and I finally got my phone call....

I know I already put this picture up a few days back, but I like it. Sam called last evening, and I won't embarrass him by saying that he was rather....never mind. Let's just say that if he could have come home, he may have. But he says he is okay, and has lots of good guys with him, battle buddies, he called them. He says the place is awful, he is still in "reception", real boot camp hasn't started yet. He was given permission to make that one call, and will be able to call again in a month or so. Oh, my heart. I want to tell those drill sergeants...

Dear Drill Sergeants,

Be nice to Sam. He is a very special kid. He has never really been away from home. He is kind and thoughtful, and he will take out the garbage without being asked. He can carry in half the groceries in one trip, usually in his bare feet, whatever the weather. He will go for walks with his boring old mom, and actually enjoy them. He doesn't like to be touched, and sometimes it takes him a minute to figure out new things, and he asks, "What?" alot. He will remember everything he has ever heard, and will be like an encyclopedia of Army regulations to his buddies. He will NEVER purposely do anything wrong, he will never lie, he will never steal. He just won't. He will get upset if he is wrongfully accused. Nothing is ever his fault, but if he thinks about it and realizes that perhaps it is, he will always apologize, in the most sincere way. He likes things to be good between himself and whoever he has to do with. To put it bluntly, he is just too good for this world. Please keep that in mind.

He is not just some guy who joined the Army. He has been enthralled with the whole idea of the military since he was a little boy. His collection of history books could fill a small library, and yes, he has read them all. He probably knows more about World War II than all of you sergeants put together, no offense. He loves his country with all his heart. 'Merica. His true love. He believes fervently in the right to bear arms, and is very excited to be able to do so, thus his choice of being in the infantry. If partiotism were a disease, he would have an incurable case of it.

So please realize what a treasure you have in this guy. Treat him well, and you will have the best soldier the Army has ever seen.

Sincerely,

Sam's mama

I was upset after talking to him. I told him how much I miss him, and he didn't want me to. No guy wants to cry in front of his friends, but hey, he might have done them all a favor, if they were calling home too, could have let them know it's okay. But of course they would have just teased him. I sure hope they are being nice to him. It's like sending your kid to kindergarten, only a million times more intense. I know, he's a big boy, he'll be fine. But. That doesn't stop my Mama Bear feelings.

I am trying to get my house straightened around. Yesterday I sorted through shoes (Sam can't need four pairs of sneakers near the door...when he comes home on leave, he can just buy a new pair. Right?) I weeded through the coats and jackets on the hooks, and couldn't get rid of all of his sweatshirts. The girls can wear them camping or something.

I bought Jonathan one of those cube-basket things to put his television on. He and Sam pooled their money a while back to buy a 32 inch set to play video games on, with the understanding that Jon would get it when Sam left. There is no antenna, so it won't get tv stations on it, but it is fine for playing games on.

Spring isn't here, but I am in the spring cleaning mood. I want to sort and organize and make the place nice, and we all know THAT doesn't happen every day.

My heart and thoughts are with a family in our church out on the west coast who lost their mom, a mom of sixteen children also, to cancer. She is in a better place and her suffering is done, but her family has to go on without her...pray for her husband and her kids and grandchildren. They were blessed to have had her in their lives.

It also weighs on me that our good friend Dave's cancer has returned. I know that God sends all things for our very best, and it is comforting that Dave and his wife also know this, but he does have eight kids. I am praying that he can be cured. His first cancer was 7 years ago, and it was a rough road, but he says he learned more things through his sufferings than he ever could have learned. I am praying that he will learn more good things, but will be with us for a long time yet.

Ah well, there is a driveway to shovel, and laundry to switch over and floors to sweep, along with Jon to teach and dinner to plan.