Memorial Day Weekend

What a wonderful weekend. Our weather has been "iffy" for a week, including the fact that Tuesday evening we had a frost and some of our plants were damaged. But Saturday, the weather started getting sunnier and warmer and by Monday it was 90 degrees.

Saturday, Dave, Z-man, Lindsey and I went to JoAnn's. Much of the stuff was on sale and I had a coupon for 10% off of everything (sale priced items too!). We bought a tree for the family room . . . one that I cannot kill. I picked up some more yarn for the hat for Dave's student who is losing her hair. Lindsey picked up two pairs of flip flops and some funky yarn to decorate them with a friend . . . they had a great time.

Since I can only get Dave into Joann's about once a year, I also wanted to get his input into new fabric for the dining room chairs. The Z-man is getting to the point where I want to get him out of his booster seat but the fabric on his chair is totally worn and disgusting plus all the chairs need to be firmed up a bit better.

The fabric was on sale for 60% off plus the additional 10%. We found a nice floral print that will look great. Funny thing is that when we got home, we discovered that it was almost the same pattern as the chair in our family room but the background was a little darker.

Saturday night, I stayed up until about 3:00 a.m. doing a really bad job on my homework. Shouldn't have done that. It was probably a total waste of time.

On Sunday, Dave, Z-man and I worked in the garden. It was hot and sunny so we took many, many breaks. When Sarah got home from work she joined us. We finished up around 6:00 p.m. and jumped clothes and all into the pool. It was heavenly. My butt and the backs of my legs hurt.

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Sunday night as I watched the news, I had time to reflect about Memorial Day. My youngest sister has two sons in the service. One is in the Marines and is currently in Iraq. The other son is in the Navy and he is currently based out of Florida but cruising someplace. I pray that they both return home safely. I also pray for all those friends and families who have lost loved ones in any conflict on both sides. For everyone who dies, there is a mother and father and others who mourn their loss.

I remembered a Palistinian mother who was very upset when someone called her young son who was a suicidal bomber a "martyr for the cause." She was furious. She said that he wasn't a martyr but a tool used by madmen. Her pain was palatable.

I also remembered the mother and young wife from Brookpark, Ohio, who talked about the sacrifice of their son/husband. Their pain was also palatable.

I have my Dad's picture that was sketched when the USO went through the hospital in the Phillipines during World War II. My Dad was in the hospital for a year and he sent this drawing home to his mother. She framed and hung it in her dining room. I am sure that for her at the time her pain was palatable. He was so sick and she wasn't sure that she would ever see him again.

Memorial Day is a day to honor those who serve and those who have sacrificed. But in many ways it doesn't pay tribute to the mothers who bore and raised these children. Those who made sure that they went to school and learned how to ride a bike, who stood proud when they joined the military even when their heart was breaking. It doesn't pay tribute to the young wife or husband who stays at home and prays that they will return or must receive the folded flag when they don't. They deserve a tribute too.

Honor the troops. Pray for peace.