<p>My parents are taking me to Hawaii for some R&R before R-Day! I'm so excited about seeing Pearl Harbor!!!</p>
<p>Jake's just getting the usual from us except that we're doing his birthday early. My husband and I loved him so so much his entire life and have always tryed to give him a happy life. We've always spent a lot of time with them all. Hopefully he'll be happy with just watching 24/ playing his games (we got him more)going out and about and special more fun meals. His brother and sister are just the same as well except they might let him sit in the better seat on the couch...sometimes. I sometimes feel inadequate not going and doing something special but I kind of think that Jake just wants to enjoy his home/family/ and our dog, Louie.</p>
<p>Graduation is 5/26 for us and on 5/27 we are driving to Myrtle Beach for a quiet week at the beach. We've rented a house on the beachfront. Grandparents are coming from Texas and NC to visit and have some time with the family before Nick leaves for AFA.</p>
<p>Last year before my son headed off to Kings Point, he and I flew to the West Coast and started our trip at the SS Jerimiah O'Brien (one of the two remaining Liberty Ships) and drove across the country. Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, the Alamo, New Orleans, it was a great experience for both of us. </p>
<p>When we got back we had a huge party for all his friends, teachers, coaches, scout leaders, etc. to say thank you for all their help in molding him into what he'd become.</p>
<p>6/16 - Graduation
6/17 - Fly to Hawaii :):D:p:D
6/25 - Fly to USMA</p>
<p>Wow. Everyone has some special experiences and the memories to keep a life time. And such good ideas for this summer's new kids! We took 10 days and did the drive thing stopping at all the historical sights from SC to NY. So much fun. After keeping him in the confines of a car with Mom yack yack yacking, taking his photo every five seconds & Dad listening to "his" music for ten whole days, my kid was half crazed and nearly bailed on us two days early begging to go into Indoc. Well, our little planned worked and he was well prepared. </p>
<p>Anything you do will be special. Trust me. Its those last few days that you will cherish forever no matter what you decide to do. You will treasure the last time you have a pizza together. You will hold near & dear to your heart the last time you wash the car with them. Ya'll make me weepy. That last night at home is a tough one. At home..... Watching him play with his dogs and talk on the phone saying goodbye to friends. Them all springing in on you at the last minute (2am) with last hugs and hand shakes. You don't want to pull them yet you want them so near so you can have every second. Its all good. Just know that.</p>
<p>This is directed to any paremts of 2009 cadets. How did younger siblings handle the void of your cadet? Did any act out for attention?<br>
My younger two are 15 and 13. The 15 yr old and soon to be cadet do every thing together. They competed on the same xc, wrestling and track team.<br>
As I said in the original thread, we leave on a Western Carribean cruise. Graduation is June 3rd. Our cruise starts June 17th and get home June 24. Our 13 year old will go on a mission trip June 25th. Before he committed to the mission trip, we wanted him to consider the fact that he would not be home to see our cadet off when he leaves June 28th. Since we will have just spent every moment together for 7 days, (all three boys will share one cabin on ship) he didn't mind not going to the airport with the crying parents. </p>
<p>Oregon Mom, I'm sure there will be moments on our trip when I will rather be in your shoes. I don't know if I can keep my tears in check through out our vacation. I won't be able to see much with puffy eyes. I better limit my pool side drinks, reminiscing over the past 17 11/12th years will get tougher as I-day grows closer (my boy will turn 18 during boot camp). </p>
<p>I pray that we are all pecking on these keys come June 28th and 29th.<br>
We should all be stocking up on the extra soft Kleenex now.</p>
<p>LFWB has two little sisters adopted from China who were 3 and 5 at the time. The 5 year old sort of got it, and the 3 year old was constantly wondering where here big brother was and going and looking in his room.</p>
<p>The get super excited when he comes home now and we usually keep it a surprise because it is so cool to watch them when they first see him. However, Kate seems to think now whenever we go to the train station, she's going to see LFWB or if she sees a Mid from Annapolis she will ask if he's around.</p>
<p>He called her last night on her birthday and that was the only thing she talked about today. A weekend worth of stuff and the only thing she talks about was the call from her brother. </p>
<p>Pretty cool stuff.</p>
<p>His sister is 3 years younger and they have always been pretty close. During Indoc, when he was able to call home for the first time (allowed 5 minutes, but really it was just a tad over 4!!!) by the time he told me the things he needed, etc....the time was up, so that his sister did not have the chance to speak with him...she was utterly devastated. Thus, I suggest that if at all possible put the phone on speaker so that the whole family can share in that very momentous and long awaited 1st phone call.</p>
<p>PS.husband missed it too; he was out walking the dog!</p>
<p>My 15 yr old Mike will be feeling really empty and alone once Jake leaves. They are "brothers". Its going to feel really really quiet without them running around and driving me crazy. I'm going to miss it so much. He is a tough boy and so proud of Jake though that he never lets on how much he will miss him. After thinking about all of these posts, my husband and I had them both start school late this morning and took them out to breakfast.</p>
<p>We only have 10 days between graduation and I Day-Tara wants to just hang at home with friends and family. She plans to lifeguard a few days at the beach so she can get paid to see her buddies. It all seems kind of anticlimactic.</p>
<p>Mom0f3-we went on a similar cruise a couple of years ago. We snorkeled at Cozumel and spent the day hitting the shops at Cayman. I wish we had done the reverse. The people at Cozumel were wonderful, very warm and friendly, Cayman was just not as welcoming. </p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>