My Boys!

Well, in about 45 more days my boys will all be back in the states from Afghanistan. I know they will be so glad to be back state side, but I don't even think they will be as glad and relieved as I will be. Okay, maybe their "real" moms will be, but I think I'm right up there with them. I want to celebrate for a moment what these boys mean to me. I've been writing and talking to these guys for almost 4 years now and they truly are my boys. I love them all so much and always will and cannot imagine my baby boy having any better young men to serve with and to have his back than these guys. Seth has attempted twice now to save Chad's life. The first time was in Bridgeport when he got hypothermia and the beginning of frost bite and the 2nd was in Afghanistan. I will never be able to repay or thank him for what he did. He is so precious as are all those boys. Seth, Zach, RoRo, Chip, Spratt, Schmidt, TJ, and the list goes on. They will always be our family. I have to say that a very selfish piece of me hopes they get out of the military when their contracts are up just so they can be in a safer environment, but this country will certainly loose some amazing Marines. Just in case you were wondering, I definitely plan to continue supporting and keeping in touch with each and everyone of them regardless if they stay in the Marine Corps or get out. They may rethink letting me into their hearts, but I certainly won't. They have been amazing about calling me from Afghanistan since Dec. 1st to check on me and make sure we were ok. Seth is planning to buy Chad's motorcycle when he returns and he wanted to make sure I was okay with him asking to do that and I said only if you don't get hurt. See, a momma bear's job is never done. :) Zach has truly just been like my other son for so long that it's hard for me to remember at times that I really am just his bonus mom. He even flew to AR to be here for Chad & Katie's wedding. It was amazing. I got to meet Seth, Zach, RoRo, Salvedore, Spratt, Neal, and TJ for the first time face to face in December 2009 when Tebo flew me out to CA for my birthday. Let me set the stage and explain how our first meeting went. I had been so anxious to finally get to meet these bonus sons of mine that I had been writing and sending packages to for so long so Chad, Katie, and I went to the store and I bought food to grill out and Chad fired up the grill and we invited them to come over to eat. Each time one of them walked in they greeted me with "Hey Mom!" and I got a huge hug from each one of them. You know, there is really no better feeling in the world. I was one happy momma. We got pictures and ate and just sat around laughing and having a good time. They were all so wonderful. I hated for the night to end, but it just made our bond that much stronger and I loved that. Those boys just accepted me like I truly was family (of course I am now) and never thought twice. Even Salvedore whom I really didn't even know that much other than he was RoRo's best friend and so therefore by default I loved him too. Of course he got a hug too because in our family there are no hand shakes. Only hugs! I cannot wait for these guys to get home and for us to see them in CA (and some are coming to AR). I will get and give huge hugs like they've never had before and of course there will be tons of pictures taken (so you might as well get ready guys). Please enjoy some of these pictures of my boys. I will probably have to add another post of just pictures to make sure you get to enjoy as many as I can share on here, but you will see as soon as you see these faces how easy it is to just fall in love with each and every one of them. Once you get to know their hearts you will truly see how easy it was. Probably the very best thing about every one of these guys (and their wives) is they LOVED my baby boy and that has been so obvious over the last almost 4 years. I'll tell you a couple quick things... Gladys and Robert (aka Schmidt) should have probably taken Chad off their taxes because that boy lived at their place for the longest time after SOI and Lindsey and Shawn Spratt were in the same boat. That boy loved those two couples and talked to me about them all the time. Now Zach, RoRo, and Seth were his buds. There was never a chat that Chad and I had that these names were not brought up. Yes, sometimes before he could mention them I was asking how they were, but that's how I roll. :) I wanted to badly to be at Zach & Ashley's wedding, but for whatever reason we weren't able to attend, but as soon as their pictures were available I went out and ordered me a copy. She is just a doll and my Zachy couldn't have done any better. I'm a proud momma bear and boys, you better look out, because you have one heck of a hug coming your way so you better bulk up a little before I see you in CA! :) Love each and every one of you.... Love, your momma bear (always)