We all knew that boot camp was going to be any where from 8-12 weeks it just depends on how fast they process you. My daughter was feeling excitement, nervous, uncertainty and overall mixed emotions. She not only was beginning a new journey but leaving everything that she knew behind. That meant friends, going to clubs, going to the mall, and just hanging out with friends, right down to checking out her latest events on facebook. Going into the military meant not only growing up quickly but learning to live without.

At first bootcamp was diffcult, but as the days and the weeks passed she admitted it was pretty easy, it was just getting use to different routine. The weeks flew by quickly, although for me (Mom) it seemed like forever. It was hard not hearing her voice on the phone everyday or even recieving a letter every day or every other day in the mail box.

See, my daughter and I are very close, we have always talked and stayed in touch, I like to believe that we are not only mother and daughter but friends, and that makes for a special connection.

The time came for graduation from boot camp, I couldn’t have been any more proud at that moment. It was so wonderful to see her in her dress blues, standing tall and strong and ready to take the world into her hands.
We didn’t get to spend much time with her because duty called and she had to work after graduation…but we stuck around, got a tour with her later, had lunch and listened to her stories about her time at boot camp and the new friends that she had made. She was still excited and proud of her decision to help support her country, then days went by and she was sent to A school……to be continued.