...the day arrived. This morning he slept in a little and then one of his best friends came over. Erich finished clearing out his room a little and packing his backpack with the few items he was able to take with him. We did a few more errands while Jim had to work for a few hours today. After the errands the boys took me to the local ice cream store and we had a few good laughs talking about their past as 'little' boys and some of things they pulled when younger.
Later more people came by to say good-bye and drop of some more phone cards for him (thank's guys!) and so we just spend the day doing this and that - doing it together.
After Jim arrived home from work we said farewell to everyone and started our 2 1/2 hour ride to Tampa. Once we reached the Hotel Erich went to sign in, get his room assigned and get instructions for the next few hours. Once that was done we were able to enjoy a dinner together at the hotel restaurant where many other new soldiers were eating as well. My first thought upon looking at them was: "good lord they're just babies!". Then I looked at my husband and thought: "good lord, we weren't any older then they are when we got married and had Erich and were in the Army". As a matter of fact we were exactly the same age.
We then stood outside for a while and then came the moment I dreaded a little, the hugs and kisses good-bye. I didn't want to cry, I wanted the last thing he saw on my face this evening be a smile and pride, and not a teary mess. And that's exactly what he did get to see, no tears. So then he went back to his room and we headed back home.
Tomorrow morning him and the others will board a plane and start a new life. I feel like the road we've always traveled together now has split in 2 directions with him going a different direction then I am. And although I know that's the way it should be I'm still going to find this road a little harder to travel for a while.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Almost there
Hard to believe but it's almost time, 5 more days. He's had a quick test today involving running, sit and push-ups and passed that without any problems. He got directions to where we need to take him and will get a list of things he should be bringing with him. That list will be fairly short since they are to travel light and will be getting all Army gear after in processing.
Tuesday we will take him up to Tampa where he will be spending the night with other future soldiers at a special hotel. This is where we'll drop him off and say our good-byes. Then we'll head back home and he will get to bed early since his night will be over at 4:30 am. I don't know exactly when their flight leaves at this time, but it'll be sometime Wednesday morning I'm sure. Sometime in the afternoon he should arrive at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. where his in-processing begins. I've heard that usually takes between 4-6 days and then the real basic training will begin.
Of course I don't know the details but my blog won't end once he leaves, so everyone reading here will learn more along the way - just like I will.
Tuesday we will take him up to Tampa where he will be spending the night with other future soldiers at a special hotel. This is where we'll drop him off and say our good-byes. Then we'll head back home and he will get to bed early since his night will be over at 4:30 am. I don't know exactly when their flight leaves at this time, but it'll be sometime Wednesday morning I'm sure. Sometime in the afternoon he should arrive at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. where his in-processing begins. I've heard that usually takes between 4-6 days and then the real basic training will begin.
Of course I don't know the details but my blog won't end once he leaves, so everyone reading here will learn more along the way - just like I will.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
10 days to go
So the longest wait for him is just about over. His room is all packed into different categories, things to be donated, things to keep for a later life, things he might want us to send once he has his first permanent duty station and things that can go in the trash.
He spends time with us, spends time with his friends and last night we spend time all together. We rented a home and threw him a going away/ early birthday surprise party - and boy was it a surprise. Not until about the last hour or so before did he know something was going on, but he had no clue what. That in part was due to his great friends who managed to keep their mouth shut and get him were he needed to be in the afternoon, I sure appreciated their help.
So many people came by too which made me very happy and hopefully showed him that people do care about him and what he is about to do. A lot of our friends that have known Erich for quite some time now, a lot of his friends, some from when he went to High School here and some that are a little newer but still pretty close - they all were a great bunch of young people.
Next week I'll be making a few more of his favorite dishes and next weekend we'll let him decide what he wants to do and how he wants to spend it. Tomorrow we should find out more details about where and when to drop him off on the 5th and I'm guessing the next few days will pass quickly.
He spends time with us, spends time with his friends and last night we spend time all together. We rented a home and threw him a going away/ early birthday surprise party - and boy was it a surprise. Not until about the last hour or so before did he know something was going on, but he had no clue what. That in part was due to his great friends who managed to keep their mouth shut and get him were he needed to be in the afternoon, I sure appreciated their help.
So many people came by too which made me very happy and hopefully showed him that people do care about him and what he is about to do. A lot of our friends that have known Erich for quite some time now, a lot of his friends, some from when he went to High School here and some that are a little newer but still pretty close - they all were a great bunch of young people.
Next week I'll be making a few more of his favorite dishes and next weekend we'll let him decide what he wants to do and how he wants to spend it. Tomorrow we should find out more details about where and when to drop him off on the 5th and I'm guessing the next few days will pass quickly.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Cinco de Mayo
Today I took the 5th of May off from work. The 5th of May is my sisters birthday, as well as my bosses birthday and of course Cinco de Mayo, none of which is the reason I won't be around that day. That day will be reserved for taking Erich and his one backpack to Tampa, to take him to MEPS, to drop him off and say good-bye. That's the day his life will change more then it ever has before, the day the biggest decision he's ever made for himself will come into effect. It's the day he will be heading to Fort Leonard Wood, MO for Basic Training and AIT.
We won't know when we'll hear from him next at this point. Won't know how long his in-processing will take and when the actual training will begin. Won't know when he'll be able to call or write, really won't know much for a while. But that's something we'll have to get used to since in the Army nothing is ever really sure to far ahead of time.
But right now he's still here and we're trying to spend as much time with him as possible. His dad does things with him like playing pool, I'm watching movies with him and cooking him is favorite foods - spoiling him a little more for the next couple of weeks after which no more spoiling will be done for quite some time ;-).
We won't know when we'll hear from him next at this point. Won't know how long his in-processing will take and when the actual training will begin. Won't know when he'll be able to call or write, really won't know much for a while. But that's something we'll have to get used to since in the Army nothing is ever really sure to far ahead of time.
But right now he's still here and we're trying to spend as much time with him as possible. His dad does things with him like playing pool, I'm watching movies with him and cooking him is favorite foods - spoiling him a little more for the next couple of weeks after which no more spoiling will be done for quite some time ;-).
Monday, April 5, 2010
One month away
Today it's actually exactly one month away from when we will either drop him off at the recruiters or at the MEPS station, depending on what he prefers - we haven't talked about that yet. Of course this date will only remain intact if he can stop hurting himself like he did last Friday when he rolled his ankle off a curb and almost broke it - luckily he did not and it's healing quite nicely, even if it does have all the colors possible ;)
So anyway, the time has come for him to start packing up his room, to decide what he might want to keep for later on or what he wants to get rid of because he won't ever use it again. Time has come to think about him only being home for the occasional vacation or holiday. Time has come to realize that this is real, and I'm not talking about him leaving the nest, all children do eventually and I've never been a mother to cling on to her child to hard. I've let him go before, but somehow that was different. Although it was during an incredibly tough time I didn't try to talk him out of moving back to Michigan, I figured he'd be back within a couple for month. He wasn't and even though things were then very hard for him in Michigan I didn't try to talk him into coming back either and sure enough, 10 months later he did move back.
This time he will move out and be out for a signed up 6 years if all goes well, and of course we hope that all goes well, and after those 6 years he'll either continue with the Army or he'll be moving lord knows where, he'll be 27 then and possibly have his own family by then.
And it's not just that he's moving out, again - I do know how to let go, I had to do it enough throughout my life. It's more about where he's going that's making me worry. Oh not so much the first few month, I know he'll do fine through BCT and school, but what about after that? I will have to learn to let those thoughts go and just see this as the new part of his life that it is, with all the risks and growth it entails. I'm sure I will have good and bad days and I'm hoping to hear as much from his as possible, it'll help to know how he's doing.
One month away......so many things to take care of beforehand, to say, to do, to organize......so little time really.
So anyway, the time has come for him to start packing up his room, to decide what he might want to keep for later on or what he wants to get rid of because he won't ever use it again. Time has come to think about him only being home for the occasional vacation or holiday. Time has come to realize that this is real, and I'm not talking about him leaving the nest, all children do eventually and I've never been a mother to cling on to her child to hard. I've let him go before, but somehow that was different. Although it was during an incredibly tough time I didn't try to talk him out of moving back to Michigan, I figured he'd be back within a couple for month. He wasn't and even though things were then very hard for him in Michigan I didn't try to talk him into coming back either and sure enough, 10 months later he did move back.
This time he will move out and be out for a signed up 6 years if all goes well, and of course we hope that all goes well, and after those 6 years he'll either continue with the Army or he'll be moving lord knows where, he'll be 27 then and possibly have his own family by then.
And it's not just that he's moving out, again - I do know how to let go, I had to do it enough throughout my life. It's more about where he's going that's making me worry. Oh not so much the first few month, I know he'll do fine through BCT and school, but what about after that? I will have to learn to let those thoughts go and just see this as the new part of his life that it is, with all the risks and growth it entails. I'm sure I will have good and bad days and I'm hoping to hear as much from his as possible, it'll help to know how he's doing.
One month away......so many things to take care of beforehand, to say, to do, to organize......so little time really.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
39 more days
As time draws closer the conversations between Jim and I grow more intense and more frequent about Erich's departure. We're reassuring ourselves that all will be fine and he will get out of this experience everything he is hoping to. It's up to him to make it now, there is little we can to do help anymore. Sometimes it feels like I've done what I could as mother, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst - but the best I could and now it's out of my hands, now it's in someone elses. And yet I want to do more, want to prepare him more for the time to come, want to tell him more about experiences I've had in my life just like Jim wants to tell him more about experiences he's had in the Military. Knowing full well that there is little left to tell him that we haven't already and that now it's his turn to make and collect those experiences.
Conversations with other people about Erich's decision to join haven't all been positive, some have even been negative. Everyone is allowed to their own opinion and I certainly do not have a problem with that. I can only slightly smile at reactions such as: "I would've forbid my child to join and do this". Forbid a 20 year old? Really?
I guess over time I'll hear more negative things but that's ok, I can handle it. Most of my friends and family are supportive, if not of the Army per se then at least of Erich, and that's all I'm ever asking for.
Just this afternoon Jim and I once again talked about how time is growing closer and how to handle the day of his departure to basic training and later on I mentioned to Erich how it's only a few more weeks and he said: "Mom, it's 39 more days."
39 more days.............
Conversations with other people about Erich's decision to join haven't all been positive, some have even been negative. Everyone is allowed to their own opinion and I certainly do not have a problem with that. I can only slightly smile at reactions such as: "I would've forbid my child to join and do this". Forbid a 20 year old? Really?
I guess over time I'll hear more negative things but that's ok, I can handle it. Most of my friends and family are supportive, if not of the Army per se then at least of Erich, and that's all I'm ever asking for.
Just this afternoon Jim and I once again talked about how time is growing closer and how to handle the day of his departure to basic training and later on I mentioned to Erich how it's only a few more weeks and he said: "Mom, it's 39 more days."
39 more days.............
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Departure is getting closer
Slowly but surely May 5th is creeping up on me and the closer the date of his departure comes the less I know if I'm ready for it. But it really doesn't matter if I am or not, important is that he's ready - and boy is he ever. If it was up to Erich he'd rather leave tomorrow instead of in a few weeks from now. And because I know that's what he wants now I'm excited for him.
It's still an odd thought for me, knowing that when he moves out this time that'll be it, no moving back home anymore I'm sure. He enlisted for 6 years, so the only thing we can expect is him coming home for visits for a while. It's also still odd to think of him as a soldier and I'm sure as much as I'm trying to prepare now it won't really sink in until he leaves, or even more so when we go see him at graduation, and there is no doubt that we will be going there to see him graduate.
He too is preparing by running, cycling, reading about different military things, going to pt with his recruiter and a group of other future soldiers once a week and just doing what he can to stay busy and out of trouble ;).
So life moves forward one day at a time, him usually saying:"but it's such a long time until May 5th yet." And me usually thinking:"it'll be here before we know it."
It's still an odd thought for me, knowing that when he moves out this time that'll be it, no moving back home anymore I'm sure. He enlisted for 6 years, so the only thing we can expect is him coming home for visits for a while. It's also still odd to think of him as a soldier and I'm sure as much as I'm trying to prepare now it won't really sink in until he leaves, or even more so when we go see him at graduation, and there is no doubt that we will be going there to see him graduate.
He too is preparing by running, cycling, reading about different military things, going to pt with his recruiter and a group of other future soldiers once a week and just doing what he can to stay busy and out of trouble ;).
So life moves forward one day at a time, him usually saying:"but it's such a long time until May 5th yet." And me usually thinking:"it'll be here before we know it."
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