Tried calling you today!

I have been waiting the past 4 1/2 years to get the news....FINALLY selected for promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant! WOW! It might not mean much to many but for me it meant, three deployments overseas (one of which I left my infant for 7 months and came back to a potty trained talking little boy) Endless hours of "work" and training, schools, classes and much more....so to finally get looked at and selected for promotion was a proud moment for me. So with the news hot off the press I instantly grabbed my handy IPhone. First number dialed Oma....ring 1...ring 2..3...4 NO ANSWER hmmmm. Next number dialed NO ANSWER. So I decided to send a mass text message out to my closest of friends and family....I received the trickly of CONGRATS! So I posted it on the book of the face (facebook) instant congrats from friends all over. Emails started coming in from former Marines I served with "Congrats"...."There is no more deserving of a Marine"...."I am so proud of you"...... read several subject titles. Still I just didn't quite get that sense of well accomplishment. I still had to pass the good news on, but to whom? I then again sat and scrolled through my IPhone...really could it be...I had nobody to call. I sent the text "everyone" already knew! But then it hit me, HER, I dialed it rang an instantly picked up "I'm Sorry the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service, please hang up or try the number again" I listened to the recording several times through till it HUNG UP on ME! I knew it wouldn't happen. I knew she couldn't answer the phone. Was it habit? No! I mean really, I haven't heard her voice in years. On that day I felt like it just would have made my "accomplishment" well...just that...an accomplishement! So since she couldn't answer, I am writing about it now...Mom, I did it, Promoted, 8+ years active duty Marine, Combat Veteran, now on to my 6th promotion to the rank of  Staff Sergeant, United States Mairne Corps! If i strive for anything in this life it's to make my mother proud, by living up to the expectations that she set out before me. I knew she wouldn't have answered that phone, I sincerly didn't think she would, I just pushed through this life in hopes of hearing the sound of her voice "Stephie you make mommy so proud" but the more I think about it, I didn't even need my stupid IPhone...............she's always with me!