Birthday surprises!!

Friday was Joseph's 25th birthday.  I HATE not having my children home on their birthdays.  I can't make a cake for them, I can't hug them and tell them "Happy birthday", and can't just look at them and wonder where my little one has gone and this adult/almost adult (Daniel) has come from.  I can't just "have" them for the day.  So, being that Joseph is now living in New Mexico, I had to go all through February 18th hating the fact that I couldn't even talk to my baby.  I called him around 5:00 that evening thinking he wouldn't be out of bed before that because he works nights.  He didn't answer.  I left a message telling him happy birthday and that he REALLY should answer his phone on his birthday.  As we were sitting at the table for dinner, the door bell rang.  I knew one of the kids would get it, thinking that it was a kid selling something.  Next thing I know, there's my mother and father from Tennessee coming in for MY birthday (yes I'm 51) on Saturday.  What a sweet surprise that was.  I miss them so much.  My family did a great job of keeping the secret from me.  I had absolutely NO clue!!  I called Joseph again around 8:30 that night and he finally answered and said he was out with friends.  I talked to him a few minutes and then handed the phone off to Joe.  Sadness set in for my baby and his birthday with no birthday cake and no family hugs or present opening. 

Saturday Joe, Christina, Daniel, Mother, Daddy and I went up to Shallo's Pub in Indy for a late lunch/early dinner.  Christina got up to go to the bathroom and when she came back there was this "person" with her.  It was my birthday boy who had flown in the night before.  Was I shocked?  Was I happy?  Was I wondering who this Grizzly Adams was?  You bet.  His hair is down to his shoulders (really longer than that, but it curls).  Funny how he wouldn't let me cut a little swatch off for his baby book!!!  He has this full face beard that is in need of a complete makeover, if one can do a makeover to a beard/moustache.  My family did a great job of keeping that secret too!  For the first time in over 2 years, I had all 3 of my babies under our roof.  Is there anything that can make a mother happier?  That ranks right up there.  Yesterday I took him to Indy to get a rental car.  He is going to spend today and tomorrow going to see friends and out to the base in Terre Haute to visit the people he worked with for 6 years before he jumps on a plane back to New Mexico on Wednesday.  So yesterday I had to hug and kiss my little baby goodbye once again.  This time it was a different feeling.  He is leaving for Iraq in April and then Afghanistan.  My heart breaks thinking about that.  How does a mother say goodbye to her baby knowing that he is going into a war zone?  I'm sick when I think about it, but oh so proud too.  Such a bittersweet feeling.  For the next year I will be the mightiest prayer warrior on the face of the earth.  We did manage to squeeze in some family pictures yesterday though, and I'm so glad the 5 of us could get together for that before he gets deployed.  So now this mother has to have faith in God to keep my baby safe while he goes out to the land from hell and protects this wonderful country of ours.  Keep him safe God and bring him home to us. 

It's a Monday morning, the start of a new week, but I'm kind of sad.  I don't know when I'll get to see Joseph again and I know he won't be the same after experiencing everything he will over in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I just hope he comes home with a great appreciation for what we have here in America and the love of friends and family......and finally gets a haircut and shaves!

On a lighter note, I got a really sweet present from my sweet husband.  He gave me a really beautiful scrapbook.  I love scrapbooking.  I put a huge one together for Christina when she graduated from high school and enjoyed every second of doing it.  Well........Joe and I started our "new" life together the first part of November and I have been saving every little thing and momento since then in an ugly manilla envelope.  He gave me the scrapbook to start making them look pretty!!   I'm so looking forward to starting it.  Thanks Joe.  It will be such fun looking through it when we are old and tired....remembering the sweet times we have had together.  I love you....my BFF!!!  Here's to making many wonderful memories with you!

Well.....the countdown is over

That's right, I haven't gotten any faxes for work since last Tuesday....over a week ago.  I think I have filled out 5,000,000 applications and taken 25,000,000 tests.  Still no job offers.  I keep getting the same reply...."sorry we have no positions right now, but we will keep you on our call back list for future positions."  Thanks but that really doesn't help me RIGHT NOW, does it? 

I've been checking into court reporting.  Wow, the cost is unreal.  85 credit hours at $350/credit hour.  Yep, that's $30,000, not counting in the technology fees, application fees, stenograph machine that costs about $1000, and it's only an associates degree.  Looks like the average salary for court reporting is about $50,000 or more.  However, you have to fork out bucks to get through school.  Nope, court reporting won't work.  I've looked into Medical Assistant schooling.  They offer a 2-year program at a local school (well about 30 minutes from here).  Hmmmmmm, the cost is nothing compared to court reporting.  However, how do you pay for school when you have no job?  Nope, medical assistant school won't work. 

Looks like I'm back to applying online for MT jobs and taking tests.  That sucks!

My next countdown has started.  April 17th my "baby" boy gets deployed.  He's heading to Iraq for a few months, back to Fort Bragg for training, and then he's off to Afghanistan for a few months.  Mommas don't let your babies grow up to be Intelligence Analysts.