unexpected visit

Phil and one of his frat brothers decided to come out for spring break. I had forgotten about spring break. Drew's spring break isn't until the beginning of April. Funny how priorities change as kids grow. I was so focused on Drew and his spring break I forgot about phil having one.

Anyway the boys decided they needed to go somewhere so here they come. I think this house is just a repository for clothes and to sleep. I know they are headed to San Fran for a day. We are talking about a day at Six flags on Saturday. Phil wants to take Mccomas to In n out burger - west coast must do.

Other than that I am hoping for a quiet few days with phil and getting to know Mccomas.

Edited to add - Phil arrives March 12.

Pixie dust to all
C

Wish I had the guts

I have commented about Phil joining the Navy. The more I read the prouder I become. I tell him that everytime I talk to him.

I have found 2 wonderful support groups who have answered my questions, put me in touch with their sons to answer Phil's questions, give support when I feel overwhelmed. These groups are amazing. They never feel any question is to silly or emotion too ridiculous.

I had someone (non Navy)tell me not to cry in front of Phil. Navy mom's will tell you it is OK 1) because you are proud, scared, terrified, happy, sad. and 2) if you don't let them see the emotion they may feel you are hiding something and then they worry about you when they need to be concentrating on what is really important.

I wish I had the guts to tell all the well meaning people who say - it is just like going away to college, or they have no clue what he is in for or it will be good for him to be taken down a notch to just SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!! We need your support right now. We need you to tell Phil you are proud of him and that no matter what happens you will be there. Don't tell him the horror stories of what someone may tell you. Don't tell me I have my head buried in the sand. I don't. This is my child we are talking about. My first born. I have spent hours on the internet researching, asking questions, taking notes, understanding this new way of life. I have much more to learn but I will learn it for Phil's sake and for my sake.

You may know some one in the army, marines or who was in the NAvy in the past but this is the Navy NOW!!!!! I am in daily contact with women who are living it, Who have kids doing what Phil wants to do, who have washed out of what Phil wants to do, who tell me what to expect every step of the way. these women have given me and my immediate family more support in the past week than you would believe. I have heard from Nuke School mom's, Mom's of DEP's, Mom's of BC, those who just got out of PIR and are headed for Class A, B, or C school. I know the difference between grad and go and a weekend of liberty when he goes thru PIR. I now know the difference between a frigget and an aircraft carrier. I know what to expect when the form letter comes from basic, and that "kid in a box" is not death but all of their belongings they reliquish at boot camp. My cell phone will be come my appendage and the postman will think I am a stalker. I have been told the STar Bangle Banner takes on new meaning. I know to have Phil get a package A for his photos, and that a good graduation gift is in addition to something nice several packages of Hanes extra soft undershirts. The Navy issue ones are very scratchy.

If you know what any of the things above mean then you are a NAvy mom and know how important it is to get and recieve support. If you don't then please don't give even well meaning advice, just tell Phil he can do anything he sets his mind to, that you are proud of him, and Thank You for what he is doing. And for me, just be there when I am missing my kid and need a friend to talk to.

Awesome new product

I have to tell you my friend - All Thumbs aka Lori has an awesome new product review on her website. You have to check it out. it is an earbud detangler.

You have got to check it out. http://allthumbsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/02/tangled-earphone-cords-product-review.html

I look at some of her reviews and think - why didn't I think of that? My earbud for my phone gets tangled as does my Ipod ear bud. These will make it super easy to keep them wound and easy to manage. Make sure you get there to check it out.

And make sure you tell her Cathy Sent ya.

Proud Mom

It has been a roller coaster week. But I have to say I am proud of Phil. My son will soon be a member of the US NAVY. It has taken some getting used to but once I got past the sinking feeling that my son was over his head and didn't know what he was thinking, I realized this was something he needed to do for whatever reason. He has told me for years he wanted to make a difference. I think he found a way to do it.

I have cried tears of fear, tears of joy, tears of being a proud mom.

Now I am sure there will be rants on here about missing him and wondering what he was thinking. I have been reading Navy Mom forums and blogs and have gotten a better idea of what to expect and that has helped so much. I think a lot of my apprehension was fear of the unknown.

Now I know when he goes to basic I will get 3 phone calls if I am lucky. He will only be able to write letters on Sundays. But he will live for mail from all of us. He goes to MEP next week - Military Enlisted Processing. He will take his placement test and that will determine when he will go to basic. Then if he gets his first choice after basic he will head to Goose Creek SC for 18 months of training. At that point he will be assigned a ship(not a boat as I have been corrected way to many times - if it floats it is a boat in my opnion.) He plans on requesting a Pacific home port. He will then spend 6 months at sea and 6 months in his home port for 4 years.

So that is the latest. I will post about our trip to reno tomorrow.

Frank

Let me introduce you to Frank. Frank is my friend. He is a sheep that lives at my favorite yarn shop in Elk Grove. Frank likes to travel. Frank has a big family. Frank will travel and blog about his trip. While he is gone on his excursions his family will fill in. His family is quite unique. There is Percy the Pink Llama, best friends Ebony and Ivory, Frankie the little sister, Teresa (Teri) and her son Rodney, Violet the baby of the family. There are others who will check in from time to time as well.

www.frankthemascot.blogspot.com

Frank already has plans to go to Reno next week, Disney in March, 2 cruises in April, Kansas - we hope in June.

Please follow Frank on his escapades and meet his family. If you ever find yourself in Elk Grove California - stop by the Yarn Shoppe, knit a spell, and meet Frank, his family and friends.

C

Hate being responsible

I HATE being a responsible adult. I hate doing the right thing. But being a responsible adult and trying to set a good example for my kids.

I just canceled both of our trips to Disney. It wasn't that we couldn't afford them I just didn't want to given the current state of the economy.

I found a wonderful deal in Reno for Feb 19-22. total room cost for 3 nights 130.00 Then for Drew to take a ski lesson or two will be about 100.00. The hotel is offering credits for the casino as well as the midway and dining credits. So we will do that and it will be cheaper. Disney for 3 days ticets alone were going to be 450.00. Drew had no idea so we don't have to worry about him being disappointed.

We also decided that instead of flying to Florida for Christmas it would be fiscally more responsible to go to Anaheim. We can do LegoLand, Universal, etc and it will still be cheaper that Disney. And we don't have to pay airfare.

I just have to take my pixie dust in different ways given the economic climate.

Always remember there is pixie dust you just may have to look a little harder sometimes for it.

Cathy

update on the teenager

Well, he made it thru surgery just fine. His jaw is wired shut for the next 4 weeks or so. May be up to 6. Just depends on how well it heals.

The problem is - as with all teenagers - he thinks he knows that is best. The doc said he must be under ADULT supervision until Sunday. So he is at his grandparents house. He is not to go to school until Monday so I emailed his teachers telling them what was going on. He is bound and determined to try and go to school tomorrow afternoon. His bio teacher agrees he has no business at school. I am waiting to hear from the rest. I told him he was at his grandparents house with out wheels for a reason. He tried to tell me he would have one of the guys at the frat come get him. Mike was not impressed with that news and finally set Phil strait as to how it was going to be. Period.

He is lucky so many people care about him and are willing to drop everything to help him and take care of him. When I talked to Peg she said he was sleeping and seem resigned to his fate - at least for now. She figures if he starts to feel better he may try to negotiate a few hours of parole.

I guess that will depend on the warden on call.

Thanks for the prayers and emails.

C

Update

I am exhausted so this will be short. I am going to bed. We are looking at worse case here. He will have surgery tomorrow morning. they will realign his jaw and then wire it shut for 2-4 weeks. He may have to go back in braces to finish correcting the cross bite that has occurred.

I thank my lucky stars for the people in Topeka. From Dr. Kevin Cassidy, my old friend, who got the ball rolling on getting him to the correct doctors to Dr. Baker who will performing the surgery tomorrow to Mike, Brooke, Peg, and Carol who have all stepped up to take care of him since I can't. Phil wont' fuss with Brooke and so I know I will have my way and that she will look out for him.

Right now I am hitting a brick wall and am totally exhausted. So I will update tomorrow after surgery.

damaged jaws and good friends

I am sitting here waiting to hear from Phil. It the fraternity annual "funk bowl" a fraternity brother took Phil out.

Now the funk bowl is a all out contact tackle football game that is held every year on Superbowl Sunday. There are no helmets or pads for this game. Just "brotherly love" fight to the death leave 'em bleeding football.

Phil called and said Mike was taking him to the minor med because he might have a broken jaw. The docs at minor med did an xray but couldn't see anything. Sent him home with pain pills and orders to call in the morning if not better. Said htey would get him into an ENT?!?!?!

Fast forward to this morning...

He calls and says that he is going for a panoramic xray. They still see nothing but Phil tells me that his bite is off by about 1/4".

I do the only thing I can think of. I call my old friend and Phil's orthodontist from many moons ago. I tell the receptionist my problem. They get Phil in within the hour.

From what I was able to tell from Phil's gritted teeth talk, Kevin took one look, had Phil attempt to bite down and said you need an oral surgeon.

He tried to call the ones where Phil was seen yesterday, but they were all at lunch. So KEvin sent Phil to a new guy in town. HE took one look at phil and got on the phone with Tallgrass and started yelling about how poor their treatment was and why the HE@@ were they trying to get him to an ENT when his nose wasn't broken and his throat wasn't collapsed. This doc tells Tall Grass that they need to have their oral surgeon look at him PDQ. He sends phil to the fraternaity to wait for a call. The oral surgeon from Tall Grass then passes him off to a Dr. Zeller who Phil is currently waiting to see.

Best possible scenario - reset jaw and wire shut for a few days
Worst case scenario - surgery and wire shut for a few weeks????
Either way he is going to drop the weight he wants.

I will update as situation warrents.