Thoughts from a Blue St*r Mom’s Heart

No doubt, most of America notices in some way that it is 
Veteran’s Day.  Many even have had the day off.
Stores around the country trying to scoop up the early money for Christmas by advertising their “Veteran Day” sales, remind us what today is.  And perhaps there is a flag or two up in your neighborhood.  
But there are some of you who have had a member of your family in the armed forces and today is different.  It’s not a “shop till you drop” day, nor is it “just a day off”. 
 
It’s a reality check.  
And it’s to you and your loved ones
that I dedicate this blog post.
My emotions have been pretty raw this last little bit {for many reasons} and today, this Veteran’s Day tears are ever present.   
I want to take and set this post aside to personally thank each of you who are a military family, whether retired or active duty.   If I could bring you a plate of cookies and sit and visit about your beloved family military member, I would.  I’d love to know what led them to choose the military and how they serve or have served.  If some have lost their life, I know I would have to choke back the tears.  
Military service is an extremely serious matter.  
Veteran’s Day really is so much more than a 
day for a picnic 
or 
a day off from work  
or
day to take advantage of early Christmas sales.  
There are literally precious men and women serving far away from loved ones at this very moment.  They are missing their wives, husbands, moms, dads, sisters, brothers, children, and friends.   
Some have extremely serious family traumas going on like terminal illness or family members waiting on significant medical test results or marital struggles or relationship upheaval or even the death of friends or extended family members ‘back home’.

This is not cotton candy friends.
Here are some more recent statistics:
  • 2.3 million veterans were in World War II (1941-1945)
  • 2.7 million veterans were in the Korean War (1950-1953)
  • 7.6 million veterans served in the Vietnam-era (1964 to 1975)
  • 4.5 million veterans served during the Gulf War (1990 to present)
  • 5.6 million veterans served peacetime only.
Friends do you see how many people have been
affected by their service 
to our country?
Recently we had a gentleman in our home.  He was giving us a quote actually on our floor situation.  {Remember that?}   He was a bit older than Dw and I and he happened to mention that he had served in our nations Special F*rces during the Vietnam War. 
 He elaborated that earlier the same day we met him he had been somewhere to meet with a doctor because of his disability.  The doctor, upon hearing of his service to our country had asked, “Were you scared when you were serving overseas?
This big strapping man in his kind of gruff voice, upon relaying it to us, began to get very choked up and said, “I told that doc, are you serious?  I don’t think there was a day that passed that I wasn’t scared.”  Tears filled his eyes as he tried to hold at bay 
years of pent up emotion.
Many years now home, but the emotions were so powerful.

Did you realize that 
5.5 million veterans have a disability?



Friends, most have a disability because of their service for me and for you.

Do we even care?
I will never forget, about 5-1/2 years ago when I wrote this blog post, we were living in our little log home in Colorado….
 
“Early Mother’s Day morning at 2:30AM Graham came bolting up the stairs and into our bedroom. I was more asleep than awake but jumped up to see what was going on. Graham said, “Someone has come down our driveway and they are walking up to the front door. My mind raced. Dw was down the stairs and at the door in probably 20 seconds. I was coming down the stairs as he looked out the front door window. He said, “Linny, it’s the police.” At that point nothing but a sick feeling filled our bodies. I know they are not paying a courtesy call or fundraising at 2:30 in the morning!

I do know now that if anything were to happen to our military hero they always send military personnel to the home. BUT how many times in life has the ALWAYS not been ALWAYS?

Dw opened up the door just as I stood beside him. My visiting friend had been awakened and was standing behind me in her nightgown too. The police man looked at me and said the name of the lady we bought our house from. I told them that I was not her and then I said, “Our son is currently deployed” and I broke down and started to cry to which the officer began to profusely apologize…..

Actually, for our family it’s been seven deploym*nts and I’m not gonna’ pretend….when a car slows in front of our home, during any of those 7 deploym*nts, my stomach immediately jumps to my throat…and I can feel powerful emotions well within me.
Yes, there have been several close calls for our hero.  Friends who have passed in his arms.  And to anyone who might think that that doesn’t affect a person, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Today I honor those who have given their lives for me and my family and the freedoms we hold dear.

Today I honor those who have been disabled because of their sacrifices.

Today I honor those who have lost loved ones.

Today I honor those who currently serve.

Today I honor those whose families have sent husbands, wives, daughters, sons, children, loved ones.

I get it.
I really do.
Your courage, strength, dedication and love for our 
country is profound. 
Thank you.
Our family prays for you and yours.
You are true heroes.
And to our hero…,.
Our admiration, respect and love for your
courage, dedication and perseverance  
{and your precious family} 
abounds.
We love you guys soooo much
and we always, always, always miss you. 

21 thoughts on “Thoughts from a Blue St*r Mom’s Heart

  1. Powerful post, Linny. We have so much to be grateful for…thanks to those who serve our country to keep us safe. Joel served in the Air Force for eight years and we were living in the Philippines when Saigon fell helping out at the base as plane after plane of mostly orphan children were brought out of the country. A life changing experience in so many ways. Joel's job did not put him at risk……we felt very blessed to be protected by those whose lives were at risk. Like your precious son. We lift our veterans up in prayer today……..

    1. Special gratitude to Joel and you, Renee and your children….no matter the "risk" – the entire military is a team. Each couldn't do it without the others {and only pride would say otherwise}. Some understand loss and risk more than others…but the sacrifices are all very real. xo

  2. Thanks for sharing this Linny! It is so important for us to remember the cost. I pray for your hero every time he comes to mind. Please thank him from our family for serving our country.

  3. Linny, thank you so much for the sacrifices you and your family make by having a member of your family in the service. I am truly grateful. Thank you, Tyler, for your selflessness in serving. Many years ago my father was in Special Forces, a Green Beret. It is because of men like Tyler and my father that I have the privileges I do today. With all my heart, thank you!!

  4. Thank you Linny for the wonderful words. These are the days that make me really stop and think about those have have served so we can have our freedom. My son decided to be a marine when he was in second grade right after 9/11. I do not think he ever really saw images of 9/11 because we really shielded our children from TV, especially those pictures. Anyhow, he has lived and breathed being a marine. When he asked us what we thought, what could we say? It was his dream and passion. What I have a great sense of peace about is I know God is watching over him. He will be going to the middle east in March….continue to pray for world peace. God will provide. Thank you Linny for your support.

    1. Thank you Wendy for your precious words. Please thank your son for his dedication and service. Our hero was already military-bound, but after 9-11, if they would have taken a 15 year old, he would have been gone by morning. I can't imagine that type of bravery that your son and mine {and lots of others} have, can you? And I can't imagine what their hearts have to deal with when there is loss of life. Bless you…we will be praying as your son deploys – let the Knee Team know as the day approaches….us moms and dads need the prayers probably almost as much as our heroes do!

  5. Remembering and praying for your real life hero, his wife, and children… & all your family all around the world! You guys are on my heart often. Thank you for shining His Love and being willing to encourage & share with so many.

  6. What a sacrifice your son and others serving make each and every day for each one of us. I am so so grateful! But my heart also hurts knowing there are so many that love them that have to endure that waiting each time they are deployed… so so very hard! My prayers are with you friend…

    1. Sweet friend,
      I will never forget your very real tears as you were there and heard us praying over the phone with our hero right before he depl*yed. To know you cared and were moved to very real tears with us meant so much to me. Thank you for your prayers. His 8th will be coming…and trust me, the thought already makes my intestines go nuts. Miss you. Hey, I know – come walk with me…betcha at least one of your kids {the one with the camera} wouldn't mind a road trip to Phoenix. =)

  7. A beautiful post…. our son enlisted in the US Army Reserves this past summer and will head to Basic on July 1, just a few weeks after graduating from high school. While I know that this is definitely the calling for which he is wired, I also know that it will be hard. Which makes me admire him even more. The stories my mom tells of my dad's deployment in Vietnam make this momma's heart heavy but expectant at the same time – we know God had big things for him and his future, even if it's the "hard stuff" of deployments and active duty. Thanks for always pointing your readers to honor and respect and the CALLING our military men and women have on their mission!

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