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| Highlights |
| HOW IT ALL BEGAN |
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In a suburb just north of Houston, two women were leading parallel lives just miles
apart. Neither knew the other. Both of their sons graduated from high schools in the
Klein Independent School District. Each of them felt that their hearts had been ripped
out when their men-babies left hearth and home to join the United States Marine Corps.
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With their precious sons away from home training, each of their lives took on a whole
new meaning though one that paralleled each other. They learned the postman’s first
name. They started stalking him. Their home telephones were forwarded to their cell
phones. They both sought comfort in those who would understand. Racing down the freeway
after vehicles with Marine Corps stickers became a favorite pastime. Each ultimately
found the national internet support group, MarineMomsOnline. Although the national
group provided much needed support and instruction in Marine Corps lingo, there was
something still missing…the hug of another mom who knew what they were going
through...the understanding from another mom on how difficult it is not to be able to
pick up the phone and call their son.
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| And so, the call was put out on the national board, “Looking for Moms in the Houston
area” and the Houston Marine Moms was born. Jay and Kay found each other … two miles
down the road in Spring. Then came Ginger, across the woods in Splendora, Texas. Her
son, Jake, graduated from boot camp the week after Jay’s son, Sean. Next came Connie, all
the way down in Roscharon, Shirley (Oma), Debbie (Quiltgypsy), Ora (between Jay and Kay
in Spring), Peri, from Pasadena, Bonnie, from Deer Park, and Kathleen, from Champions
Forest. Women from all walks of life and lifetime experiences sharing one common
denominator: sons in the United States Marines. |
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In January 2003, the initial group met for the first time at Starbucks at the corner of
Louetta and Kuykendahl in Spring, Texas. Since then, we have grown by leaps and
bounds….supported each other through boot, MCT/SOI, MOS, permanent duty stations from
D.C. to Japan, and of course, “the War”. We have cried together, laughed together and,
in true female fashion, even argued together. Just like our sons are brothers, so too
are we sisters.
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