<p>Just wait 'til they go to sea and you don’t hear anything for weeks and then get a missive like this…</p>
<p>Hey,</p>
<p>Not sure if you have heard about the Typhoon May-yi going by Japan that sunk a ship and injured a bunch of people in Okinawa, but just to let you know, we have altered course completly to avoid it and will be coming into port two days after it hits the port we are going to. All is well onboard and we are perfectly safe. </p>
<p>Just an FYI</p>
<p>Thanks goodness he is letting you know he is safe. Very thoughtful indeed.</p>
<p>Oh NOOOOOOooooooo.
I’ve got a kid like LFWB dad does!</p>
<p>I realize that my son is not one of those yakky/write-y types.
He’s one of those ‘strong, silent’ types… Emphasis on SILENT. Apparently, pens or pencils don’t fit into his hand. </p>
<p>Thanks LFWB dad, message received… Pace yourselves parents!
I’ve been mostly concerned about the whirlwind of activities my son’s caught up in… Hadn’t thought forward to sea year, where they can literally get caught up in REAL whirlwinds! (Now, I know the vessels are larger, but I can see visions of the waves crashing over the bow of the ship, like the TV show “Worlds Deadliest Catch”–crab fishermen on the Bearing Sea). </p>
<p>They are all very competent. Our kids are going to do SUCH neat things on this roller coaster!</p>
<p>I’m buckled up, and have the airline ‘courtesy bag’ in hand. I THINK I’m ready.</p>
<p>Had a couple of questions put to me in pm’s that I thought better answered in the public forum just for a FYI kinda thing.</p>
<p>-Kids rarely if ever get moved from their original companies. Some kids were moved around last year. Not many I heard.</p>
<p>-Can’t say much about the kids reporting back in the Sunday night of Parent’s Week-end except to “hint” that parents should perhaps consider leaving Great Neck as late as possible. </p>
<p>-The first time you’ll see the kids in dress whites are in photos at the upcoming Aug. 8th Mets game. This is a great way to prep yourselves for when you see them parent’s week-end & you need sunglasses to look upon that sea of white. At Friday’s parade, they have always been in their working khakis so I assume that tradition will still stand. </p>
<p>That is all. Carry on. :D</p>
<p>Or, in the case of my older son, “Hi mom, just wanted to let you know that I was involved with the Emergency Embassy evacuation in ****,some guys were hurt bad, but don’t worry, even with the shooting and riots I’m ok…” Gotta love it!</p>
<p>OK Zonker get an extra airline ‘courtesy bag’. Now don’t leave it in your hotel room ;)</p>
<p>as i said, don’t be frustrated with the girlfriends… they’ll disappear rapidly, family is forever. they’re trying to hang onto the girlfriend as long as possible, tis a sad thing… when the girl dumps them, your son will be your best friend, just wait and see.</p>
<p>is2day, you are wise beyond your years.</p>
<p>or you can keep ur gf like i did… :)</p>
<p>Ha, my bf kept me too… I remember getting a letter along the lines of, “I’m writing this from the bathroom because I keep getting caught after lights out…” He said Indoc wasn’t as bad as he expected and they do get to do some fun things too :)</p>
<p>:eek: :eek: :eek: 
It CAME. It CAME. The 1st letter. (I’m not sure if he really wrote it, or if one of you had sympathy on us and sent us one of yours just to get me to hush… Wait… That chicken-scratch/scrawl was sent to crypto and it IS our son’s writing ! )</p>
<p>I am VERY surprised it wasn’t…
“My DI is making me do this… It’s either handwrite a letter or I own 200 pushups – if it had been 100 pushups, I could have banged them out… but I am tired and so here’s your letter. Signed, Your Son” </p>
<p>It was a (little) more informative. So, the drought is over.</p>
<p>One funny thing, it’s salutation is “Dear Mom, Dad, and family”.
The thing that is so funny is that the only “and family” we’ve got is Little Brother… and the cat. :rolleyes: So either Little Brother has been downgraded to pet status, or cat has been elevated to sibling status. Son must have been very tired. 
</p>
<p>However, he is a young man of few words, especially written ones. :p</p>
<p>OK, WE GOT OUR FIRST ONE, TOO!!! Know you all will be so glad to hear that! It is written on a fold-over notecard son purchased at the school store-it has the seal of USMMA in gold on the front. I am so impressed! Maybe the Etiquette Lady with the crystal goblets did teach them about the importance of “handsome stationery for young gentlemen???” I have read the note 100 times! He sounds super! Says the food is “great” and to send the window fan now. And, surprise, surprise, send some more mailing labels with his girlfriend’s address!! Lots of shots, running, and yelling. He goes on to say that “we have been issued some nice stuff including a very nice laptop bag that says Kings Point.” You know how we southerners love anything monogrammed! Can you sense how thrilled I am to have finally heard from him! Hope all of you have received at least one by now, too!!!</p>
<p>Still no letter here. I guess I need to seek the DI’s to hand out push ups to 3rd company. I sent a form letter he should be getting by tomorrow for sure. He said he had little time to write but he could have put down those chips in chapel and written a Dear Mom letter. </p>
<p>That’s ok, my grandkids are going to love me and all I have to tell their dad is, “remember that letter you never sent to mom from the USMMA”. :)</p>
<p>“You know how we southerners love anything monogrammed!” LOLLOLLOLLOLLOL
I laughed sooo hard, I almost fell out of my chair. You guys are to the point of hysteria! I’m going to have ya’ll seen by the Doc soon. Zonker is giving me a stitch in my side every time I read his comments. “the cat” LOLLOLLOLLOLLOL</p>
<p>Hey Janzmom! I see your “SC” location…you all most definitely appreciate a nicely monogrammed item just like we do here in Virginia! I just think it’s a HOOT that my son is picking out gold seal USMMA stationery and loving his new laptop bag monogrammed with “KP.” He’s his mamma’s son! And, I thought he wasn’t paying attention all those years!</p>
<p>LOL…Jamzmom aren’t you glad the Class of 2011 has such goofy parents? Being from southwest Virignia, we sure appreciate monogrammed things also and I believe you could preview the laptop bag in the school store. It is very impressive indeed. Now all they need is monogrammed towels and they will feel like they are home. :D</p>
<p>Too funny for words. I remember looking at the photos from Indoc when my son was “in” & I saw one of those sitting on a desk. I said, “OMG! I must have one of those for myself!” Afraid to say out loud but we even have monogrammed luggage… Its always free with any purchase down south ya know. LOL</p>
<p>You mean the world knows we folks down south have been monogramming our kids underware for years. That sharpie momogram is just a short cut. ;)</p>
<p>Oh My! You folks have me laughing at my desk!</p>
<p>And to let you know, i only ever received ONE letter during indoc, and it was the last week. And he had no girlfriend to send letters to. </p>
<p>It does get easier when they get their laptops. IM is great and the away messages are a hoot sometimes. I found that m/n are flooded with emails from usmma official stuff and other junk… and it was best to catch him for a few IM minutes to get any info from him.</p>
<p>Your Canidates should soon be getting their laptops! I know my DS got his last year before the official date they were supposed to be issued. so get that IM downloaded and ready!</p>
<p>Dad bought the Nautica white towels with a tiny discreet white embroidered sailboat in the corner. Not quite the same as a monogram; however, feel sure son knows it’s there!</p>