Memorial Day

In honor of all who have served in the past, are currently serving this Country. I thank you!

I've always known what Memorial Day stood for, my dad was in the Army, he never went to war but he served and that needs to be honored. My Uncle Mike went to Vietnam, I remember how scared my mom was while he was there, even though I was young. I remember watching the TV when the war was over and the Serviceman arrived at airports all over this Country while their families waited for them to step back on "our soil". I will forever remember my children's faces as they watched the Golf War unfold on CNN for everyone to see. But Memorial Day has forever affected me because I now am the mother of a Veteran, I have a son who has seen the face of war and the horror that goes along with it. I see the affect on him everyday.
As an American not a mother I will forever be thankful for our Servicemen & Women. It takes more courage than we will ever know to put on that uniform and do what it takes for us to live the life we do.

My friend Annette sent her son, David off to Iraq before I sent my son, Kevin and I wondered how her and her husband could even get out of bed each day and go on with their day to day lives but they did . . . and than it was my turn to swing both of my legs over that side of the bed and go through the day. It wasn't easy but this is not about me . . .

When my son left for Iraq I asked my family and friends to put an electric candle in a window in their home that they would see everyday - and when they saw that light to say a prayer for our troops fighting around the world. Maybe someone would commented on the candle and then they could explain why they had it on, and then maybe they to would put a candle in their window and so on. My intent was when my son came home I would turn off the candle but I have left it on, it is a constant remember that somewhere on the other side of the world someone is missing their loved ones so I can be free.

A heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart!