*** I wrote this in pieces over the past several weeks as things happened, and then I had to wait and then waited some more and now Carter is in Texas. Phase 2.
Pass In Review, aka boot camp graduation, was today (October 22nd)! It’s not the ending (or beginning) we had planned, but I’m so thankful that I can play I Spy on YouTube tomorrow as I watch the video of 1000 graduates march in parade.
News from those that are local say it rained all day and moms were making jokes that maybe the rain would make their masks soggy so they’d fall down to their chins and maybe we’d have a better chance of spotting our kids in the sea of identical uniforms.
And now for a typical military wife/mom story: I knew that Carter would be calling this week as I’ve been tracking his unit’s progress via a group FB page. Everyone crowdsources any info they hear from their sailor, “Div 404 is at the phones now! Make sure your ringer is turned on!” “My sailor said everyone in their group passed the PFA — next up is Battle Stations!” or “the girls of 412 didn’t earn a phone call because some sailors were passing notes to boys in the other units.” Or “401/402/403 finished Battle Stations! Be ready for your phone calls parents of 404!”
Anyway, the call I’d been waiting 9 weeks for, the “I’m a sailor” call was going to happen in the middle of the night sometime on Monday-Thursday. I had been having disrupted sleep for 2 days already because I had to turn off my Do Not Disturb so his call would ring through so things were dinging all night long. (he was going to call from a payphone so I couldn’t prioritize a particular number, blah blah). ANYWAY, the magic hour hits — 2 am, the phone rings and I sit right up in bed, grab my phone and hit the green button to answer and nothing. Seriously, nothing. My phone would not register my finger as I’m jabbing it at the screen, seeing the 847 area code flashing before my eyes and NADA. And then it stopped ringing. NOOOOOO! Dang it.
I almost messaged Josh in the US to tell him to pick me up a new iPhone 12 — I was that irritated, but I messaged Calvin and thankfully Carter got through to him so I impatiently waited while they chatted and then I called Calvin to get the details from him. And the details were that he passed, was now a sailor and he was going to be stationed in San Diego after A-school (electrician course)! I’m sure there was more, but it’s all faded into the blur of the past few weeks.
I thought after graduation things would be easier, but actually the wait became more agonizing. It turns out that because of covid (that’s got to be Time magazine’s Most Influential Being of the Year — everything is “because of covid”) all transportation had to be coordinated within the military system, so instead of hopping on a commercial flight, everyone sat around on their bunks, waiting for something to happen. No phones, no communication with the outside world. Nothing.
After a week with no word and parents going crazy (thank God for 20+ years as a military spouse, because I was not worried, I just felt bad that he was stuck), Carter did get his phone back and had enough time to tell us that the waiting was terrible and that he was screwed and might be waiting for over a month before he could get on a flight to Texas. But he was overjoyed to have his phone back! He got a front row seat in Military 101: “Hurry up and wait.”
Meanwhile on the mom page: “my kid is going to Florida today!” Yay, my kid left for A school and now I’m FaceTiming her every 10 minutes.” Whatever. I wasn’t jealous. #lies. But surprise, surprise we got a phone call and Carter was already on a bus headed to Wisconsin to get on a plane because my favorite hurricane Zeta cancelled the flight to Pensacola and they took the sailors waiting to go to Texas and California instead. Military 102: “Make plans, but they will change (and change again).”
Carter made it to A school on an Air Force base in North Texas. He’s finished 1 week of school and has 11 more weeks to go. (maybe. See Military 102.) He actually does get to take leave for Christmas and will go to our friends in Texas who are like family.
Look at my grown up baby!!
looking a lot like his Great-grandpa . . .
Wow! He does look like grandpa! So proud of him and excited to have him close in San Diego.
So good to get updated on Carter’s progress…and to hear about the possibility of him being based here in San Diego.
Maybe we’ll relive what my Mom and Dad did when I was JJ’s age …picking up Horace (Navy) and George (Marines) from around here for long weekends
What a trip that would be if that comes true!