In Honor of.....

Some of the few good men....

Happy Memorial Day to all my fellow americans.  As you may know, I am extremely patriotic and I get very emotional about holidays where we honor those who stand up for our freedom. Now of course my husband is a Marine and I live on a military base so its easy for me to get caught up in the celebration today. I am reminded EVERYDAY that freedom isn't free. I also celebrate and salute them EVERYDAY. I remember growing up, before I was a military wife, I didn't really understand what this Holiday REALLY meant. I knew the general meaning but I didn't totally know what it took to fight for our country or why they even had to fight in the first place. So I know that there are many americans out there that are proud and celebrating today, but I wonder how many of them understand the sacrifices that are being made for them. Once I married into the marine corp as I like to say, I learned quickly why we as a country have to fight to stay free. And I also learned that people had shed blood just so that I can live in a world where I can dream big. I have the freedom to speak my mind. I have the freedom to practice any religion I choose. I have the freedom to vote. I, as a woman can get a job doing anything from the military to being a doctor. Anything is possible. I am so honored to say that I am married to a United States Marine. He risk his life for people and children that he doesn't even know and will never know. And the amazing thing about most of these men and women is that they don't even know how brave they are. To them, this is just a job. A way to pay the bills and put food on the table. They invade whole countries and set up camp there for years at a time and they just say " well it's a job and someone has to do it." Living on base here, I am surrounded by 14,000 marines and their families. We are like a family and we stick together and support each other through the worst of times. Because the truth is, it isn't just the soldiers that stick up for our freedom. It's also the families that they leave behind.  Although Adam is gone, my life still has to go on. I still have to raise my babies and keep my marriage strong even though we are worlds apart. I have to be the mother and the father. I have to kiss my kids enough that it feels like 2. I have to be the nurturer, the punisher, the protector, the storyteller, the boo-boo kisser, the chef, the chauffeur, the maid, the teacher, the seamstress, the prayer leader, the accountant, and the book keeper. I see my neighbors putting up yellow ribbons showing that there loved one is deploying. I see black cars pulling into houses and I know that their world is about to come crashing down. I have to park my car in the middle of the road during the rising and falling of the flag everyday. I watch marines file off a bus and being greeted by there loved ones. Some of them have babies that they have never met. Behind every solider who has shed their blood, is a family to had to bury their loved one and then live with the memory of his lose and what he died for. So today I not only thank every military man and women no matter what branch your in, but I also thank your loved ones. I thank everyone who laid down there life so that my kids could be free. So please remember today while your cooking out on the grill, that some family, somewhere, is staring at an empty chair. A chair that once was filled with someone so brave that they died for you or is willing to die for you. Happy Memorial Day.

U.S. Marines