Sad to see my son go

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lori Thueme on September 5, 2011 at 12:15am

{{Hugs}} Stephanie, I hope you did get another phone call this weekend but if not don't worry. They are so busy with inprocessing that they may not get a chance to call. I think when my son was in BMT (Basic Mom Torture) I only received about 4 calls from him. Start writing those letters and number the back just in case he gets several on the same day. He may not have time to write back but he will definitely treasure your letters. Keep them light and positive. I would talk about the normal things that went on at home. If you do miss his call, I know how that is. I missed my son's very first call with the address. I still have it in my voicemail 2 1/2 years later and I still listen to it and re-save. Priceless, in a way I'm glad I missed that call now. Hang in there, all the moms here are ready to offer their support. Welcome to the AF Family!!

Permalink Reply by Stephanie murphy on September 5, 2011 at 8:49pm

Thanks for the warm welcome Lori.This has been the longest weekend ever,I really expected him to call.Nothing. I know they are busy. I am trying to be patient,I'm not doing so well. I have started writing and it really helps me knowing that the letters will get to him . It is amazing reading some of the notes from other Moms just how similar our stories and feelings are.  I am so proud of him and I guess I really just wanted to tell him....Sorry I am a weepy mess. Thanks again for the encouragement. So glad to be part of the AF Family.

Permalink Reply by Denise Abshire on September 6, 2011 at 9:19am

Stephanie,

Reading your post took me right back to when my son left for BMT.  That was almost two years ago.  The day we dropped him off at the recruiters I left him in God's hands and that helped me get through the days.  Keep yourself busy and look forward to his graduation.  It will all come together then.  Probably the most amazing experience for me was seeing the man my son had become.  The calls will come and so will the letters.  We're all here for you.  Stay strong!

Permalink Reply by Julie Pierce on September 6, 2011 at 10:33pm

Stephanie, the ladies words of advice are so true! My daughter went through BMT in January and is now at her first duty station. I remember those feelings of worry and it seems you will never get to graduation. Somewhere around week 4 things seem to change and become positive and for me, after that the time flew by and the next thing we knew we were standing along the side of the road at Lackland AFB waiting to see our daughter run by in the Airman's run! Write to your son every chance you get, they live for those letters and it will also help you get through this time too. (((HUGS)))

Permalink Reply by Stephanie murphy on September 7, 2011 at 3:19am

Thank you so much Denise and Julie for all the encouraging advice and kind words. I can hardly wait for graduation day. It seems so far from now. We are still on week one, it helps to know  they are busy and hopefully the time is passing faster for them. I have been sending out lots of letters, and being  positive and upbeat. I have been watching the Boot camp videos on the Air Force web site. It is very informative , it tells the schedule's of each week while in training. It even shows a video of the Graduation, Airmen s  run,what the dorms look like.I can almost imagine what it is like (almost??) . Anyhow, thanks again ,I know this will soon pass as it has for you.
Julie Pierce said:

Stephanie, the ladies words of advice are so true! My daughter went through BMT in January and is now at her first duty station. I remember those feelings of worry and it seems you will never get to graduation. Somewhere around week 4 things seem to change and become positive and for me, after that the time flew by and the next thing we knew we were standing along the side of the road at Lackland AFB waiting to see our daughter run by in the Airman's run! Write to your son every chance you get, they live for those letters and it will also help you get through this time too. (((HUGS)))

Permalink Reply by Stephanie murphy on September 7, 2011 at 3:22am

Thank you so much Denise and Julie for all the encouraging advice and kind words. I can hardly wait for graduation day. It seems so far from now. We are still on week one, it helps to know  they are busy and hopefully the time is passing faster for them. I have been sending out lots of letters, and being  positive and upbeat. I have been watching the Boot camp videos on the Air Force web site. It is very informative , it tells the schedule's of each week while in training. It even shows a video of the Graduation, Airmen s  run,what the dorms look like.I can almost imagine what it is like (almost??) . Anyhow, thanks again ,I know this will soon pass as it has for you.
Denise Abshire said:

Stephanie,

Reading your post took me right back to when my son left for BMT.  That was almost two years ago.  The day we dropped him off at the recruiters I left him in God's hands and that helped me get through the days.  Keep yourself busy and look forward to his graduation.  It will all come together then.  Probably the most amazing experience for me was seeing the man my son had become.  The calls will come and so will the letters.  We're all here for you.  Stay strong!

Permalink Reply by Anne Ahart Pierce on September 23, 2011 at 2:39pm

My son just finished his zero week at BMT. I wasn't even sure what zero week meant at first. I was so excited to get his address card! I put a letter in the mail immediately and that helped me a lot. Just being able to talk to him through letters will make a big difference for me. It may bore him to death, but I just don't care!:) I know a lot of the family will write him as well and that makes me feel better too because it will keep him connected. I worry, too, that I might miss that ever elusive phone call, but I try not to dwell on it. I work at a high school and there were Air Force recruits here last week and I was able to talk to the girl who had just recently finished BMT and techie school. I told her my son had just started and asked her what he might be doing at that time and she said probably learning how to fold his clothes! My sister, who's son is in the Navy, told me about this site and how much it has helped her. I look forward to hearing other moms' stories and being able to share my thoughts and feelings. We all just have to hang in there and stay positive! Anne Pierce

Permalink Reply by Tina Hildebrand on September 26, 2011 at 9:28pm

Stephanie, I can sympathize with you, my son doesn't leave until January 3rd...........I am already worried about not being able to talk to him or see him or know what he is doing.  I will keep you in my prayers.  I hope he calls you soon.

Permalink Reply by Melinda Vesper on October 3, 2011 at 11:34am

I wanted to let you know how important your post was to me the day my son left.  I was feeling very much like you.  I was worried, jumpy, withdrawn, sad, proud, confused.  LOL...I was all over the place.  One minute I was excited and proud of him and the next I was sad and crying.  I never expected to feel this way. 

 

So knowing that other moms go through the exact same feelings really helped me alot!  I was actually starting to feel a little unstable...LOL....but I'm stronger now.  I understand it better now.  I write him constantly.  Almost everyday and yet he has not gotten my first letter yet.  It's a good think I numbered them. 

So keep writing to him.  It really helps alot. 

 

Thank you again for sharing your story with me.

Melinda  

Permalink Reply by Nichole Kindelan on October 9, 2011 at 9:57pm

Oct 4th, 2011 my son left for basic training.  Oct 5th around 3 am we received our very brief phone call with his address (it helped to hear the voice in the background telling them they had 30 seconds left and then the countdown---he was instructed to be so brief and quick).  I also was really looking forward to a phone call this weekend and have carried my cell phone around with me everywhere and turned the ringer all the way up because I don't want to miss this call.  Here we are Sunday night and no call.  When might I get my first call?    I can so relate to the hope when the phone rings and then the disappointment when it wasn't him.  Overwhelmed with emotions.  He is an only child and he is far from home.  These next 8 weeks can't go by fast enough.  The mix of being proud and just wanting my baby home is extreme.

Permalink Reply by Lori A Lopez on October 10, 2011 at 3:55pm

Hello Stephanie, I just joined this support group and really wish that I would have had it 5 months ago.  My son left for BMT on May 2nd, 2011.  He is my oldest son, and it was hard to see him go, but I was so very proud that he made this decision.  He had some obstacles along the way.  In his 5th week of training, he broke his wrist while training with the pugle sticks.  He was then sent for medical hold.  During this time, he stayed focused on the outcome even thought he had 12 weeks of recovery for a fracture in his wrist.  He got to come home for 30 days for recovery, so that broke up the 12 weeks.  Once back at Lackland, the orthopedic doctor said that his wrist had healed completely and it could be removed.  Long story short, he stayed positive, he stayed focused and he graduated on Friday October 7th, 2011.  He is now getting ready for his tech school, and will be at Lackland for another 11 weeks.  Your son's hard work will astound you.  Although the phone calls are few and far between, I understand your excitement at every phone call, I even sleep with my cell phone under my pillow, you never know when the call will come.  Congratulations to you, and I thank your son for his service.

Permalink Reply by Lakesha Roberts-Beauchamp on October 17, 2011 at 12:07pm

My son graduates this weekend, and I am so glad to know that I wasn't the only one who had printed a schedule and was watching the videos. It definitely helped to know what skills he was learning at the time and seeing the videos made me really look forward to seeing my son in uniform. 

Stephanie murphy said:

Thank you so much Denise and Julie for all the encouraging advice and kind words. I can hardly wait for graduation day. It seems so far from now. We are still on week one, it helps to know  they are busy and hopefully the time is passing faster for them. I have been sending out lots of letters, and being  positive and upbeat. I have been watching the Boot camp videos on the Air Force web site. It is very informative , it tells the schedule's of each week while in training. It even shows a video of the Graduation, Airmen s  run,what the dorms look like.I can almost imagine what it is like (almost??) . Anyhow, thanks again ,I know this will soon pass as it has for you.
Julie Pierce said:

Stephanie, the ladies words of advice are so true! My daughter went through BMT in January and is now at her first duty station. I remember those feelings of worry and it seems you will never get to graduation. Somewhere around week 4 things seem to change and become positive and for me, after that the time flew by and the next thing we knew we were standing along the side of the road at Lackland AFB waiting to see our daughter run by in the Airman's run! Write to your son every chance you get, they live for those letters and it will also help you get through this time too. (((HUGS)))

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