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How cute are they?
Yesterday was the last day of Ross’s liberty. He will be taken to the airport, along with his entire division, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. They will take flights in many different directions to their various schools. Through Navy for Moms, I was able to meet a wonderful group of mothers with sons in Ross’s boot camp division. Boys he’d slept with, showered with, eaten with, run with, studied with, gotten in trouble with, marched with, and endured one of the most arduous and memorable experiences of his life with for the past two months. Sunday afternoon, we got them together at one of the hotels, threw them a party, and let them do something they’ve never done together before–play like kids. Remember Ross who didn’t really want to do anything all weekend? This was one thing he wanted to do.
Me, with “the moms” and our sons (plus a couple “pick ups” whose families weren’t there and had come with some of the boys for the day).
Altogether, I think there were at least nine of the boys from his division there, but it was a come-and-go affair and I never got a photo of everyone at once. I felt as if I knew all the boys from the letters and stories the moms had shared. Over the long weeks of boot camp, we exchanged letters and bits of news and reports from phone calls. I love each and every one of these ladies. It was wonderful to meet them in person.
And the guys? They had a BLAST. (And please note Ross’s adorable dimples in some of these photos. I told you he had dimples!!) There was Chicago-style pizza, hanging out, laughing, telling boot camp stories, and lots and lots of wild horsing around in the pool. After sharing one of life’s most intense experiences, they may never see each other again as they go their separate ways to their individual destinies, but for a few hours, they got to be “just friends” having fun.
This was the part where I said….. YOU HAVE A TATTOO?!
He got it A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
I could go on all day with photos of how much fun these boys had together. They have been under such a state of deprivation for the past two months. Most of them, like Ross, have wanted to do very little other than hang out in their hotel rooms this weekend. To watch them cut loose and play like kids was amazing. Thank you, thank you to the moms of Division 276 who made it happen.
Note that, being in public, they were all wearing regulation Navy attire, white t-shirts and PT shorts (as swim trunks).
At the end of the afternoon, their weekend of liberty was over and it was time to take them back to the base. It was heartbreaking. My big, competent, grown-up, graduated sailor who’d endured and surpassed every challenge broke down in tears as soon as we got in the car to drive to the base. He didn’t want the weekend to end. He didn’t want us to leave. He said, “I don’t want to go back.” He cried, we cried, and one of his contacts fell out to give us all a moment of panic-laughter-panic. (He’s not even supposed to be wearing contacts while he’s still at boot camp, but he begged me to bring them.) Then we all cried some more and he finally had to leave. We sat in the parking lot, watching him walk away. I had bought Morgan a sailor hat (the white dixie cup) at the NEX because she loved Ross’s hat so much and she sat in the back seat wearing her sailor hat and crying. Weston, who had done nothing but complain all weekend because we didn’t “do anything” said, “That was a really good weekend.” And then we had to give up and drive away because we couldn’t see him anymore.
As I set this post, it is very, very early Monday morning and we are in Lafayette, Indiana at the same hotel where we stayed on the way up, three hours south of Great Lakes. Today we will drive nine more hours to get home.
Clover and the chickens are waiting for me………
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on August 16, 2010
3:05
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And you are so right – the dimples? Adorable!
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4:19
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Morgan and Wesley were right in there kicking it up. too.
From what I hear, the hardest part of his training is boot camp. I’m sure it gets better from here on out.
Have a good journey home.
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What a great weekend you all had together! I’m glad you were able to share it with him…some of the guys didn’t have their families there, but you Navy “moms” took care of them! How great!
Safe traveling today!
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7:38
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This is a weekend you all will remember forever.
I am so glad you all could make it happen.
You will need to take at least a day off when you get home and just collapse. But I bet you don’t!
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8:14
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I am so glad this was a good weekend. Those boys needed it and their mamas needed to see them be little boys having fun again. How handsome they all look….how pretty the tattoos!!! (just kidding…tattoos don’t bother me one way or another) And what lovely dimples Ross has. Morgan was holding her own in the midst of all those grown boys!!!
I would still be sitting in that parking lot, Suzanne. Still crying. You are a brave Navy Mom. I’m proud of you!
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I am also SO glad you have an online connection with the other moms
Thanks to Al Gore for coming up with the internet.
Cough, cough.
‘Lucy’
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I know it is hard. It will always be hard. But, it is a wonderful career that he chose. Good luck to him in A School.
Have a safe trip the rest of the way home.
Look forward to future stories.
Thanks so much for all the pictures. Glad they had a great weekend!
8:44
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But it make me smile to see Morgan in the middle of all them sailors! You go girl!!!!
Hugs to you this morning. It has to hard to be so sad and so PROUD all at the same time!
8:48
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8:52
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As for the glasses–does the Navy call them BCGs too? (Birth Control Glasses–so unattractive that they actually repel the opposite sex!0
Hugs to you all. You done good, and so will he.
9:16
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It looks like everyone had a great time. I pray that God will watch over Ross as he continues his time in the Navy. I know you are proud of him and will be even more so in the years to come.
9:32
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By the way, where in SC will he be?
And I hope you have a very safe trip back home!!!
9:35
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I know you’ll pull up your socks and get on with things in the meantime, and time will pass before you know it!
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Wonderful son you have there! I wish him a multitude of blessings.
P.S. I love the tat
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You have done a wonderful job of raising a man, and someone I am very proud to have protecting our country!
Safe travels!
(HUGS)
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Thank you for sharing this proud and very emotional meeting with us.
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What a great privilege for you moms to be able to get together with your sons. And Morgan looks like she’s right in her element!
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It was a magnificant week-end and a “Happy Sunday celebration!”
I can’t wait to hear more about all the journies, and , maybe have a “Navy Mom” week-end together!
Hugs from South Florida!
Debie
7:53
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May God go with these young sailors and keep them safe as they serve their country. We are all so proud of them…and their families. Hugs to you
7:37
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I love that he wanted to stay with you and didn’t want his weekend to end. It must have been the hardest thing in the world to turn around and drive away.
But, how proud you must all be!
XOXO
Joni