shellysms
11-03-2008, 05:54 AM
Hello Everyone!!! I'm back from Travis's Army Graduation!!! It was so great!! I am SO SO Proud!!!
We left Wednesday Morning...gone thru sunday. It was a great experience and it was soooo good to see Travis.
I am so proud of him. I will be downloading pic's today..as soon as I find all of the cameras!!
Thursday was the first day I saw him. I could not hold back the emotions.....your sitting in the stands...
and they march out in formation...and all you can do is watch them.. of course they are looking straight ahead
and they can't make any movement. THEY all look alike.....LOL BUT it's easy for a MOM to find their own!!
When I found him..all I wanted to do was to go hug him... AFTER a LONG 20 minutes....announcements started...
they had to stay in formation for along time.. BUT THEN they started making "special announcements"....starting
off with the top 10% of the Honor Graduates... They said..at this time we will announce the Honor Graduates to
come stand in the front line.. AND for the Parents/Loved ones to some stand behind then... The first 5 called out
did their PERFECT walks..saluted and stood in line...straight ahead.. AND THEN... TRAVIS S. was called..I almost fell
off my bleacher...I couldn't quit crying.... What a very proud MOM I am. of course, he can't show any emotion..so
as I stood behind him..I told him I loved him and how proud I was...I thought my knees were going to give out..
When the commanders came to congratulate him... and PIN him... The commander said.."congratulations Soldier" and travis
went to shake his hand.. and the commander said, NO, You hug your mom first...THEN I could have fainted!!! AND he handed
me the HONOR BADGE to put on travis.. ME >>>>ME>>>> ME.... I was shaking so bad.... my insides felt like I was melting..
Really that is one of the happiest, proudest, best days of my life. I can't tell you how I was feeling. HOW proud I am.
That day continued to get better!!! we had family day until 9 pm... took him back to the barracks and friday was graduation...
I was determined to get front row seats..graduation started at 10.. we were in the parking lot at 7:30 am.... BUT yet..we did
get front row seats...in the middle section was travis.. 2nd row back..I could look back at him.. the ceremony was the best.
of course, I was hyperventilating...trying to control myself.. covering my mouth with my sleeve...and when it was time to
stand..I prayed that I didn't faint. I really thought I would. When they called the HONOR graduates on stage...announced that
only 10 out of 488 soldiers made this Honor..I was so extremely proud. He looked so good walking up on stage. I had so many
emotions going on thru out all of this. Walking across that stage..I saw my son, my baby, a brother, a husband...and now
an AMERICAN SOLDIER. He has done so well with all of this. Graduating with Honors, receiving a special badge for Master Markmanship.
HE IS MINE....I am so proud. I could go on and on..but I know this is a book. He looks so good. AND he is so happy...AND as he
talked and talked about this experience.. THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. HE has it in his blood. His Heart. He is in the ARMY....and
me.. I AM AN ARMY MOM!!! Thanks to everyone along the way....that helped me, supported me...talked to me, supported travis.. AND told
me that everything will be ok....I hope and pray everyday that everything will be ok.... Please always keep Travis and all of the soldiers
in your heart and in your prayers. AS I watched the Graduation...watched the Men and Women walk around at the barracks.. I thought
to myself.....all of these people are doing this for all of us. AND Now... My very own...Is doing this for all of us!!! SIGH...
I will post pictures later...I"m going to go and try to compose myself now!!! AND by the way.. Travis is now in Advanced Training
at Redstone, in Alabama!!! GO ARMY
AND YES....I did get to meet my very special friend butterfli...
It was awesome!!! I knew that we are FRIENDS.. but meeting confirmed it.
Teri..You mean so much to me..YOU have been an online friend for a very long time..and meeting you...touched my heart..YOU are a true friend...
AND WELL I could go on...but right now..I am very emotional..and I need to go blow my nose! :) HUGS!
We left Wednesday Morning...gone thru sunday. It was a great experience and it was soooo good to see Travis.
I am so proud of him. I will be downloading pic's today..as soon as I find all of the cameras!!
Thursday was the first day I saw him. I could not hold back the emotions.....your sitting in the stands...
and they march out in formation...and all you can do is watch them.. of course they are looking straight ahead
and they can't make any movement. THEY all look alike.....LOL BUT it's easy for a MOM to find their own!!
When I found him..all I wanted to do was to go hug him... AFTER a LONG 20 minutes....announcements started...
they had to stay in formation for along time.. BUT THEN they started making "special announcements"....starting
off with the top 10% of the Honor Graduates... They said..at this time we will announce the Honor Graduates to
come stand in the front line.. AND for the Parents/Loved ones to some stand behind then... The first 5 called out
did their PERFECT walks..saluted and stood in line...straight ahead.. AND THEN... TRAVIS S. was called..I almost fell
off my bleacher...I couldn't quit crying.... What a very proud MOM I am. of course, he can't show any emotion..so
as I stood behind him..I told him I loved him and how proud I was...I thought my knees were going to give out..
When the commanders came to congratulate him... and PIN him... The commander said.."congratulations Soldier" and travis
went to shake his hand.. and the commander said, NO, You hug your mom first...THEN I could have fainted!!! AND he handed
me the HONOR BADGE to put on travis.. ME >>>>ME>>>> ME.... I was shaking so bad.... my insides felt like I was melting..
Really that is one of the happiest, proudest, best days of my life. I can't tell you how I was feeling. HOW proud I am.
That day continued to get better!!! we had family day until 9 pm... took him back to the barracks and friday was graduation...
I was determined to get front row seats..graduation started at 10.. we were in the parking lot at 7:30 am.... BUT yet..we did
get front row seats...in the middle section was travis.. 2nd row back..I could look back at him.. the ceremony was the best.
of course, I was hyperventilating...trying to control myself.. covering my mouth with my sleeve...and when it was time to
stand..I prayed that I didn't faint. I really thought I would. When they called the HONOR graduates on stage...announced that
only 10 out of 488 soldiers made this Honor..I was so extremely proud. He looked so good walking up on stage. I had so many
emotions going on thru out all of this. Walking across that stage..I saw my son, my baby, a brother, a husband...and now
an AMERICAN SOLDIER. He has done so well with all of this. Graduating with Honors, receiving a special badge for Master Markmanship.
HE IS MINE....I am so proud. I could go on and on..but I know this is a book. He looks so good. AND he is so happy...AND as he
talked and talked about this experience.. THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. HE has it in his blood. His Heart. He is in the ARMY....and
me.. I AM AN ARMY MOM!!! Thanks to everyone along the way....that helped me, supported me...talked to me, supported travis.. AND told
me that everything will be ok....I hope and pray everyday that everything will be ok.... Please always keep Travis and all of the soldiers
in your heart and in your prayers. AS I watched the Graduation...watched the Men and Women walk around at the barracks.. I thought
to myself.....all of these people are doing this for all of us. AND Now... My very own...Is doing this for all of us!!! SIGH...
I will post pictures later...I"m going to go and try to compose myself now!!! AND by the way.. Travis is now in Advanced Training
at Redstone, in Alabama!!! GO ARMY
AND YES....I did get to meet my very special friend butterfli...
It was awesome!!! I knew that we are FRIENDS.. but meeting confirmed it.
Teri..You mean so much to me..YOU have been an online friend for a very long time..and meeting you...touched my heart..YOU are a true friend...
AND WELL I could go on...but right now..I am very emotional..and I need to go blow my nose! :) HUGS!