Veterans Day Thank You

(Grandpa Russ)

I have two grandfathers who fought in World War II. One of them, actually my step-grandfather, has spent the last month and a half in rehab after some health problems.  He's not happy there, it's not his home.  So we visit him often and ask him to tell us stories about his life.  He's told us some of his war stories. They are at the same time both interesting and horrifying. He barely touches on the part where he landed on the beach on D-Day. He said he could not even begin to describe the things he saw, other than there were hundreds and hundreds of bodies lying in the sand and the water. I'm guessing the scenes from Saving Private Ryan barely touched on the reality of what those men experienced that day. Despite the nightmarish memories that were part of his experiences as a soldier, Grandpa Russ shares some good experiences too and very fond memories of the years after the war that he spent working for the Veterans Administration in Idaho. That's where he met my grandmother. ; )

I have never met my other grandfather. It's a long story. Suffice it to say that he chose to isolate himself from his family and my mother has not seen him since she left home as a teenager during one of his rages. Now he lives about 30 minutes from where I recently moved and I have to make the decision about whether or not to try to establish a relationship with him. He flew bombing missions during the war. Apparently his experiences were pretty harrowing too, as my mom talks about episodes he had after the war that lead me to believe he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His issues were so severe that in the end my grandmother had to leave him for her safety and the safety of her son. My mother had already moved out by then. So I don't know alot about him, other than the fact that my mom says he was such a fun person to be around when she was little and she remembers a very different person than the man he became later in her life.

Why am I telling you all this? I guess I'm pointing out the contrast in how each man was able to handle the experience of war. One managed to find coping skills that allowed him to get on with his life. Will the memories ever go away? No. They are a part of who he is now. But he was able to comparmentalize and put those painful thoughts in a box in his brain somewhere where he didn't have to face them all of the time so he could work and focus on raising his family.   He is such a good man and accepted us as his own grandkids from the minute we met him. 

Grandpa Bill( I guess that's what I would call him), my mother's real father, obviously had a harder time putting those memories to rest and they affected his ability to raise his family and lead a happy life.  His family suffered greatly because of that. And so began the dysfunction that has impacted more than one generation.  It makes me wonder if things would be different for us now had people known about PTSD back then and had he been able to get help in dealing with his emotional trauma. Doesn't matter I guess. We can't go back and change things.

We can change things going forward though. We can ensure that there coninue to be programs and tools available for our warriors, so that regardless of what stage in life they find themselves, they and their families will have the necessary skills and ability to cope. Please donate your time or your dollars to a worthy nonprofit that supports our military families. The burden they carry is heavy to bear. Let's do all we can to let them know that we are willing to help lift that burden however and whenever we can.

From our family to the many veterans and military families stationed all over the world: We value your service and sacrifices and are grateful for your willingness to endure whatever hardships with with you are faced to serve this wonderful country.   Thank you. 

LikeWear "Military Chic" a Big Hit with Big Brother

I wrote about LikeWear maybe a year ago?  When I was first asked to review some of their clothing, I wasn't sure what my kids would think.  Turns out, the t-shirts I got from LikeWear are some of the boys favorite items of clothing. 

LikeWear has some new designs in their "Military Chic" line and we were excited to check them out as Big Brother is a major military fan, so this new line is right up his alley and trendy to boot.

He loves his new shirt!  He wears it almost every day, so I have to take full advantage of his sleep time to wash it.  So far it's holding up well.

Things I like about LikeWear:

• Well-made clothing - the t-shirts are not made of thin, flimsy material and they are put together well.  
• Trendy, unique, kid-friendly designs. 
• Business opportunities for stay-at-home moms. (See LikeWear website for more details!)

They have lots of cute girl clothes too!  Stop by the site and check out some of their fun designs and find out more about how you can earn a few bucks working with LikeWear.  "Mom designed - kid approved!" (that's my slogan for LikeWear, not their slogan.  But they can have it if they want it!)

Memorial Day

I'm supposed to finishing up a business plan right now.  But I got writer's block and decided to check my emails.  Someone sent me the link to the video included in this post.  It touched my heart.  Because I know people who  have served in the military and who have fought during wartime. 

My maternal grandfather and my maternal step-grandfather both fought in WWII.  Apparently it caused an intense amount of stress and pain for my maternal grandfatherSo much so that he locked himself in a room for an entire year due to depression.  We now know his kind of suffering better as post-traumatic stress disorder.  My grandmother left him several years later.  I have never met the man.  I only hear a few stories.  I also hear he has a huge scrapbook of sorts that chronicles his experiences during the war.  I hope one day I get to see it.  I'm still deciding if I want to see him.  His "issues" left a big scar on the rest of his family, including my mother, who was one of the recipients of his anger and depression.

My step-grandfather is actually quite the opposite. He's a pretty positive person, no matter what's going on around him.  He came through the situation pretty much emotionally intact and moved on with his life.    He met and married my grandmother at the VA where they both worked and he never really talked about his experiences in combat, but every once in awhile he would get out his albums and go through them with us.  Then Saving Private Ryan came out.  I asked him if he was going to see it.  He stated simply, "I already lived it.  One tour through Hell was enough for me."  That was the first time he had hinted that it might have been difficult for him.  Then he was asked to write some of his story for a reporter.  He talked about the day they landed on Omaha Beach and some of the horrific things he saw and endured.  And that was it.  He's never really talked about it again. 

So it's Memorial Day weekend and I think of these two men.  And I think of others like them who became soldiers.  Some of them are old now.  Some of them are young and still trying to make a life for themselves.  All of them made sacrifices for their country that either changed their lives forever or took their lives from them.  And there is nothing I can say that would pay them back adequately for their efforts.  So I will simply thank those who lost their lives in the line of duty, along with their families, for making the ultimate sacrifice.  My family will try to ensure that your life was not given in vain as we struggle to hold on to our precious freedoms and heritage. 

And I will also take the time to thank the living who have served and who are still serving their fellow citizens as VOLUNTEERS in our military.  People like you are the reason our country is great.  Thank you for your valor and courage.  You are loved and appreciated. 

Wordless Wednesday

Veterans Day 2009 - Parade and Quilt Squares!

Big Brother Meets His Future

My young son has wanted to be a military man since he was 2 years old. As a mother, this evokes different feelings. Of course I feel proud and happy that he has such a strong love for his country, especially at such a young age. His patriotism is touching and his sense of duty remains intact as the years go by, regardless of my somewhat selfish desire for it to fade, maybe just a little. Because truth be told, as much as I would love him to follow his calling, I fear for his safety should he pursue a military career. But I would never tell him that. I want him to be happy. I want him to pursue his dream. And how can you get mad at a kid whose dream is to protect his country!? So I silently endure, and even encourage his passion, with so much love and admiration for this little man, but with just a little fear and trepidation at the possibility that his future may hold trials and tragedy that no one wants to mention and which may take him from me sooner than I would care to think about. But enough of my motherly ramblings.

The point of this is to thank some great guys - Tim Abell (Army Ranger) and Greg Stube (Army Special Forces). My friend and I met them on Friday at the Beretta booth at the NRA Convention. They signed a poster for my son to hang on his wall. When I brought it home, Big Brother was beside himself with excitement and wanted to meet them in person. So we headed back to the show the next day, with Big Brother in his camoflauge clothes, full of hope and excitement. When we found these two guys, Big Brother got a little shy, so I asked them what he wanted to ask: "What can Big Brother do to prepare himself to be the best military man he can be?"

Both men stepped up to the task, with tender hearts, but an earnest desire to offer my son the best advice they could offer a 9 year old kid without scaring the crap out of him. They talked about focus, endurance, physical fitness and obedience. He listened intently and tried to take it all in and walked away feeling very confident that he could do what they told him he would need to do. He heard it from the mouths of men who he now thinks are the best thing since sliced bread.

The crowning moment was when we were finishing up with Greg and Tim. A wonderful older gentleman stepped out of the crowd in his Marine Dress Uniform and walked up to Big Brother. The man had what my husband said looked like the Congressional Medal of Honor on his Uniform. "Young Man," he said as he got down to Big Brother's level, "It doesn't matter what branch of the service you join, what matters is that you serve your country." Then the older man stood up straight and looked my son right in the eye, shook his hand firmly and told Big Brother how proud he was of him for his patriotism and willingness to serve. The lady next to me was in tears, as was I. Big Brother just nodded and stood there, looking very serious as he watched the man walk away. Then he turned to us and asked us what all of the medals on his suit were for. Dad grabbed Big Brother and began to explain the medals as they walked toward the Kimber booth and I stood there with my youngest, knowing that this experience would stay with my future GI for a long, long time.

Then my youngerst had a hunger meltdown and the moment was over. Gotta love Motherhood. Wanna special moment? You can have one, but keep it brief...kids have needs and will make them known - loudly.

How could I have asked for a better day for a kid who thinks the military is the only job on earth?! Three distinguished soldiers just solidified his belief that these are the true heroes of the world. I know most military folks do not like to be called heroes. I know they don't see themselves as anything other that patriots who love serving their country. Well, all I can say is that you are heroes to a 9 year old boy and his mom and there is no sports legend or action hero that I know of that can do for my son what you did for him this weekend. You are the men and women who truly make a difference in this world and you are the folks that I will encourage my son to emulate.

Thank you, Tim and Greg for being the role models I knew you would be. You've had a big impact on a young boy's life.

He hasn't talked much about what they said. I see him thinking hard though, especially when he looks at the poster. And I paid heck getting him to take of his sweaty camoflauge clothes. He wore them all weekend while he played Army. He ate a lot of salad for dinner last night. And this morning he was quick to respond to my requests with "Yes Ma'am." He is anxious to hang up his poster, so I will pick up a frame so he can get it on his wall. He has big plans today at school for his "army club" that he and his friends started at recess. I can only imagine the conversations that will take place at the edge of the lawn on the playgorund today..."Dude! I met an Army Ranger and a Special Forces guy at the convention Saturday! It was awesome!"

Yep, Big Brother...it was awesome. Hooah!

Meet Your Neighborhood Army Ranger

This is what Big Brother made for his "Class Community" for Social Studies. (Do you think this is the look he will have on his face on the first day of Boot camp?) They had to research their organization, as well as learn about the professionals who would run the organization. Big Brother built a military base. He researched the job of an Army Ranger.


Army Ranger Rick was really kind and helpful, he took the time to answer some questions for Big Brother. I love how military people have encouraged him in his desire to pursue a military career. All the parents cam to see the communities and asked the kids questions. The kids had to discuss things like duties, salaries, etc. Big Brother was definitely in his element!