In October 2016, when C called and asked if we could have dinner - I had no idea what was coming. But, as any mom would do - when one of your children asks...you go. We went to dinner that night, and he told me that he had enlisted in the United States Army. He also went on to let me know that he had completed all the paperwork, testing, and talked to recruiters on his own - no help from me (which is how I knew he was serious). As the days went on and PT started, we received the date he would leave for OSUT (One Station Unit Training or basic training for infantry) and we got his date to be sworn in to delayed entry which was December 12. The morning we got to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) for him to be sworn in I was a bundle of nerves. I was handing over my middle child to the United States Army. But, as I sat and talked to other parents - my nerves were eased and I knew I was not in this alone. They were all talking about the ship dates for their kids being June, July...some even September. The first mom who asked me what C's ship date was...I wanted to cry as I said "January 7." You see, all these other families had months to prepare - but, not us...we had a little over 3 weeks! Those 3 weeks passed in the blink of an eye. The afternoon of January 6, C and I went to the recruiters office and I dropped him off. Now - I knew I would see him the next morning at MEPS as we waited for him to leave, but y'all - my heart just hurt! The afternoon of January 7 came, and my baby had been sworn in as an active duty soldier and he got on a bus headed to Ft. Benning, GA for training. Now - during those 16 weeks he was at Ft. Benning I received 2 phone calls, but the letters were my saving grace. Those letters are how I knew he was okay. For 16 weeks, my phone NEVER left my side...for goodness sakes, I slept with it under my pillow - just in case he called. Family weekend and graduation came, and we had a soldier.
The next big hit that came...he got his orders and would be stationed at Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. As a mother, this was almost just too much. Not only would be be gone - he would be about as far away from Tennessee as he could be. But, guess what...we all survived. The things that happened over the next 3 years were rewarding, stressful and heartbreaking at times. While he has been stationed there, life goes on. For our immediate family, there have been 34 birthdays missed over this time. There has been his little sisters junior prom, senior prom and graduation. There have been 3 Thanksgivings, one Christmas and a million holidays in between (4th of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Easter, etc.). There have been deaths of our furbabies and sweet family members. Y'all - being a military family is not for the faint of heart. There have been more tears and prayers than you could ever possibly count. But, with everything that has been difficult to deal with, there have been so many other things to be thankful for. I have had the opportunity to watch my little boy grow up into a man that I could not be more proud of. Whether he is coming home from Alaska or going back - those are the best hugs you could ever ask for. But - the best hug EVER was the one on family day when you see that your baby has transformed into a soldier! I have watched everything he has accomplished and my heart just swells with pride. But...the best is yet to come!
May 7, 2020 is C's last day of active duty, and that means...he will be coming home! And, y'all - that's not even the best part! When he was first stationed in Alaska, my biggest fear is that he would meet someone, fall in love, and he would never be back in the lower 48 - much less Tennessee. Guess what? Those things did happen, but he will be living in Tennessee and she will be coming with him...and, I even got a granddog (River) out of this deal. C and G will be heading to Tennessee somewhere around the end of May. They will have a long drive, but - you talk about some excited people...I am so excited I could pee in my pants! When K was leaving yesterday to go back to Knoxville - she said, "I'll see you in June when Coop gets home." Y'all, I know he's coming home but,that's when it hit me...I will have all of my kids together again in about 6 weeks (if only for a day or two). I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am that not only did C find his person, but that she is willing to give Tennessee a chance. People always ask, does it feel like he's been gone for 3 1/2 years? Well, on one hand - absolutely yes! But on the other - the time has gone by in the blink of an eye and we have come out on the other side!
The past eight days have been pretty big in our house. C and G finished their big adventure from Alaska to Tennessee and I have loved having them home. When a child lives far away, and you only see them twice a year - you tend to forget some of the little things that always mean so much. In our house, when important events or big things happen - we count down in sleeps. We have done this since the kids were little. How many sleeps until Santa comes? How many sleeps until Grandpa visits? How many sleep until the beach? As the kids got older, it became "How many sleeps until graduation? How many sleeps until you leave for the Army? How many sleeps until you move back to college?" We count down in sleeps, when we are excited or something we love is going to happen. This may seem silly to some, and downright dumb to others - but, this is the way it has been in our house since the kids could talk. 
