NASS Session 3...Drop Off

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>So we drive 6 hours with our DS and arrive at gate 8. All is good! </p>

<p>We get our directions to where our DS is to be dropped off, we park, he gets his bags, we walk in, the bags are dropped, he goes up the stairs, I grab the wife and daughter and go down stairs (need food), and my wife says. "That's it, do we get to see him again?" My response, "Yes we will see him on Thursday when it's over...LOL, giggle, giggle, giggle! That was her first reality check of parental seperation. Now she did cry when we first arrived and got out of the car but that's to be expected she is his mother after all. </p>

<p>She is not a military experienced person. She thought that we would move him into his room and have some time together. Ooop, forgot to tell her about that small reality check!! In the end she knows the importance but it remains hurtful to her that her baby boy is no longer a baby and this was the first sign.</p>

<p>Now my DS actions were a complete shock for me to be frank... I expected he would want to walk around before checking in to get himself comfortable but that did not happen. He walked into the check-in like he was walking onto a soccer pitch. He was not at all cocky, it was just very comfortable with himself and what he was doing. I could see that he was focused and just wanted to get going, I said nothing, it was a moment of just let him go, how he walked away was how it would be best for him. As a guy I knew this was part of him being and becoming a man, the father son thing will come at the end of the week.</p>

<p>So what did we do...well after eating I took the wife and daughter for a walk around campus and then a short drive through town. </p>

<p>My most stressful point of the day was when my 12 year old (soon to be 13) daughter says to my wife "Mom, the guys there were hunks I'm applying for STEM next year." Great, I didn't think that stuff started until they were like 16 or 17 years old.</p>

<p>15 hour round trip...got home, jumped in the shower, watched some of the B's game and went to bed.</p>

<p>Loving life, living the dream!!</p>

<p>!!!HAPPY FATHERS DAY GUYS!!!</p>

2

<p>As a mom, I can understand your wife’s feelings! We put our daughter on a plane. Actually, she put herself on the plane. She told us she was fine (first time flying alone but had flown plenty before) and knew how to get through security, get to her gate, etc. We at least wanted to wave at the security gate!!! She hugged us at the curb and headed on.</p>

<p>Off she went. I was a wreck and wanted a text once on the plane, once off the plane, once with her luggage, once with the Midshipmen, etc. Too much, I know. In the end she texted once she arrived, got her luggage and had found the midshipmen and MANY other kids who had flown in alone. You got their early enough that your son will get to do intramurals, get a tour and run around. Our D was in the last group from the airport and missed that part. They started their day being yelled at for being late (though they were at the airport on time…the midshipmen were late getting shuttles back and forth!!)</p>

<p>I thought THAT was a big step to independence. However, we know of more than one kid who had left West Point’s SLE, flew into MD and stayed at a hotel and did laundry, then arrived at NASS…then were flying to CO and heading to USAFA ss!!! Some were staying with relatives in between or some had parents who had found hotels for someone under 18 and were doing that. They were heroes of the groups and everyone wanted to know about SLE.</p>

<p>Gosh, they grow up fast! As for your daughter, yep…it tends to start around middle school. Sigh.</p>

<p>T</p>

3

<p>Your killing me on the middle school thing… I’m glad she has two “very” protective older brothers!!</p>

<p>In regard to the drop-off, I have to say a mother has that 9 month very special physical attachment that a guy will never know. For me it was sad to see him go but good to see him grow. The journey begins!!</p>

<p>He was only bumming about not being able to see our dog and missing his teams awards night. Many of his friends are seniors and will be moving on. He is really going to be upset when he finds out that he was tapped as next years team Captain. I was taken into confidance by the head coach but I’m not allowed to tell him until the 18th.</p>

4

<p>Sounds like he’s ready to have a lot of fun up there! </p>

<p>Congrats to him for becoming captain!</p>

<p>And Happy Fathers Day, 3UnitsILove! :)</p>

5

<p>Yea…now that was a nice fathers day gift. I was looking through the pictures of session 3 on facebook for my DS and there he was. Very lucky, very happy, I am, I am!</p>

6

<p>Very cool about being named captain!</p>

7

<p>It is all very, very exciting. Team Capt. is an honor and gives another indication of the character of the son you have raised!</p>

<p>T</p>

8

<p>It only gets worse. On I-day, they walk in the glass doors of Memorial Hall [friendly chaplains and rabbis are nearby with tissue boxes] and next time you see them is at the end of a very long day. For about twenty minutes. [Its even worse from what I understand at Army] THEN its off to the roller coaster and you only hear from them three times in the summer. [It used be only for five minutes; I think they get about thirty minutes now.]</p>

<p>The really hard part, for the parents, is when they return after Christmas [all grown up, sort of] and they are actually eager to get back to the Academy.</p>

<p>Every so often, though, you are reminded that even though they can fly a jet, they still need help getting their car fixed, buying a house, and other miscellaneous questions of life.</p>

<p>We’ve come a LOOOONG way from summer seminar.</p>