God Bless America

Well, I did it.  I packed up my boy and shipped him off.  He's halfway across the country now, in basic training.  I suppose I shouldn't say that I packed him up because he did it all by himself.  But it was harder to watch him pack than it ever has been for me to actually pack anything.

His last week here was a delight.  He went to the temple, accompanied by three of my four fabulous brothers - and a sister-in-law and my dad.  We celebrated afterwards by going out to lunch.  We laughed and talked politics and tried to disintegrate the inside of our mouths by trying all of the hot sauces they had - mixed together. Ay, yi, yi.

I tried to savor the last moments with my boy.  I won't see this again for a while.  Makes me want to pick him up, cradle him in my arms, and tuck him into bed.

Won't see this again for a while, either.  I've loved hearing him pound out "Armies of Helaman" when he thought I wasn't listening.

He got all caught up on his screen time, which is good because he won't have any at all for a long time.

Alec has been helping my dad work on his model train these past months.  Strike that.  Alec has been helping my dad with his model train for years.  Playing with trains is something they both enjoy so much.  And that they can do it together is a total bonus.  Love to see the love of these two.

My dad told some fun stories about when he was in the army.  He knows a lot better than we do what Alec is in for.  

And now Alec's room is empty.  All his things are packed up, ready to be stored away so David can move in.  There is an emptiness, not just in his room, but in my heart.  He left last fall, too - to go to college.  But this is so much bigger.  I can't call or email.  He won't come home for the weekend.  And when he does comes back, months from now, he'll be different.  Grown up.  His own man.  Not my boy anymore.

God bless America.  Keep her safe and free from calamity.  Bless the lives of those who dedicate their lives to her protection.  And bring my boy home again.