Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

I love Memorial Day! I think my entire life it has been spent by the pool while grilling out with family & friends! It's such a laid back holiday, but so important!

I've never known anyone directly involved in the military until I met Robin. When we started dating his uncle was actively deployed in Iraq. The first time I ever met Robin's Uncle Buddy was on 4th of July, when he was home for a few days. I remember he was tall and very strong & intimadating looking! He was a member of the National Guard. The next time I met Buddy wasn't so exciting. When he went back to Iraq after his trip home, the unexpected happened. The humvee he was patrolling in with his unit hit a IED, which is an explosive under the pavement of the road. When the humvee hit the IED Buddy was flown from the vehicle several hundred feet. The details of the story are very vague from there, because Buddy was in and out of consiousness. When he finally got stateside, his family was given some very tough news. Buddy had survived the explosion, but would be paralized from the waist down. That was nearly 5 or 6 years ago. Since then, Buddy has managed to get some use of his legs, but he can't walk without the help of crutches. It was hard to see their family go through this, and not just dealing with his injuries, but dealing with the deaths of some of his unit... thier best friends.

War is not a choice that we have to make, it's up to our leaders, but when it comes time for people to fight, it's people like Buddy who pay the price. Whether it's the National Guard, the Army, the Marines, the Navy or the Air Force, these men and women have dedicated thier lives for our freedom. Countless soliders have paid the ultimate sacrifice and that is exactly what Memorial Day is for... to Remember those who have given their life in the name of America.

Thank You to the soliders of past and present!!