For Memorial Day

Every year on this special weekend, the Cub Scouts go to Golden Gate National Park to decorate the graves with American flags. It is such a neat and wonderful experience for these boys to participate in.

The whole clan

The kids had a Book Fair last week, and I bought a book called "H is for Honor; A Military Family Alphabet". It is a neat little book that describes some things of military life using the alphabet. Here are couple of inserts from the book that touched me:

"Not everyone hears it. It's just a few. But there's no denying it once you do. When your country calls, you do your part. So H is for honor in the American heart.";

"Miles from home, too hot or too cold, lonely for months on end, L arrives in a big green sack. It's the letters that you send. The leaves are turning, the farm is fine, the puppy keeps chasing his tail. There's nothing better than getting a letter from home in the bag of mail."; and

"Y is for the reason they do the things they do. They put their lives on the line and they do it all for YOU. For you to live a life that's free in a nation proud and strong, be glad there are those who go to work taking your dreams along."

Kevin had to give a talk today in church, along with 3 other fellow soldiers. He gave a wonderful talk and I am so proud of him and his service to our country. Something that he said that touched me is that there are little parts of America all over the world. Men and Women fighting for not only our freedom, but for the freedom of others. I am so proud of all of the service men and women that we know who have and are currently serving our country; for those who have given their lives so that I may enjoy so many things in life. Here is a video by Trace Adkins that someone put together with his song "Arlington" that really touched me.

When I was 12 years old, my family took a trip to the East coast, camping and traveling for 3 weeks. It was such a wonderful and memorable trip. This was the first time I got to see and feel the special spirit at Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetary, Lexington, Washington D.C., Valley Forge, Bunker Hill, Philidelphia, and the Statue of Liberty. Another special place that I have visited is the Arizona Memorial in Oahu Hawaii, where so many American lives were lost. I love my country, and I am so grateful to all of those men and women who have died to bring freedom to not only me but for others around the world.

Here is the quilt that I have been working on for the past week. I have been wanting to make a patriotic quilt for a long time, and I saw on my friend Melissa's blog a quilt that she had used a glue stick on. I got the instructions from my friend Kimberli, who is also a fabulous quilter, and went to work. It was a lot of fun, and I actually had some little elves helping me out. Megan and Kimmy loved placing the squares out.