Sad

[gofigyer]

At 15:00 hours yesterday, I gave my youngest son to the United States Marine Corp. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, watching my youngest get on that plane. Yes, I am proud, but right now I can't seem to quit crying. And getting that scripted phone call right before I went to bed, that he had arrived at MCRD SD safe and sound with the DI's screaming bloody murder in the background did nothing to help me sleep. Even tho' my brain knows this is the way of it and why, my eyes just won't quit.

I know this will all pass. I gave them a boy and they will give me back a man and a Marine but it certainly isn't easy. To the other moms out there, please tell me this'll just last a couple of days and how you coped. I just didn't expect to feel this way.

Gofigyer

[yellowwing]

He's in good hands Judy, no matter how it sounds. He wasn't a boy anymore when he raised his right hand. You raised him well. Prayers and letters are a vital support link.

No doubt some Marine Parents will be along with their experience. God Bless!

[Phantom Blooper]

Take a deep breath.....a couple aspirins or tylenol....and a healthy dose of chill pill and quit crying.

In thirteen weeks or eleven whatever it is today...when you see your young Marine march across the grinder or receive his Eagle,Globe and Anchor you will need those tears to well up and burst with another dose of pride.

Send plenty of positive mail and rest assure that your son is in GREAT hands and when you see him next (even though ..you think he is now) he will be one of the worlds finest!

Good luck and God speed!

And QUIT that crying it makes your eyes all puffy and your nose runny!:evilgrin:

[sassyred4953]

Cry those tears Gofigyer. Cry and cry until you are totally exhausted. Because only after you allow yourself the time to grieve for your "baby" leaving your nest will you be able to make room for the incredible pride that will fill your heart and turn you into the obnoxious, moto Mom we all become along the way. Your son will roll his eyes and act like he doesn't like all the magnets on your car and he will wonder if you have anything else in your wardrobe besides "Proud Mom of A US Marine" t-shirts. My son refuses to buy me one more gold charm for my necklaces he fondly calls my Mr. T starter set. So yes what you feel right now hurts like the blazes and I promise you it will pass. So for now just write to him every day and let him know how much you love him and how so very proud of him you are. He will need your letters, they are his only link to the outside world for the next 13 weeks. You be there for him and I'll be here for you.
Joyce
Very Proud Marine Mom since 2005
Been through 2 deployments and gearing up for the 3rd

[marinemom]

First of all, it is normal to cry - no matter how old they are, still your "baby". Christopher is a third generation Marine - and I still got weepy when the time came. We can't help it.

Remember that you raised a young man who understands that Honor, Courage and Commitment are not just words - they are the building blocks for his life. Be proud that you had a hand in that... a very big hand.

Write, write, write - send funny cards, cut out cartoons for him - but keep the mail going ALL THE TIME. They need it and appreicate it more than you can imagine. And, believe it or not, doing that will make your feel better.

But, as the Blooper and 'wing said, you will not believe the incredible feeling of pride that you experience as you see him walk acrosss the parade deck - that is when you REALLY need the tissues.

Kick back and relax until you leave for graduation - then prepare yourself for the complete transformation - you're gonna love being a Marine parent!

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD MAAM,PLUS I BET HE THROWS IN ONE MORE PUSHUP OR PULLUP JUST FOR YOU!!!1 MORE 4MY MOM"OOHRAH".GODSPEED 2 HIM & YOUR FAMILY,SEMPERS :evilgrin::iwo:

[ScottsMom]

Go ahead and cry, I know I cried. In fact I cried a lot. We as moms worry and then after that,,, we worry some more. Your son will come home a fine US Marine and the pride you will feel on Family and Graduation Day can not be put into words. My son is the 11th family member of mine to join the Marines. I had a lot of support while he was in Boot Camp which I think made it easier for me. I'm here if you have any questions or if you just want to talk.

I promise you, it will get easier. Once my son's letters started rolling in, the time flew by. I thought that maybe once he reached the Fleet he would stop calling but to my surprise, he still calls me every single week and sometimes even twice a week. The Marines changed him, for the better.

Hang in there Mom! We all know what you are going thru. Also, every single Parent and Marine on this site is, in one word, AWESOME!! They are very helpful and supportive.

[Gator347]

You may be crying tears of sadness now but he is in good hands. I would say he is in the "Best Hands". I won't make light of it because the next 3 months will be some of the hardest that you have ever gone through.:cry:

BUT I dare say, your tears at Graduation Day will more than make up for it. :banana:It took every bit of strenth to hold back the tears (I failded miserably) & this Dad still tears up knowing his son is a US Marine.:iwo:

[Marine84]

I've been back to the Island a couple of times and watched graduation ceremonies (from the bleachers this time) and I teared up both times and NONE of them were MY children. Trust me, we feel the same thing out there on that Parade Deck (on top of thinking to ourselves "when is this nonsense gonna be over so I can get the HELL off this ROCK". You'll be so proud of that boy that you won't be able to stand him! In the meantime, cry if it helps - it's hard to let go of somebody that you've loved, nurtured and fought with to teach all of his life. Wait until he brings a few of his buddies home with him..................you'll be asking him when they're leaving. LOL!

[SGT7477]

He will do just fine, keep him in your prayers and before you know it you will see him in the best uniform there ever was and let the tears flow. Semper FI.

[Loreelle]

You may think I'm awful, but I COULDN'T cry. My youngest left our neck of the woods on September 14th. He is 36 days, 6 hours, 2 minutes and 43 seconds away from his "MOTe Run" where I will have a chance to spot him for the first time in three months. My youngest was a good kid for the most part, but he was goal-less, aimless, without a positive future, struggled with his concept of himself and frustrated. He was not a "school kid" nor could he find a job that gave him satisfaction. He signed up with a recruiter of another military branch and after four months of empty promises and a broken marriage, he walked next door and found the Marine recruiter. He had always wanted to be a United States Marine. In three weeks, he was gone. His letters from Parris Island are nothing short of AMAZING. The Corps has instilled a sense of self-worth in him that he could realize nowhere else. He has achieved every goal he sets for himself along the way. This week, he qualifies for his marksmanship level. He is going for "Expert", the highest on P.I.

Please take comfort. My youngest prays harder for me here at home than himself. He says at least he's locked down on an island full of MARINES!! Your son will find deep inside himself a man he did not know existed. Be encouraged. It could be prison.

[Loreelle]

He will do just fine, keep him in your prayers and before you know it you will see him in the best uniform there ever was and let the tears flow. Semper FI.
THAT's when I don't think I'll be able to hold my tears!!! TEARS OF PRIDE AND EXCITEMENT!!!

[gofigyer]

Thank you ALL for your sharing your experience and not making TOO much fun of me for acting like a baby. I don't come from any kind of military experience and so, have no support system set up or anybody who understands what this is like. Like Loreelle's son, mine seemed to flounder and just couldn't find his path - until he followed through with something he had been talking about since he was a child.

When he was 7, he announced to his stunned parents that he wanted to grow up to be a sniper...and then added when he saw the horrified look on our faces....not because he wanted to hurt anybody, but because he wanted to "serve his country". I am so grateful that I raised a Marine rather than a serial killer.

I will pull up my big girl panties :bunny: and get busy with my letters. (And I did pretty good until I read all of your posts, then the faucet started again. But I can feel it fading and think it was more relief that I'm not alone than anything else.)

God bless you and yours!

[yellowwing]

Good to go Judy! :thumbup: You are part of our Marine Corps Family now, you got all the support you can ask for!

[marinemama]

My best to you and your son! Welcome to the wild ride! :o) Write as much as you can, he will love anything he can get his hands on. Can't wait to see your post about graduation...it will come fast, after the first couple of weeks and you will be so incredibly proud.

Mon XX

[gofigyer]

Well, I've taken all of your advice and did the womanly thing....

Went to the Marine store and ordered my "Marine Mom" t-shirts, hats, and of course, the required giant beer mug!!!:)

Can't wait for them to arrive. In the meantime, I've already started my letter writing and am just waiting for the postcard with Richard's mailing address. Hey, when the going gets tough, there's gotta be more stuff I can buy!

Thanks to all, gofigyer :banana:

[marinemama]

Well, I've taken all of your advice and did the womanly thing....

Went to the Marine store and ordered my "Marine Mom" t-shirts, hats, and of course, the required giant beer mug!!!:)

Can't wait for them to arrive. In the meantime, I've already started my letter writing and am just waiting for the postcard with Richard's mailing address. Hey, when the going gets tough, there's gotta be more stuff I can buy!

Thanks to all, gofigyer :banana:

That is really funny...It is really really hard to find things Marine Mom with a 2 on them...My son just sent me a huge box of moto gear for my birthday from Lejeune. Really nice stuff...he always asks me if I am wearing my motard gear :o) Welcome to the best shopping ever! Did you go to Sgt Grit? Cafe Press has tons of lovely Mom stuff too! Happy shopping!

[gofigyer]

Oh-mi-Gosh. I bet it IS hard to find stuff for Marine Mom times two. Maybe you should design your own line. HAHAH. I ordered from eMarine PX and thought they had a good selection...altho' pink really isn't my color, I can fake it with my mom ballcap. My guess is that I'll be wearin' it all - while making good use of the beer mug!

It's doubly hard as I'm packing up my entire life here in Denver and moving to Ft. Myers Florida in 4 days. I waited to move until Richard deployed and then am hitting to road. I've been building a hurricane-proof 'round' house there and it's finally almost done, so I'm excited but moving sucs along with everything else. If Richard ends up at training school on the east coast, I'm all set. :-)

[marinemama]

Moving is no fun at all. Your house sounds really cool...I have never seen a round hurricane proof house...must google that now. Good luck with your move. I will need to think on your clothing line suggestion :o)

[gofigyer]

Well, sort of round, in a stop sign kind of way. Go see them at www.deltechomes.com. They're really 8x8' flat panel walls, but it creates a pretty unique design which the wind goes around. There aren't any weight-bearing walls inside, and you can design the inside of your home like I did, or use one of their designs. It's been a very interesting process.

You know, there just might be a market for a clothing line. Hmmmm. Donate 10% of sales to a Marine org??? That'd keep some of us moms busy, eh?

[Gator347]

I grew up in Cape Coral across the river from Ft. Myers. I think you'll like it. Winters can be conjested due to the "Snow Birds" but it is nice.

I wish you and your Marine ALL the Best.

[gofigyer]

Hey Gator, I'm ready. Been visiting there for 7 years and trying to build this house for 3. I bet the Cape looked much different when you were growing up. It's really busy over there now. Funny how folks down there each consider the other side of the river "outsiders". I get a big kick out of that. But I LOVE the slower pace even tho' it takes a while to get used too after living in a city that goes, goes, goes. Will keep you all posted. Haven't seen my house since it was anything but framed out walls. Should be interesting.

[marinemama]

Those houses look amazing! Thanks for sharing the link. I hope you post pics when you get all moved in..or at least e-mail me some. My best to you and your son...hope your move goes smoothly.