Hello, friend. It’s been a while. A long while. The last time I posted anything was the beginning of 2024 right after my breast cancer scare. Not too long after that, I had a pinched nerve that left me incapacitated for about two months. Then Thomas had his own cancer scare—thankfully, like mine, it ended up also being benign. As the holidays in the latter part of 2024 approached, I was ready to put the year of unfathomable challenges behind us and welcome a new year with a fresh start. Little did I know they were only a warmup for what was to come.
November led the path of one crisis after another. Up until this point, it was Thomas and I facing the trials and supporting each other in the process, but when things involved the kids, it got real on a whole new level. It was terrifying at times, especially when one of the kid’s life was on the line. But we made it through—just in time for the next crisis to rear its ugly head. Followed by the next. And the next. And the next.
It was an exhausting seven months. By early June, I’d equated it to labor—breathe through the contraction, do what you need to do to get through it, and just as it begins to subside, another one creeps in. It’s a never-ending and exhausting battle. Seriously, if I’d crammed all that in a book, I’d be told it wasn’t believable. But there was nothing to do but get through it and don’t give up. Then June 21st came around.
To understand the significance, I need to back up a little. In the midst of dealing with all the crises, life was still going on. Tommy, my oldest, was a senior in high school and preparing for life after graduation. He was a finalist in several scholarships, and we were sure he’d snag at least one. But alas, they all fell through in the end—another blow to what was, so far, a worse year than the last.
What he really wanted was to go to VMI (Virginia Military Institute). An ROTC scholarship would pave the way. But like the others, that, too, did not come to fruition. After many discussions and consultations with experts, Tommy made the choice to take a year off school and try again in the fall for an ROTC scholarship.
VMI gave him permission to defer his appointment for a year. His high school ROTC instructor agreed to be his mentor to help him improve himself for the next scholarship round. In addition to that, he got a full-time job and entered the workforce. It was nobody’s first choice, but it was a plan—and a solid one at that. Then came Saturday, June 21st.
Thomas and I heard this loud scream from upstairs and were like, “Oh, no, what are the boys doing up there?” I’ll be honest—I really didn’t feel like going to the emergency room.
Then Tommy ran down the stairs, and slightly out of breath exclaimed, “I got a 3-year ROTC scholarship!”
“Wait, what?”
“A national ROTC recruiter called. I got a 3-year scholarship. I can go to VMI this year!”
To say we were stunned and a little confused would be an understatement. Decisions for the last round of ROTC scholarships were made at the end of April. The deadline to commit to VMI was May 1st. This wasn’t possible. Except it was…
Tommy called back the national recruiter, and he, Thomas, and I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth. Tommy was, in fact, awarded a 3-year scholarship. Funds from 4-year scholarship recipients who had dropped out after their freshmen year had been reallocated. He would be observed his freshmen year, and if he meets the scholarship requirements (he will), his sophomore through senior years will be covered through the scholarship. The recruiter works with VMI, so, given the circumstances, yes, he can attend VMI this fall even though the deadline to accept was over seven weeks prior.
The following week was filled with phone calls and lists and running around to get his VMI status changed. Tommy was even permitted to attend the optional summer transition program that literally began in two weeks (that was another deadline that had well passed). And to top it all off, his great-grandmother is generously paying for his entire first year (the year his scholarship doesn’t cover)—THANK YOU!
It was a whirlwind in getting him caught up, but this time it was a welcomed one. After the hell we had been through, this awesome news felt like a dream. Somehow, we had weathered this seven-month storm, and at the end was a rainbow.
‘Til next time!