Mommy Musings

IT IS THE SOLDIER It is the Soldier, not the minister Who has given us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer Who has given us freedom to protest. It is the Soldier, not the lawyer Who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician Who has given us the right to vote. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protester to burn the flag.  by Charles M. Province Today....every day...we are honored and blessed that brave men and women still stand up and volunteer to keep us safe and free.  Thank you will never be enough.

Today’s post is sponsored by Great Clips , by my love for their veterans campaign is all my own! At twenty-one, I said goodbye to my brand-new fiance as he headed off to war. As a Marine, he had volunteered to join the military and deploy, away from America, his family and friends, and the comforts we all take for granted, to keep the rest of us safe.  For me, that is the definition of selflessness. All of our veterans answer the call willingly, putting aside their safety, to make sure we all remain free.  It is an honor we can never fully repay. Besides my husband, I personally know several other veterans who have deployed.  And every Veteran's Day, I try to spoil them as best as possible.  I send cards, thanking them for their service.  I've had my kids make pictures and notes, telling them of the sacrificing these brave men and women have made for us.  We take my husband out to dinner to celebrate the fact that he has home with us, and thank him for his ...

Thank you to Pete Scobell for sponsoring today's post.... If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know my personal connection, and love for our men and women in the armed forces.  And I am always thinking of ways to support them. Today I am asking for a minute to introduce you to an amazing American hero.  Pete Scobell .  He selflessly served our country as a Navy Seal for 17.  After suffering a traumatic brain injury overseas, he turned back to his love of music to help him heal. His album, Walkin A Wire, comes out today.  He has collaborated with music royalty Wynonna Judd and Cactus Moser.  One of the songs, "Hearts I Leave Behind, " was written at the request of Taya Kyle, widow to American Sniper Chris Kyle.  You all know the love and respect I hold for the both of them.  It is a song he released earlier this year and went on to reach #1 on the iTunes Country Singles Chart.  All proceeds from the song were donated to the...

Emmy has been in the Daisy's all year.  It's a new experience for me, because I never was a Girl Scout or anything when I was younger.  It's been a learning experience for sure.  But we were all very excited when we learned Emmy would be walking in the local Memorial Day parade. It took some figuring out because Skip was supposed to ride with the VFW, but my ankle is still so bad I didn't think I could make it for the whole parade. In the end, he walked with Emmy, and Charlie and I set ourselves up along the route to watch. It was so great to see Emmy marching along with her friends.  And Charlie really enjoyed the whole experience as well.  We had a wonderful morning as a family, though it was not lost on me how different this day would look if Skip hadn't come home to us. I noticed something as well this weekend.  There is a lot of misinformation about Memorial Day.  I'd like to quickly clear some of that up.  - Memorial Day is a day to honor th...

Last night was a special night that I'll hold dear to me forever.  I had the opportunity to attend a speaking event with Taya Kyle....widow of American Sniper Chris Kyle.  To say I was excited was a complete understatement.  Taya has given a voice to military wives, in a way that was never done before.  Her story is all of our story.  I wanted to stand up in the middle of American Sniper and yell, "Yes!  Thank you. I have said those exact things.  Finally I'm not alone." I loved her additions to American Sniper, and I was looking forward to reading an entire book of her own words. I got there as soon as the doors opened and was lucky enough to get a front row seat.  I read about a third of the book while I waited, in awe of the grace and strength she showed throughout the book.  At 7:00 she came in, and with tears in her eyes, graciously received the standing ovation we gave her.  The co-author of the book, Jim DeFelice was there as well...

Thank you to Direct Energy for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to help out the military veterans in my community. If you've been around this blog for any length of time, you know I'm a huge supporter of our military.  My husband is a Marine Corps veteran, and my cousin and several friends went to West Point before serving in the Army.  I've known guys in the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard as well.  I swear I know more people in the military than the average person. Because I am so close to them all, I know all their stories.  We live, and have lived for the past fourteen years, in a time of war.  Our men and women in uniform have deployed over and over again , serving their country and keeping us safe.  They live in trailers, tents, and sometimes just outside.  Sand covers every square inch of their gear.  They're lucky if they get a warm shower or a hot meal. They have had to do and see unspeakable things...things that would make it h...

Ten years.  2015 is a big "anniversary" year for us.  A decade ago, we had got to experience some of the most wonderful moments of my life.  But none was more important that February 26, 2005, the day Skip came home from Iraq. Nothing that came after would have been possible without that day, and I never once take it for granted.  After months and months apart, Skip was finally back in my arms, safe and sound.  There is nothing, nothing  better than a homecoming. Sorry for the picture quality of some of these...I screenshot some of them off the homecoming video we have! Happy ten years home Skip.  Today, and every day, I thank God you were able to come home to me.

I have been known to share my feelings on movies before.. ie The Hurt Locker .  It's no surprise that I have seen just about every single military movie and documentary that has come out recently.  But none, none  has stuck with me the way American Sniper  has. I have known the story of Chris Kyle for years, way before he died.  Skip knew of him by reputation and articles in the Marine Corps Times.  Almost two years ago, we mourned the loss when we heard of his death.  Our country had lost a true, American hero. I knew the story would resonate with me for a few reasons.  Chris Kyle served in Iraq at the same time Skip did, both of them close together.  The Iranian sniper they talk about in the movie, had killed someone at Skip's base just before he got there.  And sadly, we have personal experience with a friend surviving the war, only to die shortly after coming home.  When things like that happen, you can never, ever understand th...

I could not let this day go by without a huge THANK YOU to all our veterans. I am so blessed to not only be married to one, but also have several other family members and friends who served. Thank you for all that you do and have done. Thank you for sacrificing your time and comfort so that we may be free. I felt so blessed to be able to take my daughter to school today, a privilege not given to many.  And it is all thanks to all of you.  So thank you all from the bottom of my heart. And a very special thank you to my man Skip.  The girls and I are very excited to celebrate you today and take you out for your free dinner tonight! So if you know, or see a veteran, make sure to give him or her a big hug and say thank you....it's the absolute least we can do.