Day 55/56 - What a beautiful DAY!

Do you see the pattern?! It is not intentional - this every 2 day blog thing :)!

So, yesterday was a somber yet beautiful day. It has been gross and rainy and cold here for the past week. Then yesterday the sun came out and it was BEAUTIFUL! Mind you still cold which I found out by NOT taking a jacket outside with me, being fooled by Mr. Sun is never fun!

We had the memorial service for SGT Gould yesterday. It was also a beautiful service. I was so happy for the family that God made the day so beautiful for them. I came away from the service with a change of heart. I hear soldiers talk ALL the time. They can be the MOST vulgar speakers - hands down! Once our FRG meeting had soldiers stationed to watch the children in another room while we attended a briefing. I was terrified my child would come away from the experience with an enhanced potty mouth. I say enhanced because by no means am I delusional to the fact that they hear some things already. Public school = Potty mouth. Enough said. Back to my point! Two soldiers spoke about their good friend who they just lost and I am telling you they were some of the most eloquent speakers I have ever heard. Their words touched me. Then more soldiers who were not able to come and attend due to being at war of course, wrote things to be read. Still - hands down some of the most eloquent words I have ever heard spoken. It was beautiful. Our military community came out in full force, showing that we truly are a family. Until you have been here you will never know the feeling of family that military life can bring. I am not sure there is another place, profession, where you feel this way. You share in tragedy that civilians will never have to know. You bear the pain of things civilians can not even comprehend and you do it so that they may never have to. Unfortunately, I am starting to feel a divide I do not like feeling between us and the rest of the world. Sometimes I fear that our civilian world is blind to the fact that we have been at war for 10 years. That we have lost countless troops to battle. That we have families fighting to keep it together. I walk through crowded stores all the time wondering if these people know what is really going on!?!?! (oops ... I went into a rant, my apologies!) The first soldier that spoke quoted something from Aristotle that I had not heard before. I think it is one of the greatest quotes I have heard! "The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper". I know a lot of men right now whose soul is shining out! I know a lot of women left behind whose soul is shining out as well!

So yesterday was somber and beautiful! Today was beautiful and relaxing! So beautiful in fact that I almost attempted wearing shorts! I attended an Operations Fellowship for Families at a local church. The kids got some neat play time and a group of us moms went to a quiet little town and walked around looking in antique shops. The slow, peaceful pace of the town helped me relax. Unfortunately, it also gave me a HUGE sinus headache. Antique stores always do that to me! Overall though it was a pleasant, relaxing saturday!

Oh the joys of "springing forward"!! Just remembered that it is an entire hour later than I thought! Tomorrow has promised another day of fun so I best get to bed!