My Life, my photography, my passions
My son loves cheesecake. So, when I asked him what he wanted to eat out for his last meal before he left for boot camp in the US Marine Corp he said, “Somewhere with cheesecake” Although I had never been there I figured the place with the best variety of cheesecake would be the Cheesecake Factory.
What a choice. He couldn’t make up his mind so he asked. “Can I choose more than one?” Who am I to say no to a son that will be leaving the next day for boot camp. Of course he could have two.
Didn’t know it would be the United States Marine Corp that would teach my sons to iron, but a squared away uniform is a sense of pride in the Corps. My oldest son gave his recruit brother a lesson and tips on ironing his uniform and squaring his cover during his latest leave. (home for his brothers high school graduation)
It’s the attention to detail Marine recruits are taught during boot camp at MCRD San Diego or Paris Island. How to properly shine your shoes, iron your uniform, pin your ribbons exactly 1/8″ of an inch from the top of the pocket, and how to clean a toilet and sink to pass inspection.
United States Marine Corps (USMC) And Navy Uniform Regulations
U.S. Marine Corps Uniform Guide (Look Sharp!)
Why do these mundane tasks matter? I believe they are used to teach discipline and patience, to learn how to pay attention to detail in everything a Marine does, regardless of the task.
As a birthday/graduation present received a wore out set of his Marpat desert cammies to wear at the big airsoft game, Oklahoma Invasion 6, coming up Memorial Day weekend. Out of the sea bag the cover looked a bit crumbled. There was no way a Marine would be caught with a cover like this. Before it could be worn it needed squaring away, Marine style. No starch, but water, paper towels, steam, high heat, and cardboard stays would have to do for now.
Never thought I’d ever see this, a photo opportunity if I ever saw one. The process took an hour, with lessons given on tips and tricks of a great squared away Marine uniform. I overhead Army uniforms are “garbage” and how to properly wear your cover. “It’s not a hat, don’t pull it down on your head, you’ll look like a tool”
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (Images of America)
Live At McRd San Diego [Explicit]
Looks better doesn’t it? Sleeve rolling was next, but I left the boys to bond and discuss uniform care. It’s a big part of boot camp, the beginning of teaching attention to detail and discipline. If they pay this much attention to just their uniforms imagine what is required in the other aspects of mission training. No wonder the United States Marine Corps is the best fighting force in the world.
ULTIMATE MARINE RECRUIT TRAINING GUIDEBOOK: A Drill Instructor’s Strategies and TacticsMaggot the Accounts of a Journey through Paris Island
CO: Soldiers Will Wear Marine Corps Uniforms To Improve …
Marine Corps Uniforms Index: By Chapter | Blood Stripes
Uniforms; Uniform Regulations, MCO P1020.32G W CH 1-5 …
Where Can You Buy Marine Corps Uniforms | Internet …
Appropriate times to wear uniforms? – Leatherneck.com
United States Marine Corps Uniforms, Insignia and Personal …
I consider the greatest gift someone can give is life and for one parent to give a gift of adoption to parents, who either cannot have children of their own or want to unselfishly add another child to their home, is one of the biggest gift of love. I was lucky enough to witness a father and son adoption reunion and it was amazing all the way around.
For various reasons, pregnancy, a baby, and a family does not fit and is not the right timing. So choices are made. A choice made forty-eight years ago resulted in a baby boy (my husband) placed with a farm family in western Nebraska through Nebraska Children’s Home. Then the same baby boy made a similar choice twenty seven years later and gave the gift of adoption and love to another rural Nebraska couple.
During those many years, the father wondered what had become of his son. He hoped to eventually meet him, hoped and prayed that day would come. The son too also longed to one day meet his birth father who had written him letters when he was a baby.
Neither officially searched for each other, they were both quite happy with their lives, yet through a course of events and random contacts, the unbelievable happened. After reading this story I dare you to think of the course of life to be a random act of coincidences.
Randy (on the left, my husband) lived in a small apartment complex in Lincoln Nebraska. This small community of neighbors has provided each one acts of kindness in ranging from sharing meals, rides to the doctor, friendship, or just an encouraging word. This weekend Scott, who lives across the courtyard from Randy, called him over to tell him he had some news.
Scott was helping a buddy out with a car and through the course of this repair got a ride from Brandon (right). Scott was struck my this young man’s presence and appearance and said the commonly stated expression, “I know you from somewhere.”
The normal course of the conversation ensued, referring to places they lived, schools, churches, and people. It got around to Brandon stating “I don’t know, I’m adopted, all I know is my birth fathers’ name is Randy and he lives in Lincoln.”
It was then that Scott looked at Brandon and a said: “I know your Father, he lives across from me and you are his spitting image.” I can’t even imagine the thoughts and feelings that were going through their mind and heart. They both told me later it made them shake and their hearts race. Phone numbers were exchanged.
When Scott told this to Randy the feeling intensified. There was no doubt, no questioning in any of these three men. Each one believed that this good news was the truth. As Randy and I were fixing supper he received the phone call from his first born son who wanted to know his Father. They spoke for a short time, as it was obvious that both wanted to meet.
An invitation to supper was extended and less than an hour later Father and son walked across the yard, shook hands, and embraced for the first time. Both were shaking and tears were shed. The picture above was taken shortly after when they came to the door. The resemblance is uncanny, not just in appearances but in how much they are alike.
Both are amazing singers, sang in their University choirs, both took nine years of piano lessons, love to fish (and have made arrangements to go fishing), are very good cooks, and are avid movie buffs with a vast movie collection. At times they have only lived a few miles from each other.
Father and Son UpdateSince I wrote this story father and son have developed a strong friendship. They hunt together, fish together and our families are connected in many ways. An antique farming disc belonging to my husbands family now sits in the garden at Brandon’s parents’ house, connecting the families together symbolically.
There are many connections between all of the families and no one feels threatened. It is an amazing relationship.
I know many people who are adopted, including my self. Some have the negative viewpoint that they were rejected by their birth parents. I look it at as the biggest unselfish gift a Mother (and Father) can give. I am thankful for life, for being given parents who wanted me enough to go above and beyond, to accept the gift of life from other parents who loved their child enough to give them a second chance.
Over the years I have often thought of looking for my own birth parents, if for only to say “Thank You.” Another choice could have been made, and I’m so glad it wasn’t.
I don’t believe in coincidence, but that God has a plan for our life. There are people placed in our lives for a reason, so the work of God can be displayed. This was also the lesson I shared with my Sunday School students this Sunday and part of Pastor’s sermon. There are events that happen to remind us of Christ unconditional love and forgiveness. We just need to open our eyes, believe, and have faith.
What lies in the future for these men is unknown, but they both know that this random meeting was not random, and both are embracing the amazing work of God.
Whether you decide to search for your birth parents, siblings or child make sure you think it through, do research, and ask WHY are you searching. Is it because you are unhappy with your current lot in life because if so finding more people to insert into your world may complicate things, not solve the problem.
I went through periods, every time I was pregnant, where I was interested in health history. But when my babies were born that desire passed. Every now and then my kids ask me if I know my ethnic heritage and I can’t tell them. So, for them, I may consider it, before I get too old. (UPDATE: I did find an adoptive family member)
But regardless, every adoptee has a family and a Mother and Father who raised them. They are your true family.
Searching For Jane, Finding Myself (An Adoption Memoir)
10 Critical Guidelines to Begin Searching for YourBirthright: The Guide to Search and Reunion forThe Adoption Reunion Survival Guide: Preparing Yourself for the Search, Reunion, and Beyond
Mother battling breast cancer helps adopted son find biological family
Finksburg woman’s 40-year search to find birth mother inspires book
Adoption reunion: Calgary woman meets her daughter after 39 years
Amazing Adoption Reunion Story, To Start Your Week Right …
Are you planning an adoption reunion? | Adoption Detective …
Sometimes faith is shades of gray. As some of you know who have been reading my blog my mother died in January of 2011. It has taken years to go through her things and absorb the life I never learned about. There are some things I still don’t understand, family history I don’t know. But through her death God opened a door.
Although she made sure my brother and I were baptized, attended Sunday school and church every week, it was only out of duty and respect to my God Mother Granny Turcotte. After we were confirmed, she never stepped foot in church again. The topic of religion and faith often brought a scornful look to her face and I never knew why because my faith has always brought me a great deal of comfort.
I grew up in a small country church, Grace Episcopal in Broad Brook Connecticut, and God brought me to the Lutheran church in college. My church home now is Missouri Synod Trinity Lutheran in Murdock Nebraska.
Not only did my Mother cut herself from God, but from family and friends. She didn’t think it was important to create relationships with relatives and her children. I rarely saw any of my aunts and uncles who lived in Oklahoma and California. The few cousins I knew as a child drifted as I got older.
There was one family member that consistently and faithfully maintained contact, a niece, my cousin Gail. I found saved cards, photos, and letters in my Mothers desk of an older cousin I never knew and never met. In February a forwarded letter from Gail arrived in my mailbox, so I reached out with the news of Mom’s passing, including my email address. An email arrived a week later.
Here is where God’s grace and divine intervention becomes apparent.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories
Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul:
Gail and I learned quite a bit from each other the next week. Her Mother (Mom’s sister) was also not religious. We lived very parallel lives and had similar experiences and troubling childhoods with both of us having a difficult relationship with our Mothers.
During the normal course of telling each other about our lives Gail stated that she is a faithful member of Missouri Synod Trinity Lutheran Church in Woodward Oklahoma. This news brought goosebumps, tears to my eyes, a lump in my throat, and a prayer of thanks to God. How can this be a coincidence? I believe it’s not.
What does it mean? I don’t know. But I do take comfort in this has to be a sign, a message, an indication of God’s hand in our lives. Acknowledgment that to everything there is a purpose. Wait and the message will be revealed. Listen and hear God’s word in the world around us, from the people around us.
Better yet, when you find yourself in church pray for your family, your friends, those who have lost faith, who are lost. The Lord Jesus Christ will find them and guide them home. Gail’s Mother, my aunt, and the last of the five brothers and sisters, died last week. I truly believe our prayers that were delivered up to God were received and now our Mothers are safely and lovingly in the arms of Jesus and are at peace.
Related Articles
In just a little under four months I will have two sons in the United States Marines. My youngest, a high school senior, is in the delayed entry program and got a little taste of Marine boot camp during last week during Family night for the Lincoln Nebraska recruiting station. A visiting drill instructor from San Diego put them through their paces and had them sounding off like grunts in no time.
My youngest son leaves for boot camp in July. He’s the one on the far right with red tape on his arm (gave blood at school earlier in the day, his 7th pint) For a better understanding of what they went through in ten minutes here is a short video below, might want to turn your volume down for this.
