I'm grateful to all your sons and daughters. I'm grateful to all of you who are reading this for raising good kids who've made a life decision that's BIG. It's a decision that you live with too. Thank you! I'm thankful for my son who, without me noticing it seems, turned into such a fine man. I'm grateful for his supervisor who's been such a good mentor for him. I'm grateful for his life. I'm grateful for the life that connects all of us. I'm grateful for text messages, phone calls and Skype. I'm grateful that my kid gets to participate in life and is learning how to be a leader. I am grateful that I can search inside my heart and find things to be grateful for, no matter what.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: dansmom3,
What you are going through is very normal. I'm sure it's tough on him too. When my son deployed, he finally told us that we could leave (which we didn't do, we just moved off to the side) because he needed to get ready. I really believe the reason he told us that was because he was almost crying.
It's tough the first time your kids leave. On the bright side, he is going to a resort area. For OPSEC reasons, I won't put where he is going (and you should not in any more of your posts), but that country has the highest GDP of any country in the region and they are huge on tourism. This will be a great way for him to see a new part of the world without too much worry.
It does get better. Be sure to write him and email and IM whenever you get the chance.
YOIKS! Sorry about the location thing. Thanks for the response. I do know this a relatively safe thing he's doing. That's one of the things that's kept me okay--that's where the gratitude comes in for parents and young people who ARE in more perilous situations. That's where the guilt is, I'm being self indulgent.
So what I'd like to do is this--get rid of the first part of this thread, because it's not helping anybody, and start over. I'll refer back to the topic heading I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL SONS AND DAUGHTERS! I'm thankful, thankful, thankful, for all the great memories of their childhood and gratefully awaken to the fact that just because childhood is over, doesn't mean life is over. Just childhood. Grateful for their abilities to grow and persevere. Grateful for their dedication and commitment, their desire and ability to give of themselves. May they continue to build a better world.
I think that this is just the beginning. We have had this thrust upon us. I mean I knew for a very long time that this is what my son wanted to do. Ever since he first told me about Ghengis Khan, he had the gleam in his eye. My son is a wonderful human being. He has listened. He could have given me so many problems and he hasn't. He has been with me through everything since I was 18 and now he is 18. and I think..Oh my god. I am sooo proud of him. May God Bless him and all of our boys. And God help us, as we send our boys off to who knows where,, to who knows what. Fright sitting on our shoulders, and pride gleaming from our eyes and tears scalding our cheeks with kisses of love to send them off.
Melissa, what helps me most right now is knowing they have each other. You mentioned something about this son of yours "clicking" the way your others didn't, and that's the same with Dan and I. Maybe that's why they can go--there's nothing between us to build or heal or anything like that, at the core of it, it's perfect and sound. I think it keeps growing, because that's the nature of love. But there's nothing between us to "fix". I think these young people are able to give that to each other, too. I hope your visit goes well the end of this month! We enjoyed visiting Dan on base and meeting his friends. It helps put things in perspective. Hope your day goes well--sending you lots of love--Mary Jo
Thank you Mary Joe. You know your right, too. I talked with Darian when he was home at Christmas about if there was anything that I could have done, that I didn't do, that he might have wanted me to do. The perfect time for him to say all my mess ups, bad decisions, everything, and he says, "No, Mom, you did the best you could. I know that. I got all I needed and what I wanted and you provided me with that. " Proud of him. God, I raised such a good kid.
Yes, you did!!! It may sound funny under the circumstances, but you helped prepare him for what he's doing now, and what you gave him is giving him the strength to grow and connect with other people. I guess one of the things that doesn't get discussed much on military forums is the fact that these young people are creating family with each other, that they love and protect each other, and that we (their birth families) are what prepared them for that! Love's the foundation for everything, even stuff we don't understand.
So how are you doing today, anyway??? I heard from Dan last night He has an iTouch iPod and there's wireless where he's stationed!!!! We IM'd for a bit!!!! BOY DO I FEEL BETTER!!!
Hi all, I just posted about how I'm feeling today and wished I'd read this first. I, like each of you, is so proud of my son and the others like him. They are truly unique and special people to choose to fight for our country and give of themselves this way. I too feel my son and I have a special relationship that goes unspoken a lot in our understanding of each other. Its amazing and wonderful.
Let's keep those prayers going. I'm going to see about downloading Skype now. Also going to get my son an IPOD. lol Melanie
I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL SONS AND DAUGHTERS! I'm thankful, thankful, thankful, for all the great memories of their childhood and gratefully awaken to the fact that just because childhood is over, doesn't mean life is over. Just childhood. Grateful for their abilities to grow and persevere. Grateful for their dedication and commitment, their desire and ability to give of themselves. May they continue to build a better world.
That's right!!! 
