Comment about A Mother’s Silent Scream

Laurie, another Marine mom left this comment about my Parent’s Zone article A Mother’s Silent Scream: Coping with Impending Deployment.

Your story is mine. My son is USMC Lcpl. somewhere in the world traveling as I write this to his first deployment. God help me I had no idea I could hold my breath this long, let alone how long it will take until he is safely back home.

My motto is “It is what it is.” I also avoid the subject w/ non-military families. It is just too difficult. I am consumed at the moment, looking for distractions and move between pride and fear every second.

I remind myself that I (we) raised a Marine and that he represents everything the embodies the few and the proud. He is my hero in every sense of the word.

Set your intentions high and know that our fears are insignificant compared to the job our boys have volunteered to do. Find peace in friends and family, and remember to have courage. Our boys sent to war need to know that we will be okay.

Thank your son for me for his service to our country. Thank you for raising a Marine.
Semper Fi,
Laurie

It is good to know that we are not alone. Sometimes it feels that way. It gives me great comfort to belong to this huge “family.”

Thanks Laurie and your LCpl will remain in our thoughts and prayers through his deployment and when his feet are again on American soil.

Quote of the Week

Army: A body of men assembled to rectify the mistakes of the diplomats.
–Josephus Daniels–

Snips and Snails and Puppydog Tails

 I had mentioned awhile ago on my original blog that my son Hippie guy and DIL Flower Child were expecting a child. Originally they did not want to find out the sex because they wanted to be surprised.

Well she went for an ultrasound and as soon as the technician put the wand on her stomach she blurted out, “It’s a boy!” Well my DIL was not upset and she said she would have figured it out because by looking at the screen that it was VERY obvious that there was a little man in there!

So everyone is happy and the kids are excited because they were hoping for a boy. So that makes one girl grandchild, Butterfly and two boy grandchildren, LollyPop Kid and hmmm…guess I will have to think about the new one’s blog name.  I could stay with the hippie theme but then again he might not be a hippie like his parents. He could be a rocket scientist, concert pianist or even President of the United States! Yea I think I should at least see his personality before naming him. For now I will call him Baby C because C is the third letter of the alphabet and he is my third.

Wordless Wednesday – Tulips

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It’s Promotion Time

 

Just got word that on this past Sunday my nephew, CPl Red is now SGT Red!!! Congratulations to you! Way to go and we are proud of you!

Not only did he get promoted on Mother’s Day but he also took the time to send his mother, Crafty a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers. Nice move SGT Red.

So I guess this makes up for the lack of enthusiasm in his unit’s newsletter. 

 

 

 

Military Monday

The GI FilmFestival was established to exclusively celebrate and honor the men and women of the US Military.  It will be held May 13-17 2009 in Washington D.C. So if you are near here you can go and check out some of these movies.

Some of the fimmakers are active duty and retired military so they have first hand experience.

If you visit the site you can watch the trailers and decide which films you would like to see. Many celebrities will be appearing such as Gary Sinise, Robert Duvall and Fred Thompson.

Sounds like a fun thing to do this weekend!

Got Yardwork?

Besides defending our freedom, providing humanitarian efforts around the globe and training for combat, the Marines are now venturing into new realms. I wonder if the government is paying for this?

Just wait until LCpl Honda comes home on leave…

A Mother’s Silent Scream: Coping with Impending Deployment

This is my newest post to appear on Parent’s Zone

My son, LCpl Honda is set to deploy to the Sandbox later this year. It is still a few months off so I decided I just cannot freak out and go out of my mind with worry just yet. Nevertheless, I have to admit that each day that comes to pass, I feel a scream welling up inside of me. I know that this is probably normal and I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.

When my nephew, Cpl Red went on his first deployment I watched my sister, Crafty go through this process. I was with her when she had to say goodbye as his unit left. That experience is forever stamped in my memory. I watched other parents, wives, girlfriends and children say goodbye to their loved ones. I saw the look on their faces. I came home and told my mom, “I don’t want to ever have to do this again.” However, in my heart I know I would.

I remember when I was very young and Vietnam ended. I naively thought that there would not really be any more wars. Why? I guess because I was young and not very informed about the way of the world. I never ever thought that a child of mine might have to go off to combat. I think after 911 that changed. With my daughter, Cinderella, active duty army at the time, for the first time ever, I felt the fear that I feel now.

I have only told family about LCpl Honda’s deployment. I cannot bear to divulge this information to other friends and co-workers just yet. LCpl Honda worked at the same place I worked before going off to boot camp. So everyone there likes him and knows him well. I just cannot bear the sympatric looks that I know will come. Please do not get me wrong. I know people mean well, but non-military families just do not have the understanding. It is not their fault. They are just not in the situation.

I have also found that I purposely do not do things like watch war movies. My husband wanted to watch ‘Saving Private Ryan’ this past weekend. I could not do it. HBO is replaying ‘Taking Chance’ at the end of the month. It is about a fallen Marine being escorted home. I plan to record it, but I do not think I will watch it until this deployment is over and my son and nephew are home safe.

I am not sure how well I will cope in the days ahead, but I will at least try to “soldier on” and if anybody asks, I will just reply with, “Good to go.”

 

Quote of the Week

Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem.
–Ronald Reagan–

Wordless Wednesday