Letting Go
By clrumfelt
@clrumfelt (5597)
Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee
September 5, 2007 1:59pm CST
My daughter is in the USAF as of March of this year. Her dad and I
get upset if we don't hear from her every couple of days. Last
weekend she called on Friday and told my husband she was going camping with a couple of her friends(both guys) and they were going
to a camp in the foothills of some mountians in S. Oklahoma. While
she was there her cellphone went dead and we were thinking and worrying about her the whole time b/c she didn't call. Of course we
didn't know her cellphone battery was dead. I had a sleepless night
and laid awake thinking..what if those 2 guys are really axe murderers or perverts and they hurt her(I mean, how well can she
know them, she's only been at Shepperd for 2 months)..what if they
get attacked by a bear...what if their car won't start...?!
Anyway, she called last night and I'm glad she went because she had
so much fun. She said, "Mom. God REALLY loves us. I wish you could
see how beautiful it is there." There were deer and antelope and
all kinds of animals right near where they camped. She told my
husband she saw a buffalo scratching its head on a tree and its rear
on a rock at the same time.lol
I know she has guardian angels, and a good head on her shoulders. She has always been choosy about who she hangs out with, but I couldn't help being a bundle of nerves when I didn't hear from her.
After she leaves Sheppard AFB in a few months she will be stationed
in Japan. Anybody been through this? I don't know what I'll do when
she is on the other side of the world:]
3 people like this
4 responses
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
5 Sep 07
Your daughter sounds like a great kid. All you can do is realize that you did your best raising her and hope that she uses that knowledge. No matter how old our kids are we still worry about them. I'm 45 and my Mom still expects me to call her atleast every other day. I really dont mind though,it's nice to know your loved. My oldest daughter and her family are moving to Colorado in 3 weeks,I know thats not nearly as far a Japan but I can understand your fears.
1 person likes this
@nicolec (2671)
• United States
5 Sep 07
You sound just like my mother and I think it's natural. I am 31 now and my mother still makes me call her everytime I go on a trip. "Call me when you get there". Or in the case of an international trip it's "send me an email when you get there".
In august I spent two weeks in the mountains of Costa Rica. I had no phone, no computer, no television..no way to contact anyone even if I wanted to. And I loved every minute of it. I think my mother always knows I'm ok, but until she hears from me she's never completely sure.
So yeah, I've been through it, just on your daugther's end.
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
3 Oct 07
When she gets to Japan, have her look up my cousin!!! She's going to love Japan. I know because that's where my son has been for the last 2 years. He's in the Navy, in Sasebo, and it's really hard not hearing from him that often. He does try to e-mail a lot, but it's hard for him to call - especially when his ship is out to sea. I worry about him all the time because he's so far away and I just don't know when I'll hear from him. What's really cool about his situaion is that a couple months after he was stationed in Sasebo, my cousin (who is only a month older than him) found out he was going to be in Okinowa (he's Air Force). Then about 6 months later, my best friends son (Marine) - who is one of my sons closest friends - found out he was going to be stationed in Okinowa also! Imagane 3 boys kinda growing up together no more than 50 miles from each other and being stationed in the same little country in 3 different areas of the armed forces! Unfortunately, my son has yet to hook up with either my cousin or his friend because he never has time when he's at that port. But one day they will, and boy that'll be a sight for sore eyes.
You're daughter's doing a great thing, and you will worry about her - that's our job... I take comfort in the fact that there are a lot of people out there looking after my son and now he's actually looking after someone elses son/daughter too!!!
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
2 Oct 07
My son is in the Navy, will be 2 years in December. He has a car and a motorcycle, goes swimming in the ocean with dolphins and sharks, goes golfing and shares the golf course with golfer and alligators or crocodiles or whatever. And he is the type of kid who will get closer to get a better look at the babies.
You will always worry, it is a Mom thing. My kid is a good kid, never been in trouble and I worry...all the time.
Well, there is email and chats..if you both get webcams you can see each other and talk whenever you can set it up..even if only for a few minutes. You will work it out.
I was a basket case, my son spent Christmas, New Years and his 21st b'day in boot camp..it broke my heart.
@clrumfelt (5597)
• Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee
4 Oct 07
Thanks for your ecouragement. My daughter will be in Japan
for Christmas but we are keeping our fingers crossed for
Thanksgiving b/c she will get to spend 2 weeks in Nov. with
us before she goes.
