Memorial Day isn't about big sales or travel to me and never has been.
Our family has a long lineage of Fathers, Brothers, Uncles and even my Aunt serving in every battle overseas to this day. We have our "4th of July" so to speak on this weekend, just our family after a dawn memorial service at the resting place of our family who had served and passed on. This weekend was phone calls as my 83 yr old Father who served in Korea and Vietnam has a bad cold and didn't feel up to visits or sharing his cold but we all called - and had to wait for the busy signal to stop. We are hoping he feels better on Monday and will have our Veterans Day then.
As I type this my husband is not here - he is overseas and has been since August 28, 2008. He has been home 5 times for short stays and we aren't sure if he will be there until this fall or January next year.
He's a veteran of the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq & Afghanistan (again) and we both agreed that the opportunity to work with top brass to find out how to help stabilize the worst regions is worth the separation though it has been difficult on both of us at times. Its just something you do if you can.
The good news is he will have his 25 yrs in Oct 2013 and will not deploy again after this stint - its why we bought our 5er, we NEED time to be in close proximity and travel like we said we would. He's only seen pictures of the new 5er but we were looking at them before he left in 2008 so he's very happy I found the one we both liked.
To every Soldier and every Wife that has held ground during war time - I can't thank you enough.
You protected my Great-Granfathers, Grandfathers, Father, Aunt, Brothers & Husband and helped get them home alive.
God rest the souls of those who gave their life for this country and brothers in arms.