<p>A long three days…</p>
<p>So many emotions- so little time… thought I would share some of them for those interested-</p>
<p>Packed the car up Monday night- last minute “oh my God where did I leave all that paperwork…”…the usual…tossing and turning (the thorpedo and the parents)…bed finally at 2am…the alarm set for 4…not the way it was supposed to happen, but it never is I guess. Semper gumby!</p>
<p>So the alarm rings, showers for a houseful (20 of us going down)…everyone gathering for the cars…in the confusion locked the car keys in the van…it was a rental…with it running nevertheless…about to cry…called national number for keylock combination (they didn’t have it)…try finding a locksmith at 5am in the morning (not happening)…finally the police came and got us in within 10 minutes (miracles do happen)…so on the road 40 minutes late, but nevertheless, the journey begun.</p>
<p>Things go smoothly rest of Tuesday- toured the yard (a first visit for many in our group)…lots of soon-to-be plebes roaming around annapolis and the hotel…great dinner at Mikes Crabhouse…good laughs…everyone running their fingers through the “hair” for one last time! The cousins all got into it…too funny! </p>
<p>So I-day arrives…up at 5:30…everyone meeting in the lobby for breakfast before 7am departure time…our son “reports” to the dinning room asking where his running shoes are- I told him “where you left them”…which turns out was 5 1/2 hours away in his room…he panics…mom wants to cry…he tells us “I’m not going…I can’t go…I need sneakers…I’m not going…” …you can just imagine the panic that set in… thank goodness the girlfriend had the presence of mind to ask an upperclassman if “flip flops” would be out of the question, or if we should hang back to shop for shoes when the mall opened…she was SO NICE…came over to him and told him to TAKE A DEEP BREATH and that it didn’t matter- they would give him everything he needs- don’t worry about the running shoes- not a big deal- we can always send them down later…relief sets in and off we go…</p>
<p>To Alumni Hall- all 20 of us…aunts and uncles and cousins and sister and girlfriend and grandmothers and little Annabelle… all in line… and someone from our parents club who walked the line with us, taking our picture, giving last minute support all the way until the final steps…unbelievable!..no time for that final picture- but off he went- looked anxious…</p>
<p>We all scattered after that…his sister and girlfriend stayed on the bleachers outside alumni waiting for him to come out…the rest of us toured the yard, went shopping, attended the barbeque, listened to the Supe, etc…hot and humid day- but no rain thank goodness- a packed day leading up to T-court and the oath…</p>
<p>In the meantime, the sister and the GF waited 5 and 1/2 hours for the thorpedo to finish processing…had some good laughs with former USNA graduates while waiting…a lot of “in-my-day” stories…“yea, back in my day the parents just had to stand around here waiting…now they have bleachers set up…next year there will be a tent and refreshment stand…”…you get the idea! But they had many “Thorpedo” sightings…saw him being trained to “salute”, to “afix his cover,” to make a “square turn”…even got video of the sessions! Priceless! They were troopers too- came back 3 shades tanner then when they left us after all those hours in the sun! They even spotted 2 of the other foundation kids that were in the same program…</p>
<p>We finally get the “scouting call” that he is “on the bus”…
A good many of us are waiting outside the midstore and gather to wait for “the bus”…first the truck with the seabags arrive- dumping them in a huge pile…and about 5 minutes later the bus arrives…and sure enough, our plebe…he looked ok…but I gasped…"they scalped him!!!)…I couldn’t believe a shave could be that close!!! His pants were too big, and they were falling off his hips…but he threw that seabag right over his shoulder and ran up those 2 flights of stairs…we saw him briefly after…reef points being studied…and then he dissapeard into Bancroft. I found some comfort in knowing he did not get “yelled at” as much as some of the other kids (I felt equally bad for those poor souls)…and in knowing they were finally back in air conditioning- it was getting hot!</p>
<p>In the meantime, one of the grandmothers found seating for us in T-court…the bleachers were all full by 4pm, but she managed to get 20 seats in the front row directly behind the plebes!! And so we sat for the wait- hot sun bouncing off those beautiful white buildings and the brick courtyard…it was stiffling, but we nevertheless huddled under our umbrellas to find some relief…</p>
<p>and every bit of that effort well worth it, because when the plebes started marching in, ours passed right in front of all of us…lots of pictures…and he looked SO GOOD! </p>
<p>And we were blessed with the weather, which allowed the ceremony to take place outside as planned- and then the blue angels emerging from behind Bancroft- what a roar- matched only by the roar of the crowd immediately after!</p>
<p>And then the oath- we could see the back of our plebes shaved head- with the ring of white skin around his hairline that was seeing the sun for the first time in over a decade…</p>
<p>and then our time to spend with him— first on T-court…first he said “why did I sign up to do this”…but then I whispered that question…and his answer came…without hesitation and with a tone of such confidence that I finally filled up with tears…but happy ones…</p>
<p>and so we all gathered out on Stribling…and he was so RELAXED…but still so focused on everyone and everything going on around him…lots of pictures with all the cousins, aunts and uncles, grandmothers, sister, girlfriend, and finally mom and dad…it was amazing! Already we saw him engaged with other members of his class (how did he meet them so fast we wondered???)…couldn’t cry because I KNEW with that YES and the way he said it that he was OK and that this was going to be OK. I was so proud of him I could bust!!!</p>
<p>He told us the day was hard, but not as bad as what he had anticipated. The morining was actually “easy;” he liked the issue stations, the instruction, etc…he said the afternoon was “harder” but still better than what he expected. I hope the next 8 weeks go as easily.</p>
<p>Before we knew it, he was leaving for the march back to Bancroft, but he looked OK about it…we shouted out some “coded” words of encouragement…and I caught a glimmer of a smile in his eyes…and we watched him disappear up stribling!</p>
<p>At dinner that night, everyone commented on how “great” he looked- how confident he seemed… a collective sigh of relief! We also recognized one of his training cadre- someone we had met just 2 weeks before- and we found some comfort in that…( I hope!)</p>
<p>The coach told him on Tuesday that lax would be starting in 2 weeks, and so I know he has that to look forward to. Again, I took such comfort in that resounding “yes” that I was just happy and relieved and as proud as could be!</p>
<p>So the long drive home yesterday- we stopped to see the girlfriends college, which is just 5 miles away…and already put the lax schedule on the calendar for fall and spring games…got the tee-shirts with the plebe listing on the back…and his name is on it, just in case I wake up in the morning thinking this was all a dream…</p>
<p>I pray the rest of the journey goes as well…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the support- JM, you have been a Godsend… and Zaphod- I still think you are doing everyone a diservice by NOT writing that book- you have been such a treasure trove of advice- my sincerest thanks…</p>
<p>if I can ever figure out how to post pics, will try…</p>
</p>
Just a heads up that some kids might do this to their poor parents as well.</p>