Being A Soldier’s Mom ~
my heart aches daily ~ and has for the past 7+ years.
See, I started sending packages to the Troops way back then and wrote to them and read damn near obsessively about the wars. I watched my daughter raise her right hand to take The Oath, found the Milblogs, cried at her high school graduation along with the other mothers (but my tears were mixed with fear as well as with pride), then handed her over to the US Army in the middle of one night in August. Cried for a couple of weeks straight and learned about the roller coaster ride of having a kid in the Military (I’ve had Majors with 15 years plus time, tell me their Moms still cry. I can believe that.)
I’ve lost a few of the troops I’ve adopted for their deployment. Been to a couple of funerals for others. Visited our Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed and Vets at VA hospitals on both coasts.
I’ve gotten to know my “adopted” soldiers through letters, emails, IM and phone calls - some I’ve even been fortunate to meet in person. For me - as soon as I write their names on their care package, they are mine. In fact, if they are in uniform, they are now my family (whether they ever know it or not). I have a very large family with members I’ve never met. Doesn’t matter. We’re family. Goes for their families too.
I pray a lot.
If you read nothing else today - hell, this week - go read this one here. It IS important.
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