Last phone call was 5:30 am this morning via pay phone, Erica and her group were waiting for their flight out of LAX, her flight left at 6:22 am with a layover in Chicago for 30 minutes not much time to eat, restroom and she says she will try to call from there but we shall see.
Our day started yesterday at 2 am then at the recruiter depot by 3 am, and after signing more paperwork, we headed for LA, I followed in my truck.
We arrived around 4:30 am she and another guy from her recruiting depot headed in, but guest are not allowed until 7 am. But this time I was prepared had my pillow and blanket, laid my seat back set my alarm on my phone and took a snooze.
Just before seven I walked across the parking lot to Ralph's got some fruit for a snack later as I know they don't feed the parents, then over to Micky Ds for a ice vanilla coffee, got a sugar free one too for miss Erica. Then walked across a very dangerous street to MEP's.
This part is embarrassing as I walked up to the door I realized I didn't have my id out, so with purse lunch and drinks in hand I fumbled for my id then when I went for the door handle the drinks flipped right out of the tray and all over the entrance and splashed on the front door of MEP's oops.. So when I walked through the metal detectors I had to tell the guard that I oops! I wanted to crawl under a rock.
So I found miss Erica sitting with her new friend Krystal who shipped out with her and they also were roommates and flight buddies. (Turns out Krystal is married to a guy who worked with Erica's best friend's dad at Disneyland..what a small world. She is from Anaheim.)
So then it was waiting time, Erica waited to close out her paper work, which takes forever, then the guy that came with us was told he wasn't shipping and was told to go home, so he had the same thing happen to him that had happened to Erica last week, we felt so bad, cause he was told he was leaving for sure.
Finally around 1:30 pm she had her final swear in, and they told her at 3 pm would be her travel meeting. About 4:30 pm they had their travel meeting,
(yes 1 1/2 hours later, hurry up and wait)
and Erica said out of no where they called her name and put her in charge of her group 6 girls and 1 guy all heading to Parris Island. (I wondered why when I walked by the window she was up in front talking)
She had all the tickets all their money for eating and all their paperwork to hand in at Parris Island, I was like yikes, she said I know, I loose anything and I am dead.
7:30 pm they finally got on the bus for the hotel, Erica told me to follow them. luckily I heard they were staying at LAX Radison hotel, because the first light the bus ran the red and I lost them, oh well, I'll just head for LAX and I looked for the Hotel, It wasn't to hard but the parking was, $11.00 bucks no way, finally found a 2 hour parking around back. (for free)
Walked in and found a huge group in line at the counter, Erica's group the Marines, the coast guard who's basic training is in New Jersey, and the Army and their basic is in Jackson.
I met a mom who's daughter headed out with Erica so we exchanged numbers.
Great to meet new people, they are from Pasadena. The kids were fed well this time. But of course we are not :(
Then Erica tells me she forgot a shirt, I said what do you mean?
She had a little white jacket on and under a see through tank top, so I had to buy a shirt a the gift shop.. at least they weren't as bad as I thought it would be. So she got a little shirt that said California, with little woody cars on it. I said oh well its not like they are not gonna know that your from California. So after they had a little meeting with much running around from Erica trying to get everyone together, I headed home, I forgot her flight numbers so she texted them to me from the other moms phone. Hit the freeway at 10 pm I couldn't believe the traffic still, got home at 11:50 pm Man I barely made it home I was so tired.
5:30 am I got my call I was so glad she did, I think thats my only problem I am a mom who just wants to know they are safe, I don't need an hour conversation just a "hi mom, I here and I'm safe" call, I am so much better. Well it will be a while now before I hear anything else, tonight or tomorrow morning I should get the generic phone call that says hi I'm here, that call is a form letter and they cannot deviate at all. I will keep you all up date as I can. Thanks for your prayers.
Krystal and Erica
the last of the goofiness
the california girls, there were six girls and 1 guy
guess who was picked to be in charge.... yikes
checking into the Radison Hotel at LAX
oh yah queen size sleep number beds..Erica ran up to take a picture of their room :)
written by: darlene r.
