I just spent the last few minutes teary eyed again. My oldest son, Christopher, is going to Basic Training this coming Wednesday. I am so conflicted, one minute PROUD and the next wanting to tell the Army they can’t have my son, he’s still a baby! I know that this is what he wants, it is his dream and that is what makes me happy for him. This dream of his was even more realized by me this morning. My husband is out in the garage with (this is another looooong story that I will share some other time) his new project, restoring a 1972 Buick Skylark, it is snowing, and really cold. I told him I would go in and get him some gloves (funny how you wouldn’t think you’d need them in April:-). I reached up to the top shelf in the coat closet and found this shirt while searching for the gloves. This is Christopher’s from his “I wanna be a soldier, playing army” days. Seeing this made me realize how long he has wanted this. It is his dream and he is about to embark on it. I am hanging this in the front hallway and there it will stay until he comes home. It will remind me that while this is hard for his mom, it is what he has been working toward for almost his whole life. I am very proud of him and I will be the best ‘Arm Mom’ that I can. I will smile and hold my head up high and proudly and try not to let him see my “mom’s tears”, while praying for him constantly.