Category Archives: Nate

West Point Mom = me

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p1010889The wait is over. The package arrived.

Our son has been accepted to United States Military Academy – West Point!

We were told that if Nathan was rejected, we would receive a phone call; if he was accepted, he would receive a package.p1010896

Just as I was ready to go and speak in a middle school, my husband calls and says, “Nathan got a package from West Point.”

It must have nearly killed Mark to not open the contents but he resisted temptation. p1010891

p1010905Mark captured the moment on camera. This is a very big deal. Our son will report to West Point bright and early 6:30 AM on June 30!

He will attend six weeks of rigorous training (affectionately known as Beast) and after successful completion, begin his 47 month journey at West Point.

I did not grow up in a military family so this is all so new to me.

New terminology, new people, new experiences for all of us, especially our son.

Our family will take him there and say goodbye and not hear much from him most of the summer.

I am not crying as I type this which shocks me.

I am proud, scared, overjoyed, nervous, excited, thrilled, sad and every feeling in between.

I know the Lord is teaching all of us some lessons and has placed all these pieces together for His glory.

I am the mama of a soldier, whoa.

Special Reception for Nominees

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Today we attended a reception for academy nominees at the office of our state congressman David Price. 

As we were walking into the building I was so joyous that my wise husband took Nate to buy a new suit for the event. It hadn’t even crossed my mind and I would ahve been kicking myself if Nate would have not had a spiffy suit and a snazzy tie to mark this momentous occasion. My handsome collection of testosterone – oh how I love them!
Each congressman only picks 10 candidates for the respective academies which was something I didn’t know. We were so proud that Nate was nominated. While there he met a former classmate he knew in elementary school and they are both candidates for West Point.

When my four men walked in, I felt like the proudest mama in the building. You should have seen them all shaking hands and introducing themselves, even to Congressman Price. Nate got his picture taken with the Congressman next to the American flag. I guess that was a current Congressman meeting a future Congressman with Presidential aspirations. Remember Nate in ’28! 

The next step onto West Point

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Today Nathan got a phone call from the local West Point recruiter.

He is a 1993 graduate and wants to meet my son.

The guy is coming by the school this Wednesday to answer Nathan’s questions and maybe meet with the principal.

One of the things I have appreciated through this whole process is how everyone seems to be very upfront and honest about what it takes to go to West Point Military Academy.

They aren’t sugar-coating this experience; I feel like we are getting an honest appraisal, perhaps more than at a traditional university. 

My son is Army strong but am I?

He can learn to run in the freezing cold and understand military strategy.

He will be able to scale walls and carry a rifle with ease.

But me, y’all, I am so terribly weak and vulnerable. I am such a wimp. Probably can’t even do a decent push up if my life depended on it.

I’m not talking about my physical strength.
I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I have to tuck that truth deep into my heart.

I know that when I am weak, He is strong. What would I do without my Heavenly Father right beside me? As my friend Janice reminded me, the Lord knows what it’s like to give up your beloved son. While we were walking on the campus, I began to cry as I thought about my dad.

He never met any of my children having died when he was only 44 years old.

Warm tears streamed down my face as I thought about how proud he would have been of his grandson.

I thought my mother-in-law who is with the Lord now and wondered what she would had to say?

Thanks to some sage counsel from another friend, my husband reminded Nathan of this; he is going to a success wherever he goes. Mark is always a source of encouragement and perspective.

When Nathan was staying overnight in the barracks, he called to check in.

I asked my OS, “Well, what do you think? Do you want to go to West Point?”

He gave me the best answer I could have wanted, “I like it but I’m praying about it.”

Visiting West Point for the very first time

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We arrived at the Admissions Office at 8 am on Friday.

Since that time we have learned a lot of impressive things about West Point.

I am honored that my son is even considering this place.

West Point has a nobility about it that I haven’t felt at other universities.

Having not grown up in a military family, it’s strange walking around in a camouflage-colored campus where people all walk the same and salute each other.

General Patton with Quote

This beautiful print is available through a talented USNA and USMA mom. Check it out here!

I’m not saying I don’t like it, it’s just a whole new culture. You don’t see any dread locks in anyone’s hair or piercings or tattoos, no facial hair either. It’s a very clean-cut campus body.

West Point info we learned:

4,400 students attend

7 to 1 student/teacher ratio – This is less than in elementary school!

81% graduation in four years

Upon graduation cadets commit to five years of service in the Army – this is a very serious commitment

It’s estimated that a West Point education is worth $448,000.

Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Norman Schwarzkopf are just some of the notable graduates

Wake up time: 5:00, not 5:01, not 5:15.

It’s not pretty if you don’t wake up on time.

If Nathan goes there, it should be a VERY interesting considering time to see how he does with that.

Considering how much prodding his brothers do to get him up at 7 am, I wonder how he will adjust.

Your room stays clean. Impeccably clean.

I mean so clean not even a hair should be on the ground.

You don’t want a hair on the ground or a dust bunny or anything out of place. It’s not pretty. You will walk the plain (a large flat field on campus) or worse.

When we were walking around the campus, Mark was impressed with how many cadets called him, “sir” as he passed them by.

I only heard some cuss word while on campus.

When we visited another university, the cuss words were flying all over the place. I’m not saying they don’t use them (wouldn’t that be nice, though), it was such a totally different atmosphere.

I’m praising the Lord that I brought my trusty long undies as I was able to handle the chilly temp thanks to the layers of clothing. I wasn’t exactly working it but sometimes you have to forgo high fashion, you know what I mean?

I have cried at least six times but not in an embarrassing way. One time, yesterday morning, the lieutenant mentioned something about saying good-bye to your family and I almost lost it.

I drew a deep breath, getting ready to let loose of a few years but immediately Nathan looked over at me (he knows me pretty well) and I knew I had to try and get myself together. I sucked the tears back in and waited until Mark and I were together to let a few fall from my eyes.

We are awaiting news on his eye exam and physical so he hasn’t been officially accepted yet.

Nothing is a done deal yet.

My sugar boy and me. I'm not a flyer btw.

My sugar boy and me. I’m not a flyer btw.

However, I have to accept is this – I have to accept and yield God’s will for my son’s life whether it’s at West Point or somewhere else.

The Lord and not me, determine my precious boy’s future. We are earnestly praying and if I get ahead of myself, I’m a wreck but if I stay in the moment, I can handle things. It is obvious the Lord is using this experience to make us lean into Him more and more.

We pick Nate up at 1 pm and we’ll learn more about his overnight time with a cadet. Check back for more details as we continue on this incredible journey.

If you like the picture posted in this blog, check out this talented artist’s prints. She’s a USNA and a future USMA mom!

Flying to Fishkill

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We arrived here in Fishkill, NY after an uneventful flight. I really like uneventful flights, they are my preferred type of air travel.

Nate was really excited to see a few snowflakes. We went to the Wal-Mart to pick up a few things and Nate saw a small pile of snow. As a true Southerner, he didn’t have a clue so when he went to make a snowball only to find that it was a frozen chunk. Also in true Southern fashion, Nathan didn’t think he needed his winter coat. He insisted that he’d be warm enough with his fleece jacket and a soft shell jacket.
After spending a few moments in the East, Nathan decided he might need a hat. Duh! I think Nathan is going to learn the true meaning of frigid, bone-chilling cold if he goes to West Point.
We arrive at West Point by 8 am and we’ll tour the campus. Then we’ll say goodbye to Nate as he shadows a cadet and spends the night in the barracks. Mark and I will return to our hotel room without our boy.  That will be weird. I’m just taking this one step at a time, trying to not get ahead of myself. Taking in the experience, asking the Lord to give us all wisdom and direction, I’ll keep you posted. Stay tuned!

It’s a guy thing, sign of the military life to come

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Foreshadowing of my life to come

Five and a half years later, I discover my blog post. I had long forgotten about it. West Point wasn’t on the horizon when I first wrote this. Nate had graduated from West Point and is in the middle of Ranger School. WOW!

My blog post on December 28, 2007-

I don’t get it and I guess I never will.

While driving to see family in South Carolina, Nate spotted a sign to a store I would have easily overlooked.

“Dad, can we go there?” he inquired and all the guy heads perked up with the mere mention of the store Nathan wanted to visit

Delk’s Army-Navy Surplus

No pretty store window dressing, no eye-catching fashions or thumping music –

just an Army issue green sign which read Military Supplies.

It’s a guy thing I guess because I didn’t have the same reaction as my DH and OS did as we parked our van.

My boys and husband practically skipped into the store, it’s true, you NEVER, EVER skip into a military store but it sounds funny!).

This was probably one of the few stores I have ever entered in my life where I was almost completely sure I wasn’t going to spend any money.

Everything you might ever possibly need regarding the military was there.

We’re talking K-Rations, camo pants, gas masks, resin replica assault rifles which my three OS really wanted, hand grenade candle holders (they wouldn’t match my decor) and more. Parachute jackets, ammo boxes, metal helmets, you get the picture.

The entire store was basically covered in brown, green or black.  I couldn’t find one pretty thing in the building!  This was really man’s land.

Only upon exhaustive searching, did I discover one teeny spot of thin, pink piece of nylon rope which made me feel only a little bit better.

My husband and sons were fascinated, I was ready to go.

We walked down the aisles and when we spotted the plastic military shields for $25, it was almost more than they could handle. I guess the girl equivalent would be like going to Archivers, a scrapbooking store.

I felt like quite a good wife and mom venturing into a place like that but I know that they have gone into candle stores and boutiques humoring me.

In a way, I actually found Delks Army-Navy Surplus store quite interesting but not so much so that I have to go back anytime soon.

As I looked at the sign, I noticed a typo. Can you spot it?

Too bad I didn’t have a machine gun to shoot in an apostrophe. At least now I know where I can get one!

Questions: Have you ever looked back on your children’s interests and seen the signs of their future vocation? If you have younger kids, do you see indication of your children’s future profession in their current obsessions and activities? It’s fun looking forward and backward!