September 4, 2011

• Important Memories

   

  TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

  If anyone cares to, they can go back to my blog on having children and the importance of family and read the comment my son left about my one and only grandson who has just graduated from the Marine Corp. boot camp after 13 grueling weeks.  I watch NCIS on TV and the head of the team (Mark Harmon) is a former Marine (there is no such thing as an EX-Marine).  The show happens to show a great deal of the kinds of things they are subjected to while in boot camp and it made me say many a prayer for him because I knew it was important to him to be a Marine.  He has wanted to be one since he was a very little boy.  Perhaps that is the measure of a man, what he aspires to as a child.  His maternal grandfather was a Marine who served in VietNam, if I'm not mistaken.  In fact, he was a Green Beret.  Doc loved his grandfather and I'm sure that had something to do with his early aspirations but it doesn't matter where it came from.  Here it is, he is now a Marine.  I am so very proud.

  My son informed me that he had called the Beast to tell him all about it but, of course....so true to form....I never heard a word.  The Beast is ambivalent about patriotism, hates the current wars going on and still isn't sure whether or not he truly believes in God.  What can you expect from such a man?

  My son compiled a montage of Doc through the years and then some shots of the graduation and boot camp exercises.  It's located here if you care to take a peek.  Doc was and still is a fine looking boy.  I thought him cute as a kid and he's going to be extremely handsome as he matures (don't you just hate that about good-looking guys?).  Anyway, here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic7XGlyd6Bc t

  Doc was born in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.  My son and daughter-in-law were with us during the storm and I kept telling her that she had better not have that baby before she could get to a hospital because I didn't think delivering my own grandchild was part of a mother-in-law's duties.    He was a healthy and happy baby.  My sister, Cee, and I got their apartment ready for their homecoming by stocking up on easy to prepare foods, and stocked them up on other things we knew would be necessary so that it would be a happy first week or so for the new family.  We enjoyed doing it and I know they appreciated it.

  Those are important memories.  Also when the kids were at the house, playing in the pool together.  I have scenarios I replay in my mind and wish I had more of.  My son and his family moved to Tennessee when his kids were young and I missed out on a lot of their growing up.  The memories I have, I hug to my heart.  I also did bring the two girls home with me for almost two weeks on my return trip from Chicago one year.  It was a spur of the moment thing for them but one I had planned in my head when I couldn't bring them with me to the reunion itself that year.  I had a lot of fun getting to know them.  I would have loved to have brought my grandson along, too, but there was only one spare bed that the girls could share and the love seat was too short for Doc to sleep on.  Besides, I doubt my daughter-in-law would have been able to stand having all her children gone at one time.

  I have to get this posted before it starts raining here again.  We have some bad weather hurtling at us due to the storm in the Gulf that is hitting Louisiana and a few other states.  We are getting the bands thrown out from it but they say we will be getting 2-5 inches of rain.  That means my internet will be chancey.  Love you all.  Keep your family close and be sure to tell them you love them....often. 
  

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