Flashback 1982

As my heart is aching for my Bransons on their way to Texas I was thinking back on another time when it felt like I was kicked in the chest, when Tom went to Basic Training then AIT. We were 23 and had been married for four years with a 3 year old and an 18 month old. I stayed in our house an hour away from family, which at the time seemed a long way. I was talking to my mom on the phone shortly after he left and she asked how I was doing and I told her I felt like I was kicked in the chest. She said "what did you expect?". That's typical Mom and she was right. Years later when Thomas spent the summer with my parents my dad used the same words to describe how he felt at the end of the visit.

I have whined that my in laws were never there for us but when Family Day, the week end between Tom's Basic Training and AIT, came around and we couldn't afford for me to go they came through at the last minute with a plane ticket and my parents kept the boys and even lent me her dress.



How hard it must have been to leave us behind



Then we prepared to move to Kansas and when we were getting married all my dad told Tom was "Don't take her away". That was just the first of many moves. His heart must have been breaking

My Mom, the no nonsense woman with a heart of gold.
Does the dress look a bit familiar? I still have it

The Grown Ups are Busy Too

It's been almost two months since Shawn left for Texas for training before his deployment. He should be leaving for Afghanistan in the next couple of weeks. Originally they weren't planning on seeing him before he left the country but it just seems silly not to so tomorrow, May 3rd, they are off for a four day week end with him. They are all having a harder time than expected, she started a BLOG to document the year.

Charlie has been doing very well in school, he tells us he has the highest GPA of his class. He spends Monday through Friday in Philadelphia and comes back to Maryland for the weekends. Michele and the kids are staying with her parents right around the corner from us. She is still waitressing and he is still on unemployment. We get to see the kids quite a bit. Their car broke down so they are driving Jennifer's second car. Things are very hard for them right now but they are headed in the right direction. Charlie is still struggling with his weight and doctor even suggested weight loss surgery last week. Not sure when he'd fit that in but he needs to get to a healthy weight.

 

Thomas has taken a summer job for the first time since he became a teacher. He's part of the grounds crew for the Ripken Baseball Fields. He has already started on the week ends working Little League Tournaments. He enjoys the outside work. This week they assigned him his own field which they say should take an average of 32 hours a week for upkeep during the summer .Tom also works for the Ripkens as a Tournament Official. Thomas is also on his way to Atlanta to spend two days at the Ron Clark Academy for teachers, Matthew Perry starred in a MOVIE about him. He was selected for the all expense paid trip through the county schools.

Natalie was selected to be part of a special project through her job. We're all very proud of her. The only problem is it's at Ft.Belvoir in Virginia. It's just outside DC so it's not too far but too far to commute daily. So just like Charlie she will be a week end parent. Her project should be complete by the middle of August though. Just in time to join us for a long week end in Ohio for Krystal and Josh's wedding.

I know I go on alot about the babies but we are also so very proud of our big  kids too.