The thing I did right in my life

I am very proud of my children, but I have to admit that the 2 of them in the Air Force is a bump in my road that I never expected to have to travel.

My daughter was having one of her typical moods that she is famous for one time when I came to see her.  Being the nosey mom that I am, I would keep asking questions until I could finally get the answer to the problem that was at hand.  You could never imagine what my face was like when she said, "Mom I'm joining the Air Force".  I've always wanted to be the kind of mom that supports and tries to guide my children.  At that moment I was at a total loss.  The only thing I could do was say please take Smokey (her step dad) with you to the recruiters office.  Don't know if it was the right decision or not because Smokey is for the military to give children discipline and meaning into their lives.

Next thing I here is my son was considering joining himself.  He said he always wanted to but he didn't because he thought it would upset me.  Since Brittany made the move, he decided it would be ok for him.

When basic training comes it is the worst experience for a mom.  Suddenly these kids you have loved, nurtured and kept up with all their lives are striped away.  When I did get the opportunity to talk to them they were so distraught and their was absolutely nothing I could do for them.  Their voices were some other person on the phone.  Letters mean everything to a military person.  I mean they are like GOLD.  It is their only connection to the outside world.

 After I made it through them being in basic training, I thought ok our lives will be settling down, but NO.  When Brittany left San Antonio, Tx to go to Goodfellow Air Force base she met Devon Barker on the bus.

Their relation became close to a point that when it was getting time to change bases they decided to quickly get married so that they could be stationed together at the same base.  Only I didn't find out until several months later because she new how much a wedding meant to me, so she was afraid to tell me.  Oh well, her happiness means a lot to me to, and Devon is good to her, and they seem to be very happy.

    

I had probably the best Christmas ever in 2009 before my children scattered all over the place.  It was at my sisters and most of our immediate family was there.  We had our first ever white Christmas.  All of our family was snowed in and couldn't go home.  We played cards, watched old movies, and finally made bed palettes to sleep on for the night.  It was superb.  The next day I new my children had to travel by car, amazingly we had breakfast and watched the snow melt and the road became safe again.  I think it was a magic Christmas I will never forget.

I now have to admit that I think the Air Force has been a good thing for the 2 of them I just wasn't ready to let my babies go, but when is a mother truly ready.  I miss them very much.  I've already told my husband that he needs to work real hard to get our lives in order because when I some day here that grand babies are coming, well that's when we'll have to talk because I'm not missing that in my life. I just consider the separation I'm having with my kids right now a bump in the road, but I'm taking a detour for a while to find my way back to them.  Don't get me wrong I have enjoyed life without the constant care and worry of kids, but I miss that time of day when the kids are in bed safe in the house and the world just all seems right.