Happy Memorial Day

I remember as a child we would load up in the car and drive out to the cemetery for the Memorial Day Services.  We would watch the men and women dressed up in their uniforms with their shinny pins and big guns.  Taps would play and then the guns would go off.  The gun part I didn't love so much:)  I chalked that up to fear of fireworks.  We'd walk along the grave sites reading names and trying not to step in the wrong places.  We'd pull the weeds off grandpa's grave and tidy things up.  Then after the service we'd drive over to the service station for lunch.  There we'd get flavored soda pop and cheeseburgers.  YUMMY.  The kids would sit in one booth while the aunties and grandma would sit in another.  We'd check out all the trucker hats hanging on the wall.  I have to say it was one of my favorite childhood holiday memories.  As I'm much older the desire to share the same tradition with my daughter was very important to me this year.  I think I've grown to appreciate freedom of life and understand now why it was so important for us to make the trip out to the cemetery each Memorial Day.  Like one soldier said today Freedom does not come free.  There is a price for it.  I'm so thankful for those men and women who were willing to give their lives for the freedom of this beautiful Nation.  For the chance for my daughter to live in such country and be able to Praise God openly, to have Rights and a Voice.  I pray the Lord continues to bless this Nation and protects it from evil.  I pray the Lord is marching next to those soldiers who are on the battle fields, in stations, working on bases, sitting behind desks, and so on...I'm honored to know and love such strong and courageous people, like Uncle Ted, Uncle Bill, Vinnie, Sarah B., Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Nick and so many more I'm forgetting.  For those I didn't get to grow up with, like my Grandpa Casebeer.  Thank you, each of you, for fighting for our freedom and being a soldier.  I hung my Grandpa's flag yesterday with great emotions.  For happiness and gratefulness of where I live.  For sorrow for those who were lost or lost "something" in war.  Whether it be their life or a part of their life, they'll never get back.  I can't imagine what has been seen and is burned into your memory forever.   And for fear, if that's the right word, for my daughter in hopes she'll continue to grow up in such a wonderful country.  We went downtown today for a Memorial Day service.  We heard different hero's stories.  We celebrated life and death.  We listened to the band and covered our ears during the gun salute.  Thank you again!  God Bless America.

Happy Trails!

What a busy weekend!  We left Friday night to Palm Springs for some camping.  Saturday we headed to the living desert zoo.  It was hot and beautiful.  We saw animals we hadn't seen in our visits: Big Horn Sheep and the Cheetas!  After the zoo, Straty went golfing with some friends and Ame and I went to lunch and then back to the trailer.  We went on a long walk with the dogs, along the main street in Palm Springs.  We came back and cooled off in the pool.  Amelia loves her raft, even though she'd get frustrated she couldn't make BIG splashes in it.  She'd try to fold the sides down to get her complete arm in the pool.  After splashing around we went and picked up daddy at the course (new Bob Hope course).  We came home and bbq'd and then passed out.  Sunday we got up and walked into town for some yummy breakfast.  It was great, because the dogs joined us.  Afterwards we headed home.  Straty and I left with the family to CJ & Karen's wedding in San Diego.  What a beautiful wedding it was!  The family was sooooo happy.  We're thrilled for the both of them!  Sadly the Valet services lost dad's key to his car, so I road home with the sisters and fiances, while Straty road home in the tow truck and mom and dad got a taxi.  They all didn't get home till 2:30am.  What a weekend!