Seaman Petersen

It's official...Troy has enlisted into the Navy.  It hasn't been an easy decision for him, and it is even harder on Kevin and I because there are so many implications for this decision.  We are 1 year away from Troy moving out, and going into dangerous situations.  We've been agonizing over the fact that we hope we have taught him everything he needs, and instilled a testimony in him that will never waiver and it's hard.

Anyway, I digress.  On Monday the 9th, Petty Officer Coleman picked Troy up and took him to Phoenix for his physical and paperwork.  They were to call when the time for swearing in got close.  While we waited, we took the kids to the Mills mall for school shopping.  It was at the second store that we got the call and we rushed over to Phoenix.  Turns out that we didn't really have to rush...the computers crashed and we waited about 4 hours for them to come back.  They never did, so we went back to school shopping and had a family dinner at Joe's Crab Shack (a favorite).

Tuesday morning the 10th, Petty Officer Coleman came and got Troy again and we waited at home for the call.  When it came it was 10:18, so I asked them to schedule Troy for the noon swearing in.  I woke up Kevin and we hurried to get ready and leave.  Since Kevin had to go straight to work, we took both cars and headed to Phoenix.  As I drove down the freeway, I was watching the clock and it kept getting closer and closer to noon, and I was beginning to get scared that I wouldn't make it.  I became a little teary and a lot frazzled as I tried to get there without a ticket or a crash.  I was even more worried that Kevin would miss it since he'd left about 5 minutes after me.  I got onto the freeway and never saw the exit for I-17 which is what I needed to get on.  I didn't know where I was and I didn't think I was going to make it, but finally saw the roof of Chase Field and a sign for 7th Street.  Turns out, I had missed my exit and went backward (still got there...just backwards of how I was supposed to go).  I got off the freeway and as luck would have it, I hit every single red light between the freeway and Washington.  As it got closer and closer to noon, the tears flowed more quickly and I kept praying that I would not miss this important day for Troy.  Just as I got to the parking lot of where I needed to be, Kevin called looking for me.  He hadn't missed the exit and ended up beating me.  I was so upset and the tears were flowing...he helped calm me down and I pulled into the parking lot.

This was probably the biggest mistake...the lot is usually $5 for parking, but that day there was an event and it was $10.  I only had $5, so I explained my situation to the attendant and asked if I could pay the $5 and hurry.  They wouldn't let me and made me leave the lot.  The only other spots were metered and I didn't have any quarters.  At that point, I had two minutes to get to the office and no other options.  I decided to say a little prayer, park in a meter spot and hope that I didn't get a ticket.  I found a spot right in front of the building and was blessed with a meter that had 37 minutes left.  I ran into the lobby and started to sign in, but was almost incoherent with tears.  The guard was so sweet...he asked if I was late to a swearing in and when I nodded, he told me to just sign my name and he'd fill in the rest.  I thanked him as best I could and ran to the elevator and went where I needed to go (sorry so vague....the building is a DOD building so I can't give too many details or show pictures).  I walked in about a minute before they took him back and tried to get myself collected for the ceremony, and I'm so thankful that I had some heavenly help in getting there safe, and finding a place to park.

When it was time, we were escorted back to the swearing in room and Troy was standing at attention.  Then after a few words and a short speech, my baby boy raised his right hand and swore an oath to his country to uphold the constitution.  Of course, the tears I had dried came right back and I made a blubbery mess of myself, but after almost 18 years of watching and worrying, I've earned a few.  Kevin gave Troy a hug and then had to head for work....the first thing he did once he got out of the building was feed my meter so I didn't get a ticket (LOVE that man).

Afterwards, I took Troy to lunch and then we found where he'll go for workouts and worked our way home so he knew how to get there.  He has chosen a hard road....his goal is to be a Navy S.E.A.L. and it's hard as his parents to not worry.  However, I have come to trust in my Heavenly Father and I place my little boy in His hands to mold and shape Troy into the man he is supposed to be.