Sep 15 2008
Pleasantly surprised…and unpleasantly reminded
So today, I am waiting in the drive thru….and I hear this lady yelling at me! I am thinking hmmmm, I don’t think I cut her off or drove erratically…LOL…so I push the button and the windows go down and I stick my head out hesitantly and look her direction. She got this genuinely kind look on her face and said, “just wanted to thank you for your sacrifice and your son’s service.” Oh boy, that set off a crying fit. I politely thanked her and then left the fast food lane without my order. She had seen my “My son serves so we can be free” sticker. I was so grateful for her kind comment but yet it just really touched a nerve that’s so close to the surface anyway right now. I thought of my son and his tall lean stature and his ever deepening voice and his bright gorgeous blue eyes and his easy way and then reality slapped me hard–he’s about to face insurgents and IED’s and hostile people who don’t understand or welcome his mission and view our entire nation as their enemy. That’s why this blog is called heaven and hell at once……because I am so proud and so blessed to be his mom but I am also very anxious and it just troubles me beyond description that I can’t be there to be sure he’s getting enough to eat and enough rest (which I am certain he won’t be) and I won’t be there to watch out for him or make sure he has a clean uniform like I used to in ROTC–I know that borderlines on silly to some but it’s my emotions and most of the time in this case, my emotions make no sense. I guess that’s pretty much what I am blogging for, is to try and use this as an outlet and perhaps keep a bit of sanity. Of course, hoping to get words from you all to keep my perspective as healthy as I can. So to the lady who thanked me….thank YOU for being so kind….and to all of you who read here….thank YOU for not having me locked up in the cuckoo bin…..and he hasn’t even left the country yet! I just love him more than words can say and I am very blessed that I am his mom…..remember I am here for your strength, support and courage to lean on…….so send some my way….it’s one of those ‘really need it’ days.
So many families have this to bare and my heart goes out to every single one of them. My son is talking about joining up now that he is 19, so I understand the feelings that you may have. We can not always be with them, but only hope they are in God’s arms safe.
Being a vet I have a certain understanding. Your son is doing what he wants. That is really important. Why is a marine a marine, be cause he wants. Your son, who will return is serving you and me. Some moms are not lucky enough to have a son that wants to serve his country. Stand tall mom, you have a winner.
Got a buddy over there that I used to work with, He is around the area your son is. I call him on the phone periodically to see how he is doing. Any way I got some co workers to pitch in for a care package. I went down to Wally World, I got things like Jerkey, Trail Mix. water guns. Anyway it was about $200 worth of stuff. He cried. He also said he gave the water guns to the kids! Camp Liberty gets mail!