Monday's Heroes

I should have more pictures than just the Halvorson's but since they left last week, I am using this opportunity to stick a couple of pictures of my surrogate family in my blog. The top one is of Scott in his Army Dress Blues with Karyn as they get ready to go to a military ball. The other one is a family picture with Karyn taking the picture. Taylor is on the left, Ashley and then Joshua. I am also honoring them and all the other military families that I know. I am proud to be the parents and grandparents of a military family. Brandon, Heather, Bella and Evie are officially in Okinawa while Brandon is currently temporarily assigned to Afghanistan. Obviously he is in our prayers constantly as is Heather especially during this TDY. We are proud of them and how they are handling this.

I am proud to know and learn to love so many military families. It is hard to let them go. My friend Tracy Griffin - a very wonderful younger sister at Church - has watched with me as we have bid farewell to the Halvorson's, soon all of the Ward families, the Hammill's, the Downings, and so many others. We consciously know they are only here for a short time and yet we become way to attached. I also became very attached to the Jubecks, the Durham's and the George's. This was a rough year for watching families leave. I am glad to have known you.

I am also grateful to have the opportunity to serve the OCS and ODS personnel the meals on Sundays (military students). I get to know a wide variety of wonderful people this way and I am extremely impressed with the caliber of officers we are acquiring in the Navy and Marines.

This encompasses a lot of heroes but just coming off of the 4th of July - it is a heroic weekend and these people are deserving of this. Daily they make me proud to be a member of this Church and to be a citizen of the USA.