Break over... back to school

kinnem

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The DS loaded up the Jeep and left for school with his girlfriend (who is also local and attends same college... and I'm never sure about who's a friend and whose a girlfriend these days... they're "talking") this AM. Taco seasoned beef tips are cooking on the Jeep's manifold and should be ready about lunch time. :biggrin: It was great to see him and we managed to have a few good, but all too brief, late night chats... just us guys.

I am a bit concerned about him this semester. He'll be serving as a Platoon Seargent. There is also Drill Team, Endurance Team, and Boat Crew. Apparently he is also handling a fire team leader slot for Semper Fi club. Not sure what this entails but I know it's going to take some level of time and effort. Also because he is on the Endurance Team he gets to do what they call Breakfast Club. It's their OCS prep course (heavy PT and training) 5 mornings a week at 05:30. Normally he wouldn't do this until next year but because he's on the Endurance Team Candidate List he gets to do Breakfast Club and is quite excited about it. Of course there are the normal academics and I'm sure he'll keep up with the Ballroom Dancing club once a week.

Sooo.... as we discussed in one of our late night chats he will encounter some severe stress this year trying to handle it all. I'm worried he's bitten off more than he can chew. Hopefully he will only bend and not break but it will all be difficult to monitor from here. Time for him to be a big boy and know when to cut his losses if necessary. Of course he might surprise me and manage it all swimmingly... that's more often the case than not these days.

NROTC has been very good to him and for him. We are blessed.
 
The DS loaded up the Jeep and left for school with his girlfriend (who is also local and attends same college... and I'm never sure about who's a friend and whose a girlfriend these days... they're "talking") this AM. Taco seasoned beef tips are cooking on the Jeep's manifold and should be ready about lunch time. :biggrin: It was great to see him and we managed to have a few good, but all too brief, late night chats... just us guys.

I am a bit concerned about him this semester. He'll be serving as a Platoon Seargent. There is also Drill Team, Endurance Team, and Boat Crew. Apparently he is also handling a fire team leader slot for Semper Fi club. Not sure what this entails but I know it's going to take some level of time and effort. Also because he is on the Endurance Team he gets to do what they call Breakfast Club. It's their OCS prep course (heavy PT and training) 5 mornings a week at 05:30. Normally he wouldn't do this until next year but because he's on the Endurance Team Candidate List he gets to do Breakfast Club and is quite excited about it. Of course there are the normal academics and I'm sure he'll keep up with the Ballroom Dancing club once a week.

Sooo.... as we discussed in one of our late night chats he will encounter some severe stress this year trying to handle it all. I'm worried he's bitten off more than he can chew. Hopefully he will only bend and not break but it will all be difficult to monitor from here. Time for him to be a big boy and know when to cut his losses if necessary. Of course he might surprise me and manage it all swimmingly... that's more often the case than not these days.

NROTC has been very good to him and for him. We are blessed.

It is tough to see them leave. Best Wishes for Him. I am pretty sure he will do great!
 
In the same boat.

One of the pluses is that when we leave for work in the morning and then return in the evening, the house looks just like it did when we left it, Oh and we buy a lot less milk.

Best of luck to your son.
 
kinnem,

I say this with kindness, respect and love. You raised an amazing child, and within a few short yrs he will lead as an AD member.

We never stop worrying as parents, that is the fact of life. We never see them the same way as their bosses do. They will forever be our child that we want to do everything to protect and insure/guarantee a better life.

JMPO and 0.01743 cents, he will do just fine.
 
In the same boat.

One of the pluses is that when we leave for work in the morning and then return in the evening, the house looks just like it did when we left it, Oh and we buy a lot less milk.

Best of luck to your son.
We buy a lot less of everything. I am pretty sure my son ate non-stop for 3 weeks. Nearly a daily trip to the grocery store. At that age they can sure put away a lot of grub.
Hated to see him go but glad he was going.
 
We buy a lot less of everything. I am pretty sure my son ate non-stop for 3 weeks. Nearly a daily trip to the grocery store. At that age they can sure put away a lot of grub.
Hated to see him go but glad he was going.

We had both boys home, I felt like we lived at the grocery store.
 
Thanks all! Loved all the grocery tales. We invested in meat and veggies as DS is on a Primal/Paleo diet, but will occasionally take a break from it to eat Grandma's pound cake or Mom's shrimp and grits. Dad's pancakes? Not so much.
 
Thanks all! Loved all the grocery tales. We invested in meat and veggies as DS is on a Primal/Paleo diet, but will occasionally take a break from it to eat Grandma's pound cake or Mom's shrimp and grits. Dad's pancakes? Not so much.

Shrimp and Grits!!!!

I'm coming to your house for dinner.
 
The penultimate winter break of Cadet Delahanty's academic career was the shortest one so far. Fall exams ran late, and he had to be back at school early to train for ROTC extracurricular activities. Insufficient time for a family trip.

Like many of you, I was grateful for the chance to watch our strapping young trencherman consume mass quantities and marvel at his metabolism. There won't be many such opportunities in the future as new responsibilities surface and new relationships are formed. Mrs. Delahanty and I have resigned ourselves to the likelihood that we may not see our son until May and then only briefly before he departs for LDAC. He now has a car, you see.

One sign momentum has gathered force: I found myself discussing next year's commissioning ceremony with my sister-in-law. We speculated hopefully that his nearly 90 year old grandfather, a veteran of two wars, would be fit enough to make the trip and accept a second lieutenant's first salute.
 
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Thanks all! Loved all the grocery tales. We invested in meat and veggies as DS is on a Primal/Paleo diet, but will occasionally take a break from it to eat Grandma's pound cake or Mom's shrimp and grits. Dad's pancakes? Not so much.

I am from the PNW, grits were a foreign entity to me until we got hot chow in the field at LDAC. All the Southern guys laughed when I asked if it was cream of wheat. I seriously didn't know what to do it with it :shake:
 
break over

Home occupancy has decreased by 25%, food bill 50%.
 
DS is packing his car as I type. Leaving shortly - will meet his new National Guard unit this weekend for drill and move back in to the dorm Sunday evening. It has been a good break - lots of those late night chats and all the good food I could feed him:thumb: Yes, those daily trips to the grocery won't be missed!!

EDelahanty - I sincerely hope his grandfather is able to attend his commissioning ceremony for that first salute!!

Glad to hear everyone had a good break with their kiddos! Now, I'm going to hug him good bye, pour myself a glass of wine and enjoy the obsolute silence:wink:
 
We got lucky, both the boys were home, younger for about 3 1/3 weeks, older 2 weeks but we'll take what we can get.

I guess the older one didn't think the temp change from Alabama was bad enough so they both went on a 2 tank scuba dive in the lovely waters of our Puget Sound. I think they drained the hot water tank twice trying to warm up afterwards.

We were able to go on a Bavarian Ski Trip.....Ok, we went to Leavenworth WA, but hey it looks like a Bavarian town, google it and you'll see what I mean.

It was great having them both home together, I guess the next time we see the older son will be when we get to punch his wings on at his graduation, probably next August.

The visits are always too short, and seem to be getting shorter, such is life.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season.
 
My DS left for Lexington on Tuesday, classes began on Wednesday. I really enjoyed Christmas break with him, but I think he was ready to get back to school and his new friends. His first semester in AFROTC went well, he even received the freshman cadet of the month for November at his last LLAB of the semester. Even though he has only spent the one semester in ROTC so far, I can already see a change in him. My wife did not even cry this time when he left, because she can see her baby boy is now a responsible young man. Glad to hear everyone's Christmas break went good, with the exception of the grocery bill.
 
We got lucky, both the boys were home, younger for about 3 1/3 weeks, older 2 weeks but we'll take what we can get.

I guess the older one didn't think the temp change from Alabama was bad enough so they both went on a 2 tank scuba dive in the lovely waters of our Puget Sound. I think they drained the hot water tank twice trying to warm up afterwards.

We were able to go on a Bavarian Ski Trip.....Ok, we went to Leavenworth WA, but hey it looks like a Bavarian town, google it and you'll see what I mean.

It was great having them both home together, I guess the next time we see the older son will be when we get to punch his wings on at his graduation, probably next August.

The visits are always too short, and seem to be getting shorter, such is life.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season.


Leavenworth is a gem in the summer and winter! Not cheap though!
 
My DS left for Lexington on Tuesday, classes began on Wednesday. I really enjoyed Christmas break with him, but I think he was ready to get back to school and his new friends. His first semester in AFROTC went well, he even received the freshman cadet of the month for November at his last LLAB of the semester. Even though he has only spent the one semester in ROTC so far, I can already see a change in him. My wife did not even cry this time when he left, because she can see her baby boy is now a responsible young man. Glad to hear everyone's Christmas break went good, with the exception of the grocery bill.

Congratulations on the Cadet of the Month! They sure do change in these programs. There is always something different, more mature, and more focused whenever they come home and it's not just "normal" growing up.
 
I am from the PNW, grits were a foreign entity to me until we got hot chow in the field at LDAC. All the Southern guys laughed when I asked if it was cream of wheat. I seriously didn't know what to do it with it :shake:

Simple...don't eat it. If you hadn't noticed, Army cooks have a southern bias. The reasons...you can divine on your own.

Sounds like many of your kids are doing far better at getting their lives in order than I did at that age. I have no doubt they will all excel in their chosen fields.
 
We got lucky, both the boys were home, younger for about 3 1/3 weeks, older 2 weeks but we'll take what we can get.

I guess the older one didn't think the temp change from Alabama was bad enough so they both went on a 2 tank scuba dive in the lovely waters of our Puget Sound. I think they drained the hot water tank twice trying to warm up afterwards.

We were able to go on a Bavarian Ski Trip.....Ok, we went to Leavenworth WA, but hey it looks like a Bavarian town, google it and you'll see what I mean.

It was great having them both home together, I guess the next time we see the older son will be when we get to punch his wings on at his graduation, probably next August.

The visits are always too short, and seem to be getting shorter, such is life.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season.

Has DS finished instruments? I feel like he should be close, since I recall being in Afghanistan when he started SERE.
 
Congratulations to all on raising some great kids. Our job is done. All that's left is to sit back and watch and hopefully, every once in a while, dispensing some timely advice. Hope all are successful this upcoming semester.
 
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