Joshua D, reporting for duty
 

Monday night Josh will leave us and head for boot camp in Missouri. Immediately after boot camp he will begin Military Police training. We won't see him again until the end of December. He's been serving one weekend a month for the National Guard since the spring.

I know. Military and cop! As I said to iSm when Crystal told him about this shocking turn of events, I guess this is how kids rebel these days.:D

But this is a good thing for Josh. I think. I hope. After 6 years of paying little more than lip service to his education, college wasn't even close to being on his radar.

Hard on the family though. We've always been a close, tight-knit group. Except maybe during the spring of '08 when Josh went batsh!t crazy for a while, but we fought through that together and came out a stronger family. Poor Todd - our youngest for those who don't know him - is losing his brother and one of his best friends (moving to Africa) this weekend.


But we'll be ok. And Josh will be ok. We have to believe that.

Wow....heavy. I am certain he will be OK. Will keep him in my prayers.

Wow! Sounds like a wonderful opportunity and path for him.

Prayers for his successful journey and more for Todd as he starts his new normal without his brother and his best friend at his side.

Best of luck to him and all of you.

Here's to safe travels.

Ha! :snap:

Best wishes to all the Chronics!

Best of luck to everyone in the Chronic Family. Hang in there!
:)

So many conflicting feelings it's probably best not to even try to put them down.

My thoughts are with all of you

Here's to you Mr. Reporting For Duty Man. Stay safe and keep your spirits high. :cheers:

Those that enlist and serve there country do an amazing thing - as do their families that support them. Best of luck to all the Sac's.

Well, Josh is gone. I think he's handling it better than the rest of us, as he probably should. It is what Josh wanted, after all. Oh I'm not saying he didn't come to me Sunday night, bawling his eyes out and needing an extended hug from his old man. I'm just saying he's going to be fine.

If it helps, most of the biggest pot smokers I know personally perfected the habit in the Army.

So more traditional rebellion may not be out of the question as well.

*sniff*

Thank you, Alex. Hope is a wonderful gift.

*wipes a tear*

See, that's why I'm never going to have kids. They will grow up and rebel against me. I mean, with my luck my kid would grow up to be a Ryan Phillipe loving TV evangelist who is also an uber-conservative Republican, drinks Rockstar and eats at Chik-fil-A.

Awwwww.

And you're right. He's going to be fine. Maybe even a little better. :)

*hugs*

Wow, that is a lot for your family to deal with. Even if the changes are for the best, it is still not easy to let go, especially so far and so long.

Of course he came to you, this is a big step and we all wonder if we are making the right choice. A smart man would question that and wonderful for him and you that he came to you.

There will be a lot of adjustments for everyone. How is your wife feeling? So, there will just be the three of you {I'm sorry, I am thinking there is a daughter or two?}? Whew, we've had changes here, with certain siblings gone, it is hard.

Heck, when the oldest went to sixth grade camp!! Geesh!! The emptiness we all felt!! So, yeah, hugs to all of you.

Stay strong, Chronic. Meanwhile, we will all be sending as many positive vibes that we can muster for Joshua. Many virtual hugs to all of you in this difficult time.

Thanks for all the well wishes, everybody. I've passed them on to Josh.

MouseWife: We're down to four at the moment. Todd (12), Cat (16), and Crystal and I. It's been toughest on Crystal, I think. She's still having the occasional crying jag. Josh was her first baby, and we all know about moms and their babies.

It's not quite an empty nest, but the downsizing of our family will take some adjustment. Like when I had to do Josh's effing yard work last Saturday before doing my own. That sucked, let me tell you. On the other hand, we went out to dinner and the check was smaller than it had been in a long time. Josh may not quite be a man yet, but he's been eating like one for years.

Let the Army feed that boy for a while.