IN HONOR OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS.

When you have a teenager I'll warn you that their schedule even on a holiday will be busy...especially if they're in  the jazz band. 

Lexie woke up at 6:30 a.m. on Memorial Day to meet with her fellow band members at the high school to participate in the Memorial Day parade. This is tradition and I'll tell ya as long as I keep having musically inclined kids who are in the jazz band you bet they are going to be a part of it.

And I am so grateful. 

Grateful because these kids woke up early in the morning knowing the why as in "why are we doing this?", and the who  as in "who are we doing this for?" 

"To do it in remembrance, and in honor of our fallen soldiers."

As our kids have grown older they have caught the vision of the true meaning of Memorial Day. They understand why it's crucial to know that aside from the BBQ's, and going to the beach it's important to remember those who have fought for our country, and in the end paid the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedoms. 

So after Lexie came home from the parade we drove up to Orange near Newark where were informed by my mother in law that there are family members on her side of the family buried there. We drove, and it was a beautiful drive. We stopped, and paid our respects to other fallen soldiers as well. Whether they are family or not the fact that they fought so hard to serve our country in order for us to be "free" is incomprehensible. I could tell by the look on my girls face as opposed to Noah's (he's five) that they truly understand the meaning of Memorial Day. 

After a while Noah began to show some reverence. When we arrived at the memorial he was running around waving his little flag around, and I had to tell him to calm down. I reminded him of why we are here, and he immediately stopped, and began to put back a few flags that were out of place.

My heart fluttered as I saw him doing this. It made me realize that he was actually listening to me as I was explaining why we have flags, and why we are here putting roses on the memorial, and what a "memorial" actually is. 

His reverence didn't last too long. As we left he saw this tank, and wanted to climb inside, but again I reminded him that it's not to play in. He understood, and we had a picture taken of us instead (thanks Lexie.)

I love Memorial Day, and I love remembering. 

So, so grateful for all those who sacrificed their lives for us, for the ones who continue to serve, and to let their families know that they were thought of on this day.

Thank you, and God Bless America!