Milestones

My son, Manny, bought a brand new 2014 car this week.

It came as no surprise because he had been talking about buying one for quite sometime. Not long after passing his drivers licenses, it was about a week later that he had gone with his father and friend to shop for a car. He found one and it looks like he made a good choice. Compact, economical, sporty and he fits it well. He came over for a visit and to pick up a Fed X package he had been tracking containing his brand new laptop! In his short years on this earth, he has completed many "firsts" in his young life as have all my children. Now comes the worries about other crazy drivers, distractions and fear that all mothers go through, which our children will never understand until they have children of their own. We talked about his next step in the Air Force and he stated that he has been "extended" again until August but now he has to move out on his own and find an apartment with a buddy of his. The AF will give him per Diem monies that will cover some of the cost of his rent. He will need it if he to meet the monthly payments on his car. He seemed worried about something but didn't want to talk about it at the time. As he looked through my food pantry at home, he declared that he was hungry. I told him there wasn't much in the house but there is an "Inn-n-Out" down the street from us. Besides, I wanted to ride in his cool looking car. It handled very well and he seemed very comfortable to drive in it. He showed me all its features and was very proud of what he had worked and saved so hard for. He was a little anxious to get back on the road and left after dropping me off at home. We said our goodbyes and wished him well on his drive back to Fairfield. I'm very proud of my son and all his accomplishments.

We Passed!!!

I was speaking for my son and I as he drove into the DMV test area in Fairfield, California to finish up his driving test for the 2nd time which resulted in the most grandest smile on my son's face I had ever seen in his lifetime and a heavy sigh of relief from me. It was a successful drive test day. It started yesterday when I traded my "mom hat" and became the "drive instructor" and helped him to train for all the nuances, pitfalls and unknown "what if" scenarios that could befall a new driver. His first drivers test a few weeks ago was fine until he came to what we call the dreaded "yellow box". It is the broken lined oblong box that separates traffic that allows you into the area before safely crossing over to either side before or after on-coming traffic to make your left or right turn. He was automatically disqualified "DQ" as was written on his test when he was asked to make a left hand turn from his lane. He was completely unaware of this "box" area and proceeded to rush through the box before oncoming traffic was approaching him and made it to the area that he was advised to go. By doing that, he failed to safely drive into the box area and wait for oncoming traffic to pass and then proceed safely into making his left hand turn. We went over and over this scenario for quite some time until it was "Pa'a" (Hawaiian) or burned in his mind. He did rather well and I prayed to the Good Lord today to watch over him. It was a big relief to both of us on his accomplishment. After the test was over, we drove to Inn-N-Out burger to celebrate our victory and again the "yellow box" came up and he handled it like a champ! I have no doubt that he will be a good driver as in everything that he does, he does well. I drop him off at base which I'm sure he will nap well. As for me, it was a long drive back home but now happy to know that the sacrifices that I make for my son and my now adult children, I do this out of love.

A Long ride to Travis, AFB

My day started out like most of my days, wake up, coffee, play "pet rescue", out to the garden to water my plants, feed the goldfish and enjoy what is left of a warm fall day. Fortunately, I got the day off from work and would be taking my son to his training reserves weekend to Travis, AFB in Fairfield. As the day carried on later and later, i was mostly dreading the commute due to the BART strike that took affect today. We finally decided on leaving at 8:00PM figuring the traffic would be somewhat better, Wrong, traffic was still backed up and we dealt with the chaos. I had called Manny two days ago to make sure that he was still on his reserves weekend. Because of the government shutdown that ended some days ago, I wasn't fully trusting that his information was reliable nor the information that the Air Force was giving my son. Based on his email, his reserves weekend was still a "go". I picked him up and we were on our way. The ride was fairly long but as most rides go with my son, our conversations are lively, direct and for such a young man of 20 years old, he is too smart for his britches but smart! He is soft spoken, most of the times he has good manners, knows a lot but not enough and he is still a little rough around the edges. But like most gems, a good polishing and in time, he will become a reputable man of wisdom. Two hours later, we reach Travis, AFB and he calls the Hilton to reconfirm his reservation, they have no reservation for him. He then calls his Hotel, Air Force Inn and they tell him to come in because there is a lot of room. Now I was really worried, they're usually full. We arrive at the base and we say our goodbyes and good luck in PT. I usually wait there anyway but for some reason, I stayed a bit longer and it was not more than 10 minutes that he came walking back, opened the door to the car, sat down and said, " training is cancelled" I got upset with him and pretty much said, I told you so! His argument was that he hadn't received an updated email. My argument was that I spent all day waiting, took the day off from work and drove up and back when i didn't need to, it was time wasted and a big thank you goes to the good ole United states Air force "paper pushers"! I know I shouldn't have let him take the blame so hard but he needed to know that he needs to double and sometimes triple check himself on these matters. The drive back was short because i drove faster and didn't not want to speak to my son anymore on the way home. It was awkward but i didn't need be more upset than what i already was on the drive back by arguing more with him. I dropped him off with hardly a word or goodbye but to take the rest of his belongings in my car out and into his home where he is staying with his father. He said that he would be by on Monday for the rest of his things. I needed time to cool down and drove home slower to what the speed limit is. I was too hard on him and started feeling remorseful. Lord, give me strength. Amen

Words from a loving mom to her son.

It has been a week of letting go for me. My son left for Air Force Boot Camp last week and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do besides give birth to him. Long talks, texting, phone calls, shopping for this, mail order that, pay for this, charge for that and leaving messages will all but come to a silent stop. Waiting with him in the boarding area before his flight left, I watched him and his movements. He listened to his Ipod that he bought the night before with his first ever credit card. My thoughts drifted back to when he was three, then seven, I remembered him looking up at me while playing with his firetruck that his grandfather bought him for Christmas and saying to him, "I'm going to miss you when you grow up". Puzzled, his attention turned back towards the firetruck. In recent years, I have whispered that verse over and over to him and now, it is the day and the time has come. At least for the next 8 weeks while he is away. His low manly voice breaks my train of thought, "Mom" he says, "when I call you don't say anything because my CO (Commanding Officer) will be on the other side listening to what I say to you, I only have 15 minutes to talk to you"! His speech will all be written in advance and if he deviate's from that, his CO will be ready to yell at him on the other end of the line. I'm thinking, "WTH", what Commander A** is listening into our conversation while I'm talking to my son??! That's a fricken invasion of our privacy! BUT, this is the Military and it's who my son now belongs to, lock, stock and barrel for the next 6 years. Not mama's son anymore but property of the Good 'ol USA. My son, Manny has been training since October 2012 for this. He has been preparing his young 19 year old body for the rigors of Military life and all that it encompasses. The discipline, preparation, drills, development, cultivation, motivation, sense of self worth and pride that he will soon come to know. I expect the Military to nourish him when he needs support, nurture him in grace, educate him when he does not know, foster his spirit when others won't, instruct his mind to further himself, train him in the manners unknown to him, polish the diamond within him, foster his character with strength and vitality, feed his soul with the word of Heavenly Father. With that you will receive: his loyalty that will command your honesty, his contract is your responsibility, his pledge is your obligation, his burden is your protection, his trust is your liability, his mission is your profession, his life is your accountability. Please, take care of him and his squadron while they help to protect our freedom and the privileges that come at such a high price. I love you always, son and am very proud of you! Thank you for being who you are. Mom

Happy Valentine's Day

to each and everyone in and around my life. Even if I don't know you, such as the case yesterday. While boarding a flight, a male passenger felt so compelled to give me a hug with arms wide open, I stopped my boarding and gave him a hug. I hope it made his day as it made mine. We affect one another is so many different ways and I totally understand comfort zones that each and everyone of us have. At that moment, he needed a hug and the spirit moved me to have the same. My life has been so busy once I got back to work. Physical Therapy have come to a halt and I am almost done with my insurance claim. My new Chiropractor, Doctor Tintor is a blessing and his receptionist is an angel. No, they haven't caught the youth who hit me from the car accident in December 2012 and yes, I lost alot of work and used alot of my personal sick time to help pay my rent and bills. I am very thankful for good medical insurance but even that needs to get paid! My daughter, Christiana is out of the hospital and into a group home for mentally challenged adults in Redwood City. Her calls have lessened and I hope she is getting the help she needs and has the wisdom to take care of herself. My son, Manny, has been busy with his own life and preparing for his leave to Air Force Boot Camp next week. All of his monthly jaunts to Travis Air Force Base for "drills" have helped him prepare for his next 6 weeks in San Antonio at Lackland Air Force Base. I am hoping that his dedication to running and exercise will get him halfway there and the rest of it will be Psychological. I wish nothing but the best for him as he continues on his journey.

Balboa High School

Hit and Run?  Fleeing the scene?  Run and Hide?  This is what happened to me on Dec 14th while my son was getting his haircut a few blocks away in the city of San Francisco.  School had just let out for the afternoon and this young man was trying to get out of his parallel parking across the street.  I was sitting in my parked big green truck, unseat belted and I glanced up for a short time and saw him backing up.  Thinking nothing of it,  I looked back down as I was listening to the Sandy Hook Tragedy on my truck radio when out of the corner of my eye and hearing him Rev his engine,  I saw him drive at an angle into the front of my truck,  crashing into it and then he preceded to drive through a fence and into an apartment building as the car was now stuck and wedged tight between the fence and a block of wood.  He tried to reverse and back up but to no avail.  He was stuck.  By this time,  the High School kids were surrounding us and taking pictures of him,  the vehicles, me and the area.  I saw him climb out of the driver seat and through the drivers window and on top of the hood of the car.  My phone, which is usually somewhere within reach,  was at my side on the truck command center and I reached for it and prayed to the Good Lord to let me take a good picture of this guy.  As he jumped down from the roof,  I clicked my camera phone and got a shot of him.  His friends were chatty and playing with him like he had won a gold medal at the Olympics!  He seemed oblivious that I was even in the truck.  He grabbed his backpack and ran away. What the heck??  I was in shock and amazement that this was going on.  It was like a 3-D movie and I was in the front row of the movie theater!  I made sure my truck doors were still locked, my daddy's teachings and immediately called 911 for the police on my cell phone.  I did not dare to venture outside to access any type of damage because the mob of school kids that surrounded me.  They obviously knew the young man and I wasn't about to become a heroine/victim and take on these young adults who may have weapons on themselves as well.  The San Francisco Police, Ingleside,  arrived quickly and the Teens scattered.  An ambulance was there to see if I needed to be taken to the hospital as I complained of pain when the truck steering wheel hit me just below the collarbone.  I declined.  The owner of the apartment building also arrived to the scene to access the property damage.  My son arrived from his haircut to see what was going on and was worried to see his me surrounded by the police and ambulance.  Statements were made, a police report, tow truck and a rental car later as it started to rain,  my son and I continued on our way to Travis Air Force Base for his 1st weekend of drills.  Thank you for good car insurance.  Several lessons were learned that day by my son and I as we talked all the way to Fairfield,  driving in the rain,  in the traffic and priceless.