Thoughts from a writing mom

This past weekend I attended my third annual reunion with my best Navy friends – girls that I was stationed with fifteen years ago at Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 (HM-15) which was located at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX at the time (it has since moved to Norfolk, VA.)   Some backstory on my journey to HM-15: I initially joined the Navy with the hopes of becoming a Navy JO (journalist.) I liked to write (is it obvious that I still do?)   I also was the editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper and loved it, so I wanted to continue writing in that capacity. I was told by my recruiter that the JO rate was closed, and I would have to join as something else.   Okay. I still wanted to join the Navy, so I asked the career counselor assisting me at MEPS (military entrance processing center) if he had any ideas of something exciting. “Aircrew.” He told me. “Sign me up!” I said. It sounded VERY exciting. I was game.   Months later I found myself in boot camp, set