EARN IT!

This is going to be a combined 'Memorial Day' and Will's latest jump post. I'm so behind on things that I want to blog about (for my sake).

A couple of Saturday's ago, me and the kids went to watch Will jump from some sort of plane. (it was a C-130, but if I said that like I really knew, I would look really military-wife-y and over involved -- so I'll act a little stupid! Does it really matter anyway? It was in the air!)

We were a little late and thought we would miss Will jumping, but alas...we ended up waiting another 4 hours! That's the military for you. Hurry up and wait. I picked up Will's brother Jon along the way so he could watch the jump too. We stood in the dirt and watched mortar shells hit the mountains to our north. If you're in the Utah Valley area and you hear occasional booming sounds on Saturdays...its some artillery unit practicing in the vacant hills of west Utah County. This area resembles Afghanistan a little...except for the green part. There is no green in Afghanistan because the herds of sheep have eaten it, Will says. It made me realize how unnerving it would be to live in a war zone. Still, I thought it was neat because I knew they were no where near being aimed at me and my family!

Then another MAJOR accomplishment for us. We finally got a flag pole at our house. We had a flag attached to our house that my grandma had put up when she lived here, but after last Halloween when some punks (me using that word makes me feel old and rachety) tried to steal the flag and ended up bending and breaking the pole and leaving the ladder behind that they probably stole as well and climbed to try to take off with our flag (I tie a mean knot -- the flag stayed safe) it made it more urgent to get a flag pole.

Another thing on my list of things for Will to do when he came home! This was more Will than me though, but I was excited to get it done.

Concreted into the ground by my super handy-dandy husband, and protected by thousands of rose bush thorns...we proudly display our flag of the United Stats of America!! I don't want to taunt, but I would like to see those punks try to take our flag again...without making rose-pricking noises!

WARNING: Soap box moment to follow.

We honor those men and women who have served and protected and given their lives for us. We need to remember how lucky we are to be blessed with what we have. Because of the sacrifices of men and women in the military and our ancestors who have been inspired to build this great country to what it is today, we need to EARN the freedoms we enjoy today. They can't be just given to us. Being a citizen of this great country should not be a 'gimmie'.

I remember driving to my parents last year on Memorial Day -- in the pouring rain -- and seeing the streets lined with flags and crying...or closer to sobbing because I was so proud of Will, and, of course, I missed him a lot too! I know he didn't die for our country (a hallelujah for that!) but he put himself in harms way and lied to me about it so that I wouldn't worry and, more difficult than being shot at, he had to come home and try to live with the most stubborn, selfish person. It made me realize how much I appreciate what has been done for me.

end rant.