Cherry Luden Cough Drops

When the boys were in boot camp on Parris Island, my heart hurt like I never imagined it could. As a mother, I had always been able to protect them...sometimes even when they didn't know...sometimes even when they didn't want or need my protecting. When it was cold outside, I could tell them to wear a jacket. When our family was going to Holiday World for a wonderful summer day, I could always make sure there was sunscreen to rub on shoulders. When they had a fever, I could always make sure they got plenty of liquids and rest. Now, they were 800 miles away, and there wasn't a thing I could do for them. Talk about a bird with a broken wing...I was lost. My very first letter went something like this...."I miss you so much, but I know you can do this! I pray that God gives you strength every single day! Can I send you anything?!!!!!" You cannot imagine how my heart jumped when a letter finally came from Luke saying "please send me cough drops...Cherry Ludens cough drops!" Immediately, this mother hen sprang into action! I was on a mission! To try and stop me would be at your own risk!
Let me back up just a little. Luke's recruiter told us before he left for boot camp that under no circumstances should we send him anything while he was on the island unless he specifically asked for it. Also, if we did send something that he specifically asked for, we would have to send enough for the entire platoon. Platoons usually run approximately 85 recruits.
Back to the mission. Ludens cherry cough drops are easy to find...most discount stores carry them. Most discount stores carry 4 to 5 bags of Cherry Ludens cough drops. I started at Walmart, then CVS, then Dollar General. I had about 19 bags...only 66 more to go. After calling a couple family members to check stores near their homes, and a date night with my husband that consisted of a trip to a little town approximately 45 minutes from our house we had gathered 90 bags of Cherry Ludens cough drops. In less than 24 hours from the time the request was delivered to my mailbox, the throat lozenges were gathered, packed & shipped!
Less than 6 months later, Lindi opened a letter from her brother Matt. She took it upstairs like she always did to read it in the privacy of her own room. A couple minutes had passed when she came down the stairs to read me a small tidbit of the letter. "P.S. tell mom to send cough drops...the same ones she sent to Luke." (Insert here the theme song from Mission Impossible) Once again, this mother hen taped up her broken wing and took flight. This time was a lot easier! When the Pharmacist at Walmart asked me why I could possibly be needing 90 bags of this particular cough drop, and I told him...he smiled intently and said "wait here." A few minutes later he appeared on my side of the counter with 5 boxes (20 packages per box) of Cherry Ludens cough drops! My hero!!
Now, if you've lasted this long in the story, here is the important part. It turns out, when Matt's box of cough drops arrived on Parris Island, his DI (Drill Instructor) was not in a good mood that particular day. He decided that Matt would do 25 push ups for every bag (90)of cough drops in the box. The DI asked Matt if he intended on sharing the cough drops with the rest of his Platoon. Matt responded "Ay Sir!" The DI counted out a bag of cough drops for each Recruit. There were 5 bags left over. He told Matt that he would have to do 25 push ups for every bag left over...times 2...or 250 push ups total. Matt got down in front of the other Recruits and began his "punishment". After only a few push ups, another Recruit, realizing that Matt was being punished because they all got a bag of cough drops...dropped down beside him and began to count out 250 push ups for himself. And then another Recruit dropped down...and then another, and then another. Within minutes, all 85 recruits in Bravo Company, Platoon 1013 formed a bond...a brotherhood, over 25o push ups and a bag of Cherry Ludens cough drops.

Luke and Matt...you're worth it!

Good To Go,
Proud USMC Mom

A Member of My Marine Family

As you know, I am the proud Mom of TWO United States Marines. In fact, once they enlisted, I became a "Mom of sorts" to a lot of Marines many of which I only know their last names. None the less...we are family. Two days ago one of my "sons" left Cherry Point, NC on a plane headed for Afghanistan. Kevin went to Boot Camp with my son, Luke.

One day while I was in the chat room of the online board that kept me sane during Boot, (ParrisIsland.yuku.com) another Mom & I began to chat. We quickly figured out that we only lived 45 minutes apart, and that she had been at the send off in Louisville with her son the same day Luke left there. It was so funny to learn that my Luke was actually in the background of nearly all of the pictures she had taken that day. She was kind enough to send them to me. We became instant friends. Luke and Kevin became brothers.

Kevin should be arriving in Afghanistan any time now. He is 19 years old. He has a younger brother, a little sister and a girlfriend. His Mom's name is Cathy. He will become a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on March 20, 2003 in Iraq and will end...who knows when....who knows where. It may not be a war that you "support". Who really "supports" any war? But no matter how you feel about the war or the President (past or present), the young men & women who are fighting for the freedom of all of us deserve our support. I hope you will keep Kevin in your prayers, as well as all of the warriors fighting this fight.

Hang in there Kev! We've got your back here on the home front!

Luke and Matt...proud can't begin to cover it.

Good To Go,
Proud Marine Mom of Many!