He's on to his next destination

Yes, I received the text message from Matt today around 1:30 pm CST saying that he does not get to come home. Needless to say I cried. I'm just a big cry baby... a softie I guess you could call me. I don't care. Looks like my birthday will be just another one ... first one in 18 years without my son. I had tried to prepare myself for this... but didn't succeed. I said that I wasn't holding my breath. I said that it would be ok if he didn't get to come home. I said that I wanted him to hurry up and finish his training so he could be assigned to his permanent duty station. But today I was selfish... I wanted him home... even if it was for only a short time. It's not happening. I don't know all the details. What I do know is that he will leave out sometime Wednesday headed to Virginia for more training. He will have about 6 weeks of Security Forces school and then will be sent to the fleet. One piece of good news though. Yesterday he told me that the guys that are graduating Wednesday are not scheduled to be deployed until September 2009. I breathed a sigh of relief. Not only for my Marine but for all the mothers that I have grown so close to. For my sisters. You see our sons are a Band of Brothers.... we are a Band of Sisters. We walk each miled so close together. I have only had the opportunity to meet a few of these wonderful ladies... but we are in this together... at least for the next 4 - 5 years. Do we have a name? Of course we do. Would you like to know the name of our little group? Of course you would. We are known as "Looney Leatherneck Ladies" - Our motto - "Don't mess with us, we raised Marines." No one ever said being a mom was easy. It's not... it's one of the hardest things I've ever done. Kids don't come with instruction manuals. But I didn't realize how easy I had it until my only son left home, joined the Marine Corps and became a wonderful young man. I think that they key chain that I bought at Parris Island sums it all up. It says ...Marine Mom - Toughest job in the Corps. No truer words have ever been written. Yes, Matt says he's happy. He tells me that he's happy and that's all that matters. But I miss him... I just miss him.