Vacation

Seeing my brother for the first time in four years was great medicine to me. I love my brother very much and even though he's a bit cooky at times, he's still a great guy. I've missed him a lot.

Being with him and the rest of my family gave me a chance to really recuperate and was a great morale booster. Granted, it would have been better if my husband could have been around but I'll take what I can get.

My brother asked me how my enlistment was going and I told him everything that was going on. He's a good listener and a great support. He assured me that no matter what happens he will always be proud of me and my willingness to serve.

I'm proud to have such a good, strong brother who has served our country so faithfully for fourteen years now. He's a huge inspiration to me.

We were able to do some shooting together, which was fun and I got to teach him how to detail strip his newest 1911 handgun. We had a lot of fun together and it was a sad day when we both had to say goodbye.

Who knows the next time we will ever see each other.

In the mean time I pray he remains safe and well.

Moms At War

Thank God for Facebook. Mainly because if you are a "fan" of the right things you get useful articles, videos and links of interest delivered right to your "wall."

I am a fan of Parris Island, MCRD. Aside from pictures from recruit training and digital copies of "The Boot" I also get links to articles wherein Parris Island or someone on Parris Island has been featured.

Yesterday I was alerted to an article called, "Moms at War Part 1" wherein a female First Sergeant of Drill Instructors with a sixteen year-old daughter and a five-month-old son was interviewed.

The second part of the article series was discussing fathers who stay home while mothers are deployed and the last part was an interview with some Army officers and what their thoughts are on mothers who serve.

There was one more article talking about what can be learned from Mothers who serve and that was also a very good article.

I felt they were all very timely considering the fact that I am a mother who has joined the Armed Services. Though I have been sure of my decision on most accounts there have been a number of doubts as I think about my future in the Marine Corps.

Let's be honest here. Deciding to join the Marine Corps when you are single is a big enough decision. Deciding to do it with a husband is even harder. Deciding to do it with a husband and a child... well, you can see why my most common response is, "You're crazy!"

And, yes. Sometimes I do feel crazy. After all, there's only so many times that you can hear how insane you are before you start wondering if there is any validity to the accusations.

Notwithstanding, here I am, going forward until there's a clear reason not to.

In the last article I read about lessons of motherhood from moms that service it said, "After speaking with two women who found a balance between life at home and a life at war, I’ve learned that having a child change my life forever, but I’ll still have to live my life. Working and following my dreams will set an amazing example for my daughter."

I have to live my life. I have to do what I have to do and this is something I feel I have to do. Am I deceiving myself? I don't know and no one else knows either.

I have attempted to be wise about this decision. I have gotten counsel and I have sought the opinions of those I trust and who I know have my best interests at heart. I did not seek out the people who I knew would agree with me and I didn't stop short after a simple, "yes" from one or two key sources. This has been one of the biggest decisions of my life and I have gotten the most conflicting advice.

On one hand I have people telling me to go for it. On the other hand I have people telling me not to. A lot of people tell me that I'm crazy and so many more tell me they are proud of me and my decision.

I told my mother that this is one of those times when you want to ask God to stop with all of the subtle guidance stuff and just bring down that flashing neon sign that says, "YES" or "NO."

The bottom line is that I will not get that heavenly sign. I will get no definitive answer from elsewhere giving me the exact "yes" or "no" that I am looking for.

Ultimately I can only trust myself. I can only do what's right for me and my family. And sometimes, when you aren't getting a clear and screaming "no" it means you're getting a "yes."

Moms at War Part 1

Moms at War Part 2

Moms at War Part 3

Lessons from Moms at War

News Spreads

Saturday I called my sister to talk about down comforters and her washing routine.

In the course of the conversation she said, "Umm, do you have something you want to tell me?"

"About what?"

"Oh, about something you are planning on doing in the future."

"Mom told you, huh?"

"Ahh, yeah... So?"

I have two sisters and one brother. My brother in a career Sailor currently serving in Iraq so it's not a huge surprise to me or anyone else that he is supportive of my decision to join the Marines. The closest my sisters have ever gotten to anything military is hugging our brother. They are both so detached from all things military that when I put a "SEMPER FI" bumper sticker in my car one of my sisters asked me if it was a sorority that I had joined in college. I am/was not expecting either of them to understand or encourage me. Actually, I was expecting to get quite the lashing.

"Well," I began, "I'm joining the Marine Corps."

Bless her, my sister was trying to be gentle when she started saying, "Well, what exactly is the... ah. How did you... What am I trying to say?"

"What am I thinking?" I asked.

She laughed, "Well, yeah. What are you thinking?"

I pretty much laid it all down for her. My wish to serve my country. My drive to do something more. My revulsion at the thought of my glory days being high school and my goals to develop myself professionally and personally.

I expected her to lay into me about my responsibilities of home and how she thought I was crazy and she couldn't believe I was doing this and I was an idiot.

Instead, she amazed me by saying, "I understand. You want something that's yours. I told Mom that I could see that restlessness in you how you kept talking about wanting something more and school and wanting a challenge. I didn't know exactly what you were going to do and this is a huge shock but, at the same time, it really doesn't surprise me."

She went on to tell me she thought I would do a great job and be a great Marine. She was happy that I was doing something I've always wanted to do and wished me luck and success.

I was so blown away and so grateful and happy. If there's anything I've craved since the beginning of this process it's the support of those I love the most, my family. I have the greatest and most wonderful family a person could ask for and whereas I originally thought this may put them off I have been pleasantly surprised to find my family rallying around me and cheering me on.

It makes me feel so blessed to know I have such a support behind me. Not everyone can say that and I truly am grateful.

Telling the Family

Boy, am I glad that is over.

After coming back from the recruiter's office on Saturday we decided it was time to tell my parents.

I will admit. I was a bit nervous. I had a pretty good idea of what they were going to say but there is always room for the unknown, unexpected and just plain wild.

My mom answered the phone and I said, "Well, there's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to be blunt. I'm joining the Marine Corps Reserves."

Thankfully, I know my parents a lot better than even I give myself credit for and they reacted just as I expected they would.

After the initial, "You're kidding!" my mother said I was crazy and my father agreed. Then they both started in on the questions as to why, when, where, what, with loads and loads of "what ifs" mixed in.

To sum up an hour and fourteen-minutes of conversation into as few words as possible: They aren't thrilled. They don't understand. They want me to change my mind. They will pray for God's will. Once I've past the point of no return they will be 100% supportive.

I can't wait for the 100% supportive part.

My brother, a Sailor of twelve years, went through this with my parents and when I told him the news this morning he was just as surprised but much more supportive. At the very least he has said, "You can do it," whereas my mother said, "You'll snap like a twig."

Ahhh, the differing opinions.