Thank you my darling son! Original Post 26 January 2007

Welcome folks! Come up on my porch and sit a spell. It has been awhile now since we have done this!
This past week was pretty amazing and fearful all at the same time. For those who don't know, Friday, January 26 is my birthday. Not really a big deal (I have had many), but this year was especially bittersweet. My darling son, sent me-flowers. He remembered my birthday. Not only did I get flowers (a flower birthday cake), but a big teddy bear and a Happy Birthday balloon! This from the boy who wouldn't even tell me Happy Birthday when my birthday rolled around! Boy, they do grow up!
What makes this extra special to me, is that in the hell that he is in, the constant fear of attack, of battling insurgents, of securing crash sites, all the duties that are that of an MP in Baghdad, my son remembered my birthday and sent me flowers. I cried when the delivery man got here. I bet he thought what is going on!
And the card that he wrote-it must have really got to the ladies at the florist-it read: Mom, Happy Birthday, even though I'm on the other side of the world, I still think of you. I love you. I'll be home soon, but until then try not to worry too much. Derek, your baby boy in Iraq.
What a tear jerker! I cried when I read it and I cried when I went to bed. I told my son that I hug his bear and pretend I am hugging him. Boy is he getting squished alot!
Friday was a scary day for this old mom. Derek was online and we were "talking" as we do, and suddenly he wasn't there. Was it an "incoming", did his internet kick off-what. 30 minutes passed and he wasn't back on. By now, i am getting panicky. I am thinking the worst of course. I was fearful that since it was my birthday, something bad was happening. Keep in mind, the last time this happened for this length of time, was the day we lost our dear soldier when their barracks was bombed. This was before the flowers arrived. I was pacing the floor-listening to the news and praying like I never prayed before. The phone rang...I said hello...and then silence...I was hoping beyond hope that it was him and that he was okay. I hear this mom...I gasp for air...Derek-Derek-are you okay? Yes, mom. Internet crapped out again. I said thank god. I was so afraid...he said i knew you would be. I am fine, everyone is fine...just the damn internet....
why can't they seem to get internet that works? They have to pay high prices for it, and it doesn't work most of the time, and when it does-the bandwidth is horrible. We bought web cams and headsets so we could see and hear each other, but the band width is so horrible, we can't use them.
I was never so glad to hear his voice. I was so afraid that someone else's son or daughter had been harmed. But not this time....
The MP's have seen a lot of violence this past week. They continue, however, to do their duty with pride and a show of professionalism. The story Chris Cuomo from Good Morning America regarding the attack he suffered while on patrol with the MP's says a lot for what my son is doing. My son was not with Cuomo when this happened, but it helps us to understand what they are going through.
I have added new products to the website this week. The latest additions are caps-these are embroidered low profile caps-embroidered with the crest of the Branch of Service-and the letter Proud Dad...Proud Grandpa...etc. The second cap shows the logo of the Branch of Service with Proud Dad...etc on either side of the logo. I designed these myself, and look forward to seeing them worn with pride! A second item we are adding to our site is gift baskets. We will offer them for the holidays, however, we will also focus on the troops as well. Check back to updates to the gift baskets!
I will close for now. I pray for peace and the safe return of all our sons & daughters in harm's way.
God Bless America!
"Lous Mom"