trips to visit my Sailor son.

~~FREE SHIPPING~~

so proud

Free digital scrapbook created with Smilebox

brave new world

Last week at this time we were in Great Lakes enjoying 

our son's brief liberty after his boot camp graduation. 

It seems like a year ago! 

The time flew. Those few hours over 2 short days were

not nearly enough. The good bye at O'Hare 

was brutal. Since my son's arrival at NNPTC 

communication has been pretty good... texts, phone calls,

FaceBook. But it is hard to realize that this 

is as good as it gets. I've been sad, but I am

determined to accept this new reality, and to

support and encourage my Sailor. 

It is a rough road, a lonely place for a mother's 

heart. But there is no option except to let go

and CHOOSE gratitude. 

Today I am grateful for family and friends,

for the supportive military community

and for the gift of this day. 

~♥~

bittersweet

A year ago my son was a high school senior

who was talking to a US Navy recruiter.

Today he is a a Sailor with three red stripes

on his sleeve, stationed at

Naval Nuclear Training Command

in Goose Creek, S.C. 

He begins classes later this month, 

the start of a long trek toward becoming

a Machinist Mate-Nuclear Field. 

PIR (boot camp graduation) was amazing.

Our short time with our son was an emotional

roller coaster. I don't like roller coasters.

I thought my first post after PIR would be 

a song of joy, a celebration of pride.

And I feel those things, I assure you,

but in all honesty, I am bereft.

Boot camp had a beginning and an end.

But this, ah this... this is our new reality.

Our son is a Sailor. He chose to serve

and he is gone and he is grown.

He is not in college or at a regular job. 

Nothing or no one comes before 

his commitment to the Navy.

I trust that this new reality will lose some of its

sharp barbs in time, that this ache will ease.

I am grateful for easier communication 

with my Sailor now, happy to know

he is safe and moving toward his goals.

I am trying to concentrate on these things

and thinking of Christmas, hoping 

he has leave.

~♥~

My son is a SAILOR!

At last! 

JOY!

HAPPY,HAPPY DAY! 

We leave for Chicago in the morning!

I am so proud of my sweet Sailor son! 

Millions of photos and details

to come. 

~♥~

the power of a smile

The shortest distance between two people is a smile.  

~Author Unknown

My sweet son is in his last days at RTC . He graduates  next week! 

His division's finals days will be filled with challenges~

final PFAs, inspections, drills, Captain's Cup

and Battle Stations. 

We received a short phone call on Monday~ a reward for a perfect

score on an inspection. My son sounded great, a bit weary, 

but upbeat and ready to wrap this thing up! 

On Tuesday, we got the best gift ever! 

Recruit Training Command's FaceBook page

 has two contests weekly. One of our division moms 

WON Tuesday's trivia game (no small feat, as there

 are MANY parents, spouses, etc playing). 

The prize~ A DIVISION PHOTO!!

So, with no further ado~ I  present 

Ship 7 USS CHICAGO Division 327

83 strong and lookin' good in their NWUs!!! 

 A photo from boot camp is a treasure!!! Winning the contest
is the only way to get a photo from boot camp.
It is just amazing to have this peek 

at the division! And best of all... look at those GRINS!!!!
They were told what the photo was for! They know their moms,
 dads, wives, girlfriends, etc will

see this photo. I love their beautiful smiles!
 LOVE THEM!

This photograph is a treasure. 

And where is my SR?
He is on the very top of the heap~ top upper right,

CLIMBING (oh, how he loves to climb) on something

and rocking the best smile ever!!

That's my boy! 

Note his collar device~ He is a Recruit Petty Office.

~Port Watch Section Leader~ 

That smile is a beautiful sight.

See you soon, son! 

~♥~

I ♥ the gratitude campaign

It is no small thing to say "Thank you." Just do it.

signed, sealed and delivered...

No, I was not as sad as I look in this photo, I promise!!

Yesterday was the big day. My son did his final swearing-in

and boarded the plane to Great Lakes. 

He was able to text me and even called from the airport.

And then at 12:32 I got "the 3 second" call.

He sounded strong, wide-awake (I'll bet!) 

and the teeniest bit nervous. I said a few encouraging words

and told him we love him and that was that.

Mostly I am relieved that he is there safe and sound.

I know he can handle boot camp. 

Yes, I miss him terribly, but I am refusing to give over

to sorrow when there is so much to be grateful for! 

This is what he wants to do! Qualifying for Nuke School

is an accomplishment in itself. I am so happy for him 

and I have confidence in the US Navy. 

This is what they do~ they take boys and girls

and make them men and women and United States Sailors.

It is an honor and privilege to serve.

Today begins the wait for "the box" containing

his clothes, the form letter where we can write him

and the next call (in 3 weeks hopefully) and the first letter.

If he can do boot camp, I can do Navy mom!

Having the support of  loving family and friends,

the amazing US Navy family and a strong faith

comforts me and reminds me to focus on the good.

So~ I give the Navy my precious son with confidence

and gratitude and a fervent prayer that these 

8 weeks go swiftly and without complications. 

HOOYAH! Go Navy! 

~♥~

the choice to serve

Having a child make the decision to serve their country 

can really make a parent think. 

While many people regard the choice to enlist in military service

as a fall back for young people that have few options, 

nothing is further from the truth. Today's Navy is over-manned-

due to downsizing and the current economic climate in our country.

Most recruits (after passing extensive testing) will encounter a long

wait until their field has an opening. 

My son enlisted in November, graduated last month

and departs in August. He qualified for one of the few under-manned 

rates- nuclear field (only about 3% of the Navy). 

It is not easy to enlist and even before recruits leave for 

boot camp they begin learning the Navy way. My son is

in the Navy's Delayed Entry Program (DEP) and attends

meetings and is in regular, close contact with his recruiters. 

He is expected to learn material, practice drills and keep his 

nose clean until his departure. 

Young people who choose to enter military service and 

are able to qualify are privileged to serve and we, 

as US citizens,are also privileged to have them

 looking after us in a dangerous, complex world. 

The next time you hear of a young person making this commitment,

don't assume they had no other options. 

Instead, understand that they are embarking on a noble,

challenging endeavor to benefit not only themselves,

but also the greater good of our nation and the world.

Know that they are among a select group of young men 

and women that qualify and choose to live an uncommon life

of self- sacrifice and courage.

~♥~

Remember this...

~Sailors aboard the USS TORTUGA delivering humanitarian aid to Japan~

~photo credit~ US NAVY~ enchanced by SeaDreamStudio~

There are real heroes in our turbulent world.

Our military is all-volunteer. 

Our country CHOOSES to help the world.