I didn't know that I signed up for this 19 years ago

It's funny how one day they are babies in your arms and then the next day they are grown and gone. Dylan left for basic training on Monday. His mood was great and we had a good morning together as we went to Walmart to buy a duffle bag and stopped by McDonalds to pick up something for breakfast. We had one last talk about how it was going to be while he was at basic training and what we both expected and didn't expect from each other.

Once we arrived at his dropoff, we hugged goodbye and I told him that I would see him in about 6 weeks. I took pictures as he made the walk to begin his journey in the Air Force and then he was gone . We drove off and started the ride back home and it seemed like everything was going to be ok. But that was just a mistake in my thinking and as I would later find out.. Ray's thinking too. Nothing is the same and life now has a different look. I'm sad and my head is in a fog. Being by myself at the house today was unbearable. I thought that keeping the tv turned up loud enough where I could hear it from any room would keep my mind focused on other thoughts. No matter what I tried, I couldn't escape the fact that I was alone in my head.

I ended up leaving the house right after 11 and going to where two of my very good friends work. I was not going home until my kids came home from school. I hung out with them during lunch and for the rest of the afternoon. Their office was closed for the week and they were doing small jobs around the office or I would not have been able to be there. As was expected, we laughed... a lot... and I was soon feeling good again.

I really have the very best friends that one could wish for and I knew that turning to them would be the answer. I will lean on them for the next few days as I wait for things to get better.

But none of my kids are ever allowed to leave us now that we know what to expect. :-)