My Son Is A Marine

My son is a Marine, Sergeant Norman, E-5. I found this description of Marine moms.  It’s true.
 
The Marine mom:

1. Your phone is with you 24/7.  Nothing will keep you from answering the phone, you don’t even apologize for it. What can’t be described is the sound of his voice from across the world.  “Hey Mom” it is all you need to hear. He is alive and he is whole. “When are you coming home?” You can’t help but ask, he doesn’t know and if he did he wouldn’t tell you.
2. OOH-RAH is one of your new phrases. You don’t really understand why everyone around you isn’t using it.
3. The National anthem makes you stop no matter where you are when you hear it, there are tears in your eyes sometimes, your heart stands still every time.
4. Pride and fear partner up to become your companions. 
5. When you hear or read about a Marine in the news, you pray for that Marine’s mom, somehow, she has become a sister, you understand.
6. The word terrorist takes on a new meaning, it becomes personal.
7. Marine moms don’t sleep much.  Each morning you wake up and think, he is still alive, he made it through another day.  One thing I didn’t know at the time about my son, he was fighting during night too.  Marines don’t necessarily sleep for six to eight hours each night, like we insisted they do while they were growing up.
8. Marine moms wear anything that supports our military, is an awesome fashion statement, even if it is Navy gear.  That is an inside joke for those of us who are with the Marines.   I am sure the Navy has special thoughts for the Marines. 
9. Finally, you know you have raised one of America’s best. 

Freedom is the greatest gift there is. It is fragile and precious, and must be protected at all costs. I am one of the lucky Marine moms. He is home, safe and sound. There are moms who will never hear that voice on the other end of the phone again. Pray for her, especially this weekend. We can’t know her pain and she doesn’t expect us to.  For her we can stop and embrace our freedom and our county. That shouldn’t be too hard, after all, it is the greatest country the world has ever known.