I haven’t shared much about my daughter’s upcoming 30th birthday lately, but I haven’t forgotten about her big day—which she says is also mine and that I should buy myself a small cake and celebrate too. Y’all, I just love her!🥰
The first picture is from my surprise baby shower, which the ladies from work had planned for me. As you can see, I have pink and blue balloons. I had decided I wanted the sex of my baby to be a surprise, so I had no clue what I was having. They were very creative in finding gender-neutral baby items. I was so blessed to have their friendship and support.
The next ones were taken days before I went into labor. I was working my last set of mid-shifts (10 PM – 6 AM). I remember telling my coworker, Tim, that my mucus plug had come out before I came on shift. When I tell you that chain smoker smoked more cigarettes than he’d ever smoked during a shift. Baby, he was so nervous.😂 I ended up going into labor my first night off. Crazy but good memories.☺️
By this time, I was tired. I couldn’t even tie my boots on my own. Had to wait until I got on shift for help. My coworkers were so sweet.On the wall behind me were pictures of astronaut crews that had stopped through. They loved flying into Eglin. Ft. Walton Beach/Destin, Florida, then was nothing like it is today, so I imagine they come in more often now.
I think about all the pictures I took back then, and I didn’t even have a cell phone. Well, I had one—a big, bulky one that plugged into the car—but not like I have today, with easy access to my camera. So, it amazes me that I always kept a camera with me. Wow! I was very intentional about documenting my pregnancy. Pretty cool!😌
Prepare to be sick of me and my pictures because they are coming!!😅😁
January 1995, Eglin AFB, Florida
I was about to POP!
It’s wild that this was 30 years ago! How?! Where did the time go. I was so pregnant. Look at my face! And my head.😂 It was really my hair. It was so long.
I loved being pregnant. Just like I love everything about motherhood.🥰
Yes… I’m back. Hopefully this is the last of my posts about the movie and my military experience.
As a soldier, airman, or seaman, the mission always comes first. You don’t have the luxury of being in your feelings while working. No, you suck them up and get the work done. I was one of the “lucky” (written with lots of sarcasm) ones like the women of the 6888 battalion because my job was mission essential. Meaning, we worked around the clock, 24/7, no weekends or holidays off. We were blessed to have superiors like Major Charity Adams who were generous enough to work breaks in. Morale was everything!
Being a single mom in the military added another level of stress to a job that was already stressful (if you only knew all that my job entailed—whew!). I remember my desire to always overachieve because I didn’t want anyone to use my status as a single mother against me. I never missed work. I always made sure I had a babysitter even when my daughter was sick. I never wanted to be the burden to the group.
When I received orders to go to Turkey, I asked if I could turn them down and accept another location stateside. I was told I couldn’t. That if I didn’t accept the orders I would be forced to get out. So, I had to make a decision—to leave my daughter with my mother who was already struggling to care for my siblings or out process. I told the person handling my case that if I could not take my daughter with me, I would out process. After reviewing my enlistment papers and the orders, I was told I had exactly enough time remaining on that enlistment to do an accompanied tour, which meant I could take my daughter with me. Y’all, that was God! Because I was ready to give it all up if she couldn’t go with me. Then, when I got Turkey, I had 30 days to find someone—a stranger—who could escort my daughter back to the states if a war broke out. Whew! Just thinking about it all brings back so many memories and feelings. I was 24 years old with a little one. I remember walking around base with her in tow trying to get things done. I had a car but it was being shipped over, and I didn’t have the money to keep taking taxis. I would make our little trips adventures so she wouldn’t complain or cry. Most of the time it worked but not always. She was still a child, and when she got sleepy it was over!
I remember this one time when missiles were launched towards our base (yes…Turkey is in a war zone) and the sirens were going off (again, I can relate to the movie), I had to choose between grabbing my chem gear to protect myself or not. I was at home at the time. Had just gotten off of a 12-hour night shift and my daughter was at daycare. My thoughts were if she’s not going to survive, why should I? Fortunately, the missiles were intercepted and life went on. Those were crazy times.
Y’all, I actually made it through those times. This is why I praise God. I have soooo much to be grateful for. So much! I made it and my baby girl made it. We’re here!
Okay… THIS is the last of my military story…at least for now.
Thanks for allowing me to spill.♥️ ~Shaun
To lighten the mood, here are a few pictures from our stay in Turkey. She was 3 when we arrived.
With my friend Destiny (Kader). She owned a tailor shop.She loved taking pictures…and I loved taking them of her.Forever posing.ChristmasIn Cappadocia. Nothing like the Cappadocia today.In a hotel in Cappadocia. This was taken after a 6.3 earthquake hit Adana. I was stationed at Incirlik, which is 5-10 minutes from Adana. We had just arrived at the hotel, which was about 3 hours away, and we felt the earthquake there. I had just checked in and was sitting on the bed when I felt the tremors. The electricity went out. And this was 3 hours away! Talk about divine timing on my part! We could’ve been at home when it happened, or on the road. The only damage I had was cracks in the wall and pictures knocked down. Others had it worse. So many in the city of Adana and surrounding areas lost their lives. The next week, we had another one but it was only about 4.5.
Last week around this time, I was headed to visit my daughter. It feels so wild to have a child that’s almost 30. As I wrote in Almost 30 Years, she’s been through it all with me. Words can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am that God gave her to me.
I decided to take a real trip down memory lane this morning, a 30 year trip. I didn’t write anything on this day 30 years ago (December 19, 1994), but I wrote something two days before. Here’s what I wrote. Hope you can read it.
December 17, 1994— My baby journal
I had no idea if I was having a girl or boy so I always referred to them as “Honey” and “Sweetie.”
I was excited and nervous at the same time. Had no idea of what to expect but knew I wanted to be the best mom ever. The kids and twins I was referring to were my siblings.Me and my sweet baby girl today.🥰
From where I was then, to where I am 30 years later, I am so very blessed.♥️
Wanted to share this before I got on the road. This young lady, my baby girl, my heart, has been through everything with me. All of my high moments and the very lowest of lows. The lows I tried to shield her from but it didn’t always work. I remember her catching me crying from time to time when she was around three or four and her telling me things were going to be alright. Y’all, she used to rub my head like I was the baby.
Having a child at 21 and being single and being in the military stationed hundreds to thousands (she went to Turkey with me) of miles away from family was more stressful than anything I had experienced, but I made it. We made it!
So, if it seems like I write about her a little more than I do my son, it’s not because I don’t love him just as much, it’s because me and this baby have been through some things. And now that she’s an adult, every chance she gets to do something special for me, she does. She’s forever loving on me. Her fiancé told me that she had a bad morning yesterday because things weren’t going as planned. She had planned for us to do something and it didn’t work out. I let her know that being in her presence and with her was worth so much more than anything she could’ve planned. Y’all, I love her so much.
Okay… let me wrap this up because I can feel my eyes swelling from the tears and I need to get on the road.
Next month she will be 30 years old. Where did the time go? I am so proud of the woman she’s become and is becoming. She’s my blessing.♥️
Today, I am dedicating my first post to my two loves, my hearts—my daughter and son. Never in a million years did I think two wonderful beings could come from me. By no means are they perfect, but they’re perfect for me. Watching them grow from infancy to adulthood has been the honor of my life. I love the people they’ve become. And a bonus is they love me. They actually love me. Y’all, their love is a gift I will always treasure. I am blessed, so very blessed.♥️
I am most proud of being a mother. Almost daily, I marvel at the fact that I actually have children—adult children. I never knew I could love and be loved so deeply. They are my biggest cheerleaders, my greatest supporters, my protectors, my encouragers, my friends (they still know I’m their mom). The relationship I have with them is the relationship I always longed for with my mother, and now I have it. I am truly blessed.🥰
“Never doubt that you are loved. YOU are so very loved.”
That’s the quote I shared on this date a year ago. Y’all, it feels so wonderful to be loved, and to be loved unconditionally.
Yesterday, I got to spend the day with my two hearts. Now that they’re grown and doing their own thing, it’s been a while—maybe since last Christmas—that we’ve spent more than an hour or two together. My son is usually working on the weekends, and my daughter no longer lives in Mississippi.
Well, yesterday, we were together almost the entire day. We sang, danced, laughed, and talked about nothingness (nothing too deep this time). It was just an overall wonderful day. One that I needed so badly. Then, last night they treated me to dinner at our favorite restaurant.
Yes, it feels absolutely wonderful to be loved.🥰
My ♥️♥️s.Orleans snow crab claws.Our meals. I’m so glad they don’t mind me taking pictures of my food. Well, my daughter doesn’t. My son…🤷🏽♀️☺️
I pray you had a lovely weekend, and may today be even more beautiful. If no one’s told you in a while—like, since I told you yesterday☺️—you are loved.♥️
When you wake up to a text from your daughter saying, “BTW, I meant to tell you I’m going [out of the country] today. Headed to the airport now. Here’s my flight information. I’ll be gone for a few days.”
What do you do?
I mean what else can you do but say, “Safe travels”, “Have fun!”, and “I love you!”
She is almost 30.
Of course, my mind went into military mode, and I sent her the government’s travel info about the country she’s traveling to and the Embassy’s information.
Then, I said a prayer to cover her.🙏🏽
She is grown and free to explore. I just wish she would’ve chosen somewhere I was somewhat familiar with. She dances to the beat of her own drums, and I love that about her. Also, she gets it honestly, so I can’t be mad at her. It’s not like I told my mom everything beforehand. However, unlike her, the military made me a little more wiser and a bit more cautious.
As I alluded to in my earlier post, I’m letting go of things I cannot control. She’s God’s child. He’s got her.
But y’all, I wasn’t ready for that. I wasn’t going to talk her out of going, but I would’ve asked a lot of questions.🤷🏽♀️
I can see my life as a mom with adult children is about to take me to a whole new level of motherhood. I can already see my son is ready to test being 21. He hasn’t done anything but I can feel it. This is definitely going to be interesting!
Now, I’m smiling because we’re all grown!! Wow!! I know I started off sounding a bit weary. However, the more I write the more I feel another level of freedom coming on. Again, we’re all grown!
Okay… I’m going to end here.
I guess you can say this is my first “random rambling” on this side of 50!
Decided to go back and start numbering my “Good Night” posts. Guess I should do the same with my “Hello Sundays.” We shall see.
Just wanted to drop in and say good night. This weekend I finally got to visit my baby girl and love on her a little and vice versa. I am so proud of the woman she’s become and is becoming. Y’all, I just love listening to her (even when we disagree) and watching her. I love her smile. I love her laugh. I love her passion. She will always be my baby girl. I know I say this a lot, but I still cannot believe I am a mother. It just blows my mind that I have mini-mes. This is what I mean when I say I am truly blessed. I also met up with my oldest nephew and his wife. Same feelings with him. He’s so grown now.
Anyhoo… I pray you had a lovely weekend as well. Remember to love and cherish your loved ones. Love on them and allow them to love on you. Yes, allow yourself to receive the love that you give. Believe me, it makes wonderful experiences even more special.
Wishing you a restful night and peaceful week. Love you!♥️
It’s Shaun’s World 
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