Three Hundred and Sixty-Six Days

I wanted to write something in honor of Memorial day. Just a little note to acknowledge the brave men and women who make tremendous sacrifices to fight for our country and their families who endure it all. I have never lived a military life and have no true understanding of how that life really is, but this is how I imagine it to be.....

Things have really changed around here in the past year and yet they are exactly the same. Using the treasures we’ve collected over the years from around the world, it only took me a few days to turn our barren new house into our home. With a hammer and nails I attached pictures of our family to the walls, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived here for our entire lives.
As an Army wife, I learned very early on that the only good in "Good-bye" is "Hello again".
It’s been a year and a day since I have had my arms around my husband. Three hundred and sixty-six days ago I held on to him as tight as I could for as long as I could, kissed him softly and put on a brave face as I watched him walk away with the rest of the men and women in his new unit.
During our separations he trusts me to be the soldier in his place and guard the home front. He’ll never know that I cried uncontrollably for almost an hour before I could manage to get the keys into the ignition and drive back home to our four brats. Who, like me, leave a part of themselves at every stop. Through experience, we have all learned to pack a suitcase and live indefinitely from the contents inside. We pray for a world in harmony, for the flag that leads our man into battle and we also pray that that same flag will not blanket him in death on this tour or the next.
I try to live my life optimistically, remembering the good, and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday, while anticipating tomorrow. I will never be rich by monetary standards but my heart is overflowing with the wealth of love and pride I feel for my husband. He fights for my freedom and yours. My husband is An American Soldier. He protects our country from the road, on the sea, or in the sky and today your country asks you to honor him.