Remember

Memorial Day was always a fun time for me growing up.

 We would drive over the river and through the woods to my Grandmothers house.  We picked fresh peonies and snowballs and took them to the Elysian Gardens Cemetery where our ancestors were laid to rest.
We would lay our flowers and run through the graves and play with siblings as Grandma told stories of the dear relations who had passed on.
Stories of faith, of struggle, and most importantly love.
Grandma always had something good to say about everyone.
We knew that when Grandpa died he would get a special flag on his grave site because of his service in World War II.

 It wasn't until I got older that I learned that Memorial Day was a special time for remembering the men and women who have died in war.

Today was my first day visiting a military cemetery after discharging from the army.

It was beautiful to walk the rows, see the flags waving and read the headstones.

Everything about it is so uniform, so perfect, so honoring.

Memorial Day tends to be a hard day for me emotionally.

The whys and what ifs enter my mind,

But today I want to honor the memory.

No more tears (I HOPE)

Just remembering and honoring.

I can be angry another day. 

After I got back from Iraq I was tasked with playing the bugle at military funerals.

For several months I traveled all across Texas to participate in the ceremony with the flag, rifles and my favorite TAPS.

And I would think to myself....

Why do they make the tender-hearted one go to all of these funerals.

It was hard,

but it was also an honor.

 Today as I was getting ready to leave I noticed a mother with her two young girls walking passed.

 I overheard the mother say, "Come on girls, let's go see Daddy!"

It was so tender to think of them coming to visit their Daddy.

I'm so glad that I have two little ones who would come to visit if it were me.

Love to all.

Condolences to all who have lost.

And a prayer for peace, hope, and healing in the many hard days to come.

I love you!

I could really go for some TAPS right now.

I love the music,

It is filled with emotion and so many memories.