Memorial Day

One of our goals this year was to focus on the meaning of Memorial Day. We want our kids to know why Daddy gets off of work on the last Monday of May. Bard and I spent our very first Memorial Day together in Washington, D.C. just a couple of weeks after we met each other. We visited Arlington Cemetery, the best place, in our opinion to spend Memorial Day. I never tire of watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. Of course, we weren't dating then, Bard was just looking for a guide around town ;) A year later, we went again, this time just a few weeks after we had started dating and just a day before Bard was leaving to move back to Reno :( Matthew and Keller joined us that day, a memorable one for them, I'm sure, since they spent much of it together enjoying the sites, while Bard and I sat under trees and talked ;) We spent several more years at Arlington, both before and after we were married and even got see President Bush up close. One year, our chaperons, Luke and Travis, got their picture taken with presidential candidate, Bob Dole. How I wish I had a scanner, so you could enjoy that picture ;)

This year, with four little ones, we chose instead to head to Annapolis for a small town parade. On the way we stopped at a Veteran's Cemetery so our children could see the small white monuments marking the soldiers who have given all. It was going to be a hot and steamy day, but we found a nice shaded spot and the breeze kept us quite comfortable.

Pre-parade ... can you tell the kids really didn't want to post for this picture. They kept stealing sideways glances to see if the parade was starting. They're still pretty cute, aren't they?

Just so you know that Emerson doesn't always look half kooky ... here he is in all his cuteness!


Sweet Kate
Mathis ... so big

I couldn't get a picture of Jackson because he was too busy waving wildly at every car that passed by :)
We heard the drums and the kids were craning to see the action.


Emerson was trying to stretch out as far as he could to see what was coming, but with a tight grip on Dad's shirt :)


At last, the city policemen carrying the colors


Real American heroes ...





The fire engines are always a favorite ... but so loud. See all the covered ears :)


While we were waiting for the parade to start, an older man arrived with a large flag, neatly rolled up around its pole. He caught my attention because he was alone. When the parade started he unrolled his flag and held it high.

Near the end of the parade, one of the parade participants called out, "Isn't that flag heavy?" He responded, "It's for my brother."

That's why we celebrate on this day. We celebrate the brave soldiers who have fought and who have died preserving for us this great nation and priceless freedom! Cookouts are great, and we had one ourselves, but let's not forget to remember.

*****
On a side note, I had planned to post this on Monday night, but really wasn't feeling well. The next day my symptoms worsened. Bard and I put our brilliant heads together and figured out I had Lyme disease. Lucky me!! I started on antibiotics that night and a couple of really uncomfortable days later, I was feeling more like myself. Oh ,those nasty ticks! While I'm feeling great today, I still feel uncertain that this disease is under control. I've got some more research to do and hopefully not to many more pictures of ticks to look at :)