Our #MemorialDay

For the first time in 20 years our family is apart on Memorial Day. While David and my oldest six are somewhere in the Indian Ocean enjoying the cruise of a lifetime, the youngest ten and I are holding down the fort. I will say that having the big girls gone has been good in that it has given me special time with my little ones and a way to “reset” the household for schoolwork and getting chores done in a way that *needed* to be done. That being said, please just appreciate that the boys shirts are ironed and so were the girls dresses. I say that not to brag but so that you can appreciate how crazy it was to iron the clothes with no ironing board (it broke) and 9 of them hopping around me in their underroos and no one got burned.

*bows graciously*

Our favorite Navy flyer came home for the weekend! It was so good to see Jesse and I especially know two little girls who were more than thrilled to have their big bro back even for just a few hours.

Ok. So maybe Crickie thinks of him as a wee bit more than a big bro. Maybe.

Verity and Vaughn were not available for a photo. Vaughn was happy in his seat and Verity had made it very clear to everyone starting at 7am that she was not to be messed with today.

Our usual Memorial Day ceremony at Riverside Cemetery in Tequesta was far smaller than usual. So many of my men from the past 20 years have gone on to be with the Lord. The Vice Commander of our local American Legion showed me where my favorite Boston Boy was buried who always emceed the event every year. “He went quick,” I was told. But my new American Legion friend teared up as he told me how few of the guys are left.

I won’t say that my stay at the memorial was quiet and idyllic…in fact there were more than a few times that Verity and Stone decided that it was a perfect time to push buttons and stir up some trouble. Including a solid left hook from Ver into her brothers cheek. Poor Stoney. But even as I struggled to maintain my cool and keep them quiet with goldfish and bags of chips, I remembered that these kids may not exactly get what I am trying to teach them now, but over the course of a few decades I will have made my point clear:

America is exceptional. She’s worth fighting for. 1.5 million men and women have died for her cause of liberty. And taking one hot afternoon at the beginning of each summer to honor those who paid for our freedoms isn’t asking too much.

Soji getting one last hug. 🙂 I’m so proud of Jesse and of all our troops training hard and fighting for our great nation. I hope all of you enjoyed a lovely holiday weekend and I’d love it if you’d share photos of your family from this Memorial day in the comments below!