Well, the day has finally come... The day I have known about for months (probably really have thought about for years since Jay joined ROTC and loved it) and still do not seemed really well prepared. But how does one prepare for the final growth path of a child? I know he will be coming back, but today he leaves to take the final journey of becoming an adult... on his own.... without me to guide, push, pull and direct along the way... which is good for him because it is truly his. Bad for me as I try to deal with all this heartache and extra emotion. All the cliches' in the world do nto describe nor compare the pain of my heartbreak and even though I have known this was coming, I want to postpone it until I am ready, which, would be never. So, God, in his infinite wisdom, has made Jay strong enough to decide and stick by his convictions. And I realize (at this unGodly hour of 4:30 AM) that as this will be one of his final growing stages into a man, it will be one of my many lessons in life about pain, grief, heartache, submission, acceptance, patience, and many more things I am not even able to think of at this time. Later will be Marc's turn and my heart will break all over again, but I am putting that away for now, one heartache at a time please. All I can do now is pray, entrust him completely to God, write (which strangely does seem to help)and cry when it hurts, bc holding it in seems to hurt more? I will update here about Jay, because he says he will remember to write everybody but has asked me to keep everyone posted when I get his letters, so I have found another useful reason to blog and maybe will remember to blog more often. If you are looking for info about Jay just type in "Jay" in the search area of the main page and the blogs about him will come up and you will not have to wade through all the other ramblings of my mind when it goes out without a leash.
Since I am up this early, maybe i should go work on something? I know I am not going back to sleep anytime soon and it is too early to get ready for work... ho hum.... maybe some fresh coffee and that Dee Henderson novel can help me forget my heartbreak for awhile.
Happy Stitchin'
Shannon
Showing posts with label Son in Army. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Son in Army. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Memorial Day~ Present, & Future
Yes, yes, I know it was yesterday, but I had to get some time to get out some tears and compose my thoughts about it before I could sit down and type.... so here goes my two cents worth:
Monday was Memorial Day, which most know as the day in which we recognize and give thanks to those men and women who have served in the armed forces, some of whom have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. I love Memorial Day and I have always been a patriot and fully appreciate all these men and women do. Even when the orders given may not be what the soldier think is right, they still do as commanded, and that takes great strength and discipline. I also love parades. My family groans every year on Thanksgiving as I wake them early to go downtown for the Christmas parade, but I do it bc I just love parades, the floats, marching bands, big balloons, and the closeness I feel standing next to my family watching all go by..... Yesterday we went to the Memorial Day Parade in town I grew up in and in which my mom still lives. I fully expected a somber parade and some moments of joy as the bands would march by; but was I wrong! In the middle of the parade was a float that 3 families had sponsored together for their 3 young sons/husbands/brothers/uncles/(how to go on with all these titles these men must have had...?) who grew up in this town and died in Iraq. At that very moment I realized exactly what I had been dreading all this time..... MY son will be leaving son to go to the Army and most likely to Iraq, and maybe he will not come back. And if he does return he will not be the carefree joyous 18 year old boy whom I have loved a little bit more every day. Even as I write this my heart spills over to tears and I feel somewhat ashamed because I know I am not the only mother to go through this, yet at the same time I am wondering how, HOW do mothers get through this? The women in my family are regular Irish Catholic women who just accept what God gives us as is, so the overflow of emotion is strange but welcome... and darn I am gonna have a whallop of a headache in the AM! Mostly I just needed to get this out and also wanted to give appropriate appreciation and memory to the 3 young men from Aurora, IL who paid the ultimate price in the cost of freedom and democracy that we enjoy. I hope that I have remembered their names correctly (as I am going from memory) and that if read this that you will say a quick prayer for their families and loved ones for them to feel God's healing love. Eduardo Lopez Jr. Jesse De La Torre. Hector Ramos.
I know this is not my usual upbeat banter, but hey, even a mom deserves to cry every now and then...
Shannon
Monday was Memorial Day, which most know as the day in which we recognize and give thanks to those men and women who have served in the armed forces, some of whom have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. I love Memorial Day and I have always been a patriot and fully appreciate all these men and women do. Even when the orders given may not be what the soldier think is right, they still do as commanded, and that takes great strength and discipline. I also love parades. My family groans every year on Thanksgiving as I wake them early to go downtown for the Christmas parade, but I do it bc I just love parades, the floats, marching bands, big balloons, and the closeness I feel standing next to my family watching all go by..... Yesterday we went to the Memorial Day Parade in town I grew up in and in which my mom still lives. I fully expected a somber parade and some moments of joy as the bands would march by; but was I wrong! In the middle of the parade was a float that 3 families had sponsored together for their 3 young sons/husbands/brothers/uncles/(how to go on with all these titles these men must have had...?) who grew up in this town and died in Iraq. At that very moment I realized exactly what I had been dreading all this time..... MY son will be leaving son to go to the Army and most likely to Iraq, and maybe he will not come back. And if he does return he will not be the carefree joyous 18 year old boy whom I have loved a little bit more every day. Even as I write this my heart spills over to tears and I feel somewhat ashamed because I know I am not the only mother to go through this, yet at the same time I am wondering how, HOW do mothers get through this? The women in my family are regular Irish Catholic women who just accept what God gives us as is, so the overflow of emotion is strange but welcome... and darn I am gonna have a whallop of a headache in the AM! Mostly I just needed to get this out and also wanted to give appropriate appreciation and memory to the 3 young men from Aurora, IL who paid the ultimate price in the cost of freedom and democracy that we enjoy. I hope that I have remembered their names correctly (as I am going from memory) and that if read this that you will say a quick prayer for their families and loved ones for them to feel God's healing love. Eduardo Lopez Jr. Jesse De La Torre. Hector Ramos.
I know this is not my usual upbeat banter, but hey, even a mom deserves to cry every now and then...
Shannon
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Help a Friend....
Ok, so I am starting to "get" the blog thing a little bit... and while cruising around ( I know they say "surfing" but I like to drive) I was amazed at the wonder of the web to help others! Very cool. My friend Lundie has a friend named Heather and she is not doing so well. In addition to prayers and $$ help, I have added to my blog some click thru "spots" so you can see her web, read her story, and possibly help. All the time we hear that the www can be a very troubled space, so I think this is a great opportunity to use it for good.
Yesterday I took a class on making a quilted jacket. I had sewn cloths before, years ago, but thought this would be an interesting turn on my craft, wearing my handy work around for others to see.... hmmmm. SO, it was interesting, the pattern was not really one I would have chosen, but easy for everyone to do. So, I still have to finish it but it is started. Anywho, at this class yesterday, the teacher, Joann, tells us she has no stash, no UFO's, does have one or two WIP's (works in progress) and some PIG's (Projects in Grocery Sacks). She said a UFO is something we are never going to finish can stay a UFO forever so that our grand daughters, nieces, ect. can find them after we pass and have the same treasures some of us have found at the passing of loved ones. I thought that was interesting and am now going to sort out some of what I previously called UFO's into WHIP's, trades (for fabrics on one of my e-guild groups) and the others get left for "whomever" to find... (Oh, I hope my sons marry nice gals and have at least one granddaughter for me to spoil up in true "girl" form! Not soon but someday..)
Speaking of sons, I can hardly believe Jay graduates high school in about 5 weeks and two weeks after that leaves for the army.... seems just like yesterday I was pushing him in his stroller and on the swings. Even though he gives me such grief sometimes I am sure gonna miss him, :-( Please, remember to pray for him and all the men and women serving in all the branches of the armed forces.
Well, it is a beautiful day here and close to supper time, maybe we'll grill out.... been a long time since we've done that...
Happy Stitchin'
Shannon
Yesterday I took a class on making a quilted jacket. I had sewn cloths before, years ago, but thought this would be an interesting turn on my craft, wearing my handy work around for others to see.... hmmmm. SO, it was interesting, the pattern was not really one I would have chosen, but easy for everyone to do. So, I still have to finish it but it is started. Anywho, at this class yesterday, the teacher, Joann, tells us she has no stash, no UFO's, does have one or two WIP's (works in progress) and some PIG's (Projects in Grocery Sacks). She said a UFO is something we are never going to finish can stay a UFO forever so that our grand daughters, nieces, ect. can find them after we pass and have the same treasures some of us have found at the passing of loved ones. I thought that was interesting and am now going to sort out some of what I previously called UFO's into WHIP's, trades (for fabrics on one of my e-guild groups) and the others get left for "whomever" to find... (Oh, I hope my sons marry nice gals and have at least one granddaughter for me to spoil up in true "girl" form! Not soon but someday..)
Speaking of sons, I can hardly believe Jay graduates high school in about 5 weeks and two weeks after that leaves for the army.... seems just like yesterday I was pushing him in his stroller and on the swings. Even though he gives me such grief sometimes I am sure gonna miss him, :-( Please, remember to pray for him and all the men and women serving in all the branches of the armed forces.
Well, it is a beautiful day here and close to supper time, maybe we'll grill out.... been a long time since we've done that...
Happy Stitchin'
Shannon
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