Trying to work on swap blocks today...this is last day of son's leave before he is deployed for over year...sooo looking through teardrops while sewing.

Didn't want to go to his house today so his girls will pay attention to him instead of Nana...they are 5yr, 2 yrs & 3mo and don't understand Dad won't be back for a long time. Hard decision for me and I'm not known for my willpower.

I asked them to stop by my office in the morning so I could tell him good bye before they take him back to the base. Then I doubt if I'll be much good at work for awhile....lucky for me my boss is very understanding.

Husband had to leave for work so it's just me and the cats home today.

So it's sewing I will do...hope the blocks line up.

Oh go and visit...both the kids and your son will love seeing you!!! I do know how hard it is...my son was stationed soooo farr away that I only saw him once a year if that ...so glad he is now stationed only 1 hour 1/2 away. Get on Skpe!!! It makes a world of difference! We would only do it on holidays and here and there...but it was awesome!!! Just like they were visiting us here at the house. Also texting....on the cell phone get unlimited...and use it daily...

I'm so sorry for you. I know when I dropped my son off at the recruiting office the day before he was to leave for basic training, I was a mess. I drove right through a stop sign that I couldn't see for the tears. When he left for a year of deployment, it was even worse. I'm praying for his safe return and that the time will go swiftly by.

YOU HAVE ME IN TEARS!!!

Carolaug,You were one of the lucky ones, my son was in the Marines and when he was deployed he didn't have cell phones and had access to email about once or twice a month.:(

Moonwork, I feel your pain....

(((HUGS))) Go and visit... an hour or two spent together won't take away from their family time (((HUGS)))

I definitely know the feeling. My son is actually home (his wife's hometown way up north)on leave right now - scheduled to go back soon. we were abke to see him week before last.

From one military mom to another ...I do understand what you are going through. My son has been stationed in Korea for 5 years..Iraq a year and Afghanistan a year. He has been home for 2 months..he lives in the state of Washington and has a family there. I haven't seen him for a 2 years..but decided this time was for his family, my grandbabies needed to know who daddy was. I am hoping to see him before he returns to Afghanistan.
When he is settled in hopefully you can be in contact with him on the computer via Skype or Yahoo...Internet makes all of that very easy.
((((Hugs)))) if you ever need to talk PM me!

Go see him and remind yourself it's an honorable thing he's doing. That's how I got through my son's eight years. Tell him we all are proud of him and will pray for him and his comrades in arms.

This is his 3rd deployment so you'd think I'd be use to it. His first daughter was 3 mos also when he was deployed before so I really want him to have "family time".

They stopped by yesterday for several hours and we got to have a great lunch together as a family so I did get to see him/them.

I know I'll cry and don't want the GD's to see Nana crying and have them upset when it should be a happy night for them. They'll have a 6 plus hour trip tomorrow so it will be a long day for them.

Yes I have offered to go along on the trip to take him back but they think all will be fine without me going...my boss has even offered to drive me up if something comes up where she can't travel back by herself...how's that for a good boss?

Sigh...this too shall pass, let's just hope it passes quickly.

please , give him a extra hug from all of us,

I understand what you are going through. Go visit with your son and his family. They will love to have you there. Here is a poem I found on line a couple of years ago. I printed it, frame it and it hangs on the wall in my sewing room where I spend 99.9% of my time. My prayers are with all the military men/women who serves their country.

Mom's Prayer for her Son

I Give To You, My Son-
I held him as an infant; I hugged him as a boy
and through the years he has become my greatest pride and joy.

I love him more than I can say,
his life more precious than my own,
but gone are the whims and notions of the little boy that I had known.

For the years have passed so quickly since the time it all began
and now he stands before me with the conviction of a man.

He wants to serve his country, he states aloud with pride
as I try to sort out the emotions that I'm feeling deep inside...

a union of the uncertain fear, which I cannot control
and the allegiance which lies deep within my patriotic soul.

I trust that my years of guidance will serve as a strong foundation
as he performs the duties requested from his beloved nation.

God please guide him as he travels to the places our soldiers have bled
and walk with him through pathways where those heroes' feet have tread.

Oh Sweet Land of Liberty, humbly I give to you, my son
praying you'll return him safely home when his work for you is done.

---Author unknown---

You don't have to be military to understand. My son moved to Taiwan for 5 years after college to teach and "embrace" the culture. We were fortune in being able to bring him home every Christmas for a couple of weeks.

Hugs of appreciation to you, your son and his family for his service. His service is something you all will always be proud of.

Oh that is a wonderful piece...I'll be sharing it also with the other Moms.

Thank you to all that have commented...it really means alot to me.

My husband is retired military. We spent 22 years moving from state to state. When my husband was overseas in the Persian Gulf I depended on other military wives, my children and lots and lots of hobbies to keep from wondering constantly where he was and how was he. The only time my closets and drawers were clean was when he was gone. Now we are retired many years and I have turned my home into a tribute to the sacrifices he made all those years. Remember them all in prayer and write often.

I agree you need to go spend an hour or two with your son. I'm sure your grandchildren will love being with all of you together. He will be gone for a long time and a few minutes at work will make it harder for you tommorrow. I'm sure he will love seeing you to. Your family will be in my thought and prayers.

this is such a great poem. Thanks for pasting it here. My son, enlisted the month after 9/11. He was wanting in before 9/11 but after that day we had a long talk. He said "Mom, I want to go before and Now I need to go even more."

Miltary life is a job choice these fine young people make and we need to support them in it. God Keep them safe and I keep them in my prayers always.

I don't know how you military moms do it. You are all in my
prayers :)

I have been through that several times with my daughter and many more times with my husband. I know what you are feeling.
Thank you for your sacrifice to our country!

I know those tears well. I held it together driving my son to the recruiters, but also lost it completely on the way home. You are being very thoughtful towards his young family, and I'm sure your DDIL appreciates how tough it all is for you too. Thank you from one military mom to another! Keep us up to date.

Better tonight...thanks for all the thoughts...

God bless your son and family. My prayers are with you. (((((HUGS)))))

A big thank you goes to your son and all of his family (mom included) for the service to our country. This is an idea: you could make your son a special themed pillowcase with the kids pics or handprints on the end. Go to All People Quilt for tutorial. Special postage Flat Rate Priority Mail Boxes are available from the Post Office- it is $12.95 to send to APO or FPO but there is no weight limit- it holds a lot.

If you go to USPS.com and sign up, they will send you a kit with boxes, labels and tape.

I actually have ordered "enough" boxes of various sizes and have put them at the armory for all the families to have access to them. If you get the specially marked one, they are cheaper to use for APO addresses.

Our local guild has actually already made over 170 pillowcases that we will ship over there next month ... that way they'll all have a piece of home with them. The company I work for will cover the cost of shipping them over so that is a big relief too.

Having a child in the service is a privilege in so many ways but when they have to leave -- each time it's harder and harder.

Thanks QB for the wonderful words :)

I so understand what you're going through. I was a military wife for 20 years and a two time military mother. The men in my life were always leaving. It is a sad time when we say goodbye, not knowing when they will return. Go over and see him, don't wait till morning. He'll want to say goodbye and give you a hug just as much as you want one. Then, stay busy, do lots of quilting, write lots of letters, spend time with the little ones and your DIL and support each other.

i am with you dear friend. my son leaves again on the 1st of august.

while in baghdad, he was able to skype us once in a while. he read books to his kids through skype too.

i hope he is able to this tour also.

sending a care package every 2 weeks, helped me!
(he wanted " franks" hot sauce! lol)

As another military mom, I fully understand. It is tough knowing he will be leaving soon...but you, too, need to see him before he goes. Skype is my blessing...my son is stationed in Florida and, in his job, travels a lot... gone a lot. His wife has the hard thing to do... see him go so often. Thank God it is not for long periods of time. I pray daily for ALL of our military wherever they are serving. Thank him for his sacrifices from one mom to another's son.

My thoughts and prayers and thank yous are with you son and all those who love him.

As I type, my son is somewhere between the good ole USA and Afghanistan. Can't wait to (hopefully) get a call that says 'I've arrived safely'. This is my Marine's first deployment. He's single. It's hard to see your baby leave. We have an online group of MoMs. We cry together and rejoice together. Our kids graduated boot camp together. We've stayed connected and I couldn't have gotten through these first almost 2 yrs without them.
I understand your wanting to give him this time with his wife and children. I hope your DDIL appreciates you!

My daughter just left Afghanistan to return to her base in Germany. I was able to see her over the Christmas holidays this year, the first time in 4 years (she was in the states doing extra training for her deployment). I hope to visit her at Christmas or next May in Germany. I don't know what I would do without e-mail. When she is deployed I didn't hear from her as much but I still e-mailed or sent photos daily. She has told me that we are closer now than when she was living at home.

Am a military mom also ,,son just got back from iraq and belive u me that was the hardest thing in my life was letting him go,,, all I could do was pray and pray somemore and when they sent him on a secret mission he wasn`t alowed no contact I pray even harder ,, but I had to look at it he a grown man but in my eyes he was still a little boy ,, encourage him give him hope and loves and keep sending him letters and emails and most of all keep his morals up doing a GREAT job he not going in vain! Make sure that u keep up with the grandbabies and report to him the lil` things they do and spend time with dil cause it make him less to worried about while oversea I am also up the road from u I know about possum trot ...Please give him loves and huggs and tell him nothing to worried about here so his mind can be clear to do what he have to do over there and made god bless u for being brave ( and it okay to cry in front of him it let him know that you love him and care) and pray god watch over him and bring him home safe and keep an eyes on his childrens and wife and bless them also .. MAY GOD BLESS Maureena

I'm so sorry to hear he's going back. It's such a scary place to be.

When you get an address for him, I'd like to send a care package or two also. Or if he's getting enough, maybe he could give you addresses of some who don't get anything.

I bet everyone on the list would like to adopt a soldier.

Moonwork, One of my military sons was in Iraq x2 & Afghanistan x1. Son-in-law -Iraq x1.
I'll be thinking of you & praying for all of you.

You will be in prayers today. I, too, have a son in the military----21 years and counting. Luckily he is in a job that he does not have to deploy, but I remember the early years--Bosnia(twice), Persian Gulf. Each time he deployed my heart broke. Stay strong!!!!!!! Prayers for the little girls and his wife also. God Bless.

I am a current army wife. And while I do not understand what it is like to say good bye to my child, I am all too familiar with saying good bye to my husband. As much as you want to go see your son again you have to let him have his family time now :( as hard as it is. If it wasn't planned for you to see your son again you should respect and understand that. Saying good bye is hard. Don't make your son say good bye all over again. Even if you want to. He is the one that is suppose to be strong for everyone. My mother in law is the type to sneak in one last visit. And it's not that my husband doesnt want to see her. It is more that he doesn't want to have to go through saying good bye again. You have to remember how hard it is for him too.
Hang in there. You can make it. Keep busy.

Dear Military Moms and Wives, especially those who have expressed so much love on this board,

As an ex-military wife, I'd like to thank you for your contribution to our country. You who took your child to the recruiter and cried and the way home, who took you husband/son/daughter to the base to be deployed and wept alone at night, you who raise your children w/o the assistance of a spouse. You don't receive the thanks you deserve for sharing your loved one so he/she could do their duty. God bless you and your loved ones!!!!!!
And Thank You.

I know what you are going thru. I have twin grandsons that I helped raise so were more like my sons than grandsons. Both were in the Navy. Seeing them leave for boot camp was traumatic. Keep your chin up. All will be well. Know that he is protecting our freedom to do just as we are doing now.

Having only girls I never had to do that, but just know I am holding you in my heart and will say prayers for his safe return.

My son is currently in Iraq. As hard as it is, I know that he has a job to do and wants to serve his country the best he can. I send care packages for him and is unit and that helps. This last week has been especially hard since a young man in his unit was killed by a roadside bomb and we had his memorial on Saturday. I kept thinking of my son all during the service. :( I am praying that this will be the only one we have to do this year. I could really use a hug right now, but no one around here understands the heartache.