For My Mommy

You know you’re a Navy Mom when…

1. Your last good night’s sleep was 6 months before she left for bootcamp. September 2000
2. You have finally resigned yourself to the fact that Navy mail is delivered seasonally rather than daily. I still have mail I never received

3. Your Sailor gives you ironing tips. Starch works wonders.
4. Your Sailor's version of pneumonia is “It’s just a cold, I’m fine.” We try to avoid the cure all (see number 5)
5. You realize the Navy's cure-all is Motrin. Vitamin M
6. The mere word “deployment” has you on the phone refilling your Xanax. Too many countries to count.
7. You can’t quite figure out what non-Navy mothers worry about.
8. You finally realize that Drill Instructors are not the anti-Christ and are more like heroes. This one goes for Simon.
9. You’ve mailed at least a few packages that have been on around-the-world tours. Sometimes whats inside is beyond recgonization
10. You forgot there were TV stations other than Fox News. OIF
11. You find yourself bragging to friends about your Sailor's accuracy with an M-16. And many more
12. You will get in a high speed chase just to catch up with someone’s Navy bumper sticker.
13. When everything in your closet has Navy Mom on it and if it doesn’t, you put pins and yellow ribbons on it. And blue star pins
14. When you recognize the haircut and ask if you can have a hug because your daughter is deployed. That is what Patsy was for
15. When you don’t mind watching military movies even though you hated them growing up.

16. You tell your nephews they need a “high and tight”.
17. You and your husband buy a “good” flagpole for the front yard for Christmas and fly the American flag and the Seabee flag 24/7, lighted, and money is no object. It used to be a street lamp
18. You buy cadence CDs and listen to them when you power walk.
19. You make sure to get up early to watch the Rose Bowl Parade so you can see the Navy Band.
20. You tear up every time you see someone in uniform.
21. When the post office personnel know you by your first name.
22. When your daughter is in The Sand Box and you dial her cell phone so you can hear her voice on her outgoing message. Or they just buy a cell phone over there
23. When you always know what time it is in Iraq or Okinawa or San Diego. Now its San Diego
24. Your daughter has the ability to iron her own clothes…while she is wearing it! Flat irons work too.
25. You don’t mind the long lines at the post office because you are NOT leaving until you get that care package mailed to your Sailor.
26. When the phone rings you don’t answer it unless the caller ID shows it is your Sailor and then you run over husband, cats, dogs, small children and little old ladies to answer the phone, no matter what injuries any of them might sustain in the process.
27. You purchase Navy shirts for grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

28. You have a bad day at work and your co-workers serenade you with the Seabee Song and give you a red rose and the whole office is crying.
29. Your daughter, who had such a messy room growing up that was a health hazard, informs you on a visit home that you flunked inspection because of a little dust. It still a little messy.
30. When your Sailor calls YOU for information because she knows you’ll get it from the other moms online.
31. You are mopping the kitchen floor and your daughter walks in and says “You call that cleaning?”
32. You have a blue star banner proudly displayed in your picture window. And on the car
33. You search military websites for any news of where your daughter might be/has been.

34. When you try to read aloud to others the “You know you are a Navy mom when…” list you can’t because of the lump in your throat and the tears in your eyes.

I love you Mommy. Thank you for all your love and support for the past 8 years. Just hearing your voice at times helped me to get though some of my most challenging times in the Navy. I don't know if I would have been able to do this with out you.