camouflage

It's no secret that the Mouse spends most of his free time dressed in camouflage from head to toe, unless of course he's wearing his dirt bike gear. The boy is All Things Army, and has been since he was about 9 years old. We're still trying to figure this out, thinking that it would be a passing phase. The Mouse has enjoyed a surprising variety of hobbies, and excelled at quite a few of them - from cake decorating to drum playing to making a small fortune selling grilled burgers and hot dogs hot off his own barbecue to passing drivers. The kid stops at nothing.    

So nearly 6 years later, I'm still surprised/impressed/amused/proud/(would 'terrified' be a bad word to use here?) that the Mouse is even more immersed in the Armed Forces than he was at age 9. He knows more war facts than anyone I know. Ask him ANYTHING about WWII - he'll have the answer. He's a military dictionary of weaponry, tanks, planes, you name it - ours or any other countries'. His arsenal of military gear, both new and vintage, is astounding. The Screaming Eagles are his heros. He wants to be a part of the Green Beret Special Forces. Am I sure he is my son? The peace-loving, war-hating, tie-dye-wearing hippie? We must look quite a sight together :/

(this is the photo that gives me the biggest heebie-geebies... saluting and looking so serious

 with all that gear on... it just looks a little too real... I am NOT ready for that yet Mouse!) 

But this post is about today! The Mouse has been waiting for this day for months. And months and months. Because right now at this very moment, he is out in the California desert at an undisclosed location, shooting the holy crap out of targets and blowing the living daylights out of propane tanks disguised as Adam Lambert. Hey, it wasn't my idea - I love the Lam. But our awesome friend Larry makes this trip every year, and the Mouse is finally old enough to go with him. I'm not sure the boy could have possibly been any more excited than he was. I can't wait to hear the stories. Because oh, there will be stories. That Mouse is a certified, nonstop talker. And talker.  

Now before you get the wrong impression, I want to set things straight. You already know how much I love the Mouse. I love my country too. I do not always agree with the deployment of our troops (because I don't think I will ever agree with either political party... but that's a whole other topic), however I always have, and I always will, support our troops. I pray for our troops, and I appreciate our troops - all those that came before, all those in the present, and all those in the future. I have friends whom I love, whose sons, nephews, and nieces are serving. My own wonderful nephew will be flying in the Air Force in the future. I am proud of my son that he is brave and wants to serve his country. What mother wouldn't be proud of that? But what mother wouldn't be frightened at the same time, especially in this day and age, to see her child enter the military? The awfulness of war, the trauma that accompanies it, the thought of losing my son... it is hard for me. But Mouse, you know I will support you.

That being said... this is as close to camouflage as I have ever come - and as close as you will ever see me get. 

My tie dye socks camouflaged by my laptop skin :D

And here is MY little statement on the back of my bug 

And the only dog tags you will ever see me wear

But this smile will always light up my life even if it is wearing camouflage ❤