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NavyMomx2
05-25-2007, 07:29 PM
I'm home alone today (this never happens), baking cookies and getting ready for the arrival of my granddaughter Grace, who is in town from Washington and spending the night with Grandma and the doorbell rings. I'm thinking who in the world could be at the door? No one is usually home at this time of day, am I expecting anyone that I forgot? It's too early for Grace to be here, but I thought, hmmm maybe they got here earlier than they planned and maybe there is a nice suprise waiting for me at the door. So, I rush to answer the door and yes, there was a suprise at the door - it was the FedEx man with 'the box.'

Not the suprise I was really looking for, nor really expecting, well at least not today. So I bring the box in and thank the FedEx man although silently I'm thinking, why today, why now, is it too early to get 'the box', is this normal? This man has no idea the termoil he has just caused.

So, the box and I go in the house, together, alone. I place it on the kitchen table and walk away. The box isn't going to haunt me today, I won't let it. The advice Kristie gave me of letting the box sit and waiting until someone is home is playing in my head. Someone else said welcome to the rollercoaster, hang on tight, it'll be over before you know it. All good advise, I'm glad they've given me their words of wisdom.

I walk away and head back into the kitchen, I must tend to the cookies in the oven. Take out a batch, put another one in, check to see if the box is still on the table, looking at me....it is.

I head in to the laundry room to do another load of laundry - I'm ignoring it as planned - but I find that I don't have enough colors for another load (this never happens either), so I thought okay no problem, I can wait until the rest of the crew comes home and gives me the gift of more than enough colors for many loads of laundry. Then the evil voice in my head says, "there's probably dirty clothes in that box on the table, why don't you open it." Hmmm....I walk back into the dinning room and sure enough, there is is, standing tall and proud on the table. Daring me to open it - come see what's inside....

Okay, it's gonna haunt me even if I don't want it to and it will drive me crazy all day so, I rush back into the kitchen and grab a knife - I couldn't get it opened fast enough. I look inside...and thought to myself, who packed this? Did the kid actually stand inside the box and undress? Then when I pulled out the clothes (which were dirty and stinky), inside were his shoes (OMG, I'd forgotten how huge his feet are) a black sharpie, a nickle and his cell phone. What strange contents! I picked up the box, took it to the laundry room, put the dirty clothes in the wash, folded the flaps back into the box with the remaining contents and simply put it out into the garage to deal with it at a later date. Just doing laundry like any other day - no big deal.

So, 'the box' didn't win and I got through that one okay. I wrote my son a letter this morning and got it out in the mail and I'm feeling much better....for now.

Beckie
NavyMomX2

glennsmom
05-25-2007, 09:17 PM
Sounds kind of like how I dealt with 'the box'. It came when my husband was home but he left it for me to open which I did that day.

Barbygirl
05-26-2007, 08:38 AM
Beckie,

I'm glad that you got through "The box" so well!! When I got my box, it sat next to my desk for about a week and a half!!! I just couldn't open it.................When I did, I was so surprised.....my son actually took the time to fold his clothes (don't know why he couldn't do that when he was home lol)........

Congrats on getting over this hurdle........Hang in there

Wini
05-27-2007, 09:48 PM
Mine was funny it had 1 unopened coke and 1 half drunk bottle. It was so Jake.

navyhtmom
05-28-2007, 08:21 PM
I remember The Box so well, even though it's been almost 5 years now, because I had NOT been warned about it coming. It was almost like I had been sucker punched. Dirty clothes, his shoes (I remember thinking - how embarrasing they were, lol), his boarding pass to Chicago (which is now in his scrapbook) but not one single word. I just stood there and looked at it! I was so CONFUSED!! What is this!?!?!?! I can't even remember what all was in there. It sat, opened but not unpacked, in his old room for a couple of weeks before I dealt with it. Now, other than PIR, it's all I remember about RTC. LOL Hugs, Lisa

navymom74
05-28-2007, 10:54 PM
My daughter called me at work the day the box came, I told her to just leave it in the kitchen. I did open it when I got home that day. His shoes and clothes were just waded up in the box, but on top of the nice and neat was his boarding pass, like he put it there intentionally so I would see it so I could add it to his scrapbook. I could not bear to wash those clothes until last week! My sons PIR is this Friday June 1st.

We are all truly blessed to have children that have chosen to serve our country.

Debbie

Kristie
05-30-2007, 10:27 AM
Beckie....I am so glad that you made it thru that hurdle.....wow....a nickle...I feel blessed...brandon sent me 19 cents....lololol......and it is funny how the clothes get packed....brandon and jennifer both said all they had time to do was take them off really fast and put them in the box....

Hang in there.....you WILL make it!

Mommadukes
06-01-2007, 10:05 PM
Yes, I remember the box, it came while I was at work and my husband would not let my son open it until I came home! He knew better...:laugh:

I had a hard time but did laugh also cause his belt was rolled and his socks were in his shoes...it was so NOT Matt..

I'm glad you got through that is one hurdle passed!

Dawn

Danielsmom
06-27-2007, 12:51 AM
My son, Dan, left for boot camp on May 24th. The "box" arrived a few days later. My daughter opened it...I looked for a note from my son-which wasn't there. The box is still sitting where I left it, opened, clothes still inside....just sitting there. It is so peculiar how this box is so significant to us parents! (My son would probably think I am strange just letting it sit there!) We just deal with things in the best way that we know how...
Teri

dd11030
06-27-2007, 04:44 AM
I received my son's box yesterday. It was very funny how the clothes were in there - just like he dropped them from his body right into the box! Other than his clothes and shoes (with the socks stuffed inside them) there was only the itinerary from the cancelled flight and the ticket stub from the successful flight. I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought right away about keeping that. I searched his pockets to no avail for a short note of some sort. I was not home when the box came and my other son who is 16 didn't even tell me we got it. He just simply put it on my bed and waited for me to find it. I was confused at first because I didn't realize what it was. I didn't recognize my son's handwriting and he addressed the box to my husband which I found weird. Why would he address it to him and not to me? Crazy what us moms think and why would I even notice that? Only thing I could think of is that he knew his brother and I were going on a vacation and his dad was staying home. Any way, I think the clothes drove our dog a little crazy. He has been missing my son and wouldn't stop sniffing the clothes for about 5 minutes. The box - yet another milestone on this great adventure!

Kristie
06-27-2007, 11:04 AM
WooooHoooo.....another hurdle down.....hang in there!

My husband was mad cause both of our children address their boxes to me...lol