Home with our son

Well, we did it! We managed to get our son home for a few days before his deployment.

We spent our time talking, swimming, reading, on long walks together, laughing, 4-wheeling, gardening, and just all around lounging out.

He shared his assignment with us.  He will be the Chaplain’s body guard.  He will go on all the convoys with the Chaplain and protect him from enemy fire. This is right up his alley! He is all about infantry…and as a mom I am glad he isn’t on the front lines!

He’s very happy about this because then he is able to get off the ship and fulfill his desire to protect. 

He was tied for first in his unit for marksman. He is a true blue Tennessee shot! He told us that he could put a grapefruit pattern on a target at 500 yards…open sights.

He spent many years shooting on the back 40.

He was always helping the little ones learn how to shoot also…here he is helping his youngest sibling to handle a bow.

He’s also a funny guy!

His dad and I are so proud of him.

 

We love you son. We look forward to the day you are back in our arms on American soil. We know that you are finally fulfilling your dreams. May they be all that you thought they would be.

Love, Mom

Mom, I have bad news

Why do these words strike terror in the hearts of us moms?

My United States Marine son called me a few days ago. 

Phone: ringing

Mom: Hello?

Son: Mom, I have bad news.

Mom: not nervous full of anxiety…What’s the matter son?

Son: I won’t be coming home before deployment.  Actually, they changed our deployment date to August 27th. AND we are deploying to Pakistan.

Mom: silence

Son: You there, Mom?

Mom: Yes, just stunned.

I have been prepared for his deployment for years…even before he was a Marine. I always knew he would be a Marine and that deployment goes along with that.

But, the reality of it being here and being here sooner than I planned for, and heading to Pakistan, wasn’t what I was planned for.

Looking back on this little boy…curly blonde hair, big brown eyes and incredible smile, makes me want to kiss him all over. I used to dance with him in my arms, swing him over and over ‘til my arms hurt, and kiss all his boo-boos.

He is now 6’ 1”, still blonde, still has beautiful brown eyes and that smile is just as big as when he was little.  And he still lets me kiss him and dance with him! We just dance ballroom now!

 

So, in less than 2 weeks, my little boy grown man leaves on a carrier for Pakistan. Taking with him all the love he can carry from  his family and God.

Pakistan has had tremendous amounts of flooding. So, the Marines are going in for relief work as well as possible hostilities with the Taliban.

Our son will be in logistics so we aren’t sure what his responsibilities will be.

He will be working towards peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan until May of 2011.

We will miss him beyond words, we will cry with him when he leaves, we will keep track of his MUE, we will pray daily for his safety, we will run with open arms to welcome  him back to American soil and the safety of his family in May, we will never let a day go by that we don’t have his name on our lips.

*On a last minute notice:  he gets to come home (outa the blue) for this coming weekend! We will actually get to see him for 3 days before he heads out to serve his country.