The True Meaning of Memorial Day

I recently asked my young child if they knew the meaning behind Memorial Day. They answered that Memorial Day was about school being out, barbeques, pool parties and the constantly advertised sales at the superstores.  I could not blame them for answering my question that way because unfortunately our politically correct society has taken away the true meaning of Memorial Day.  Even I when explaining to my child what Memorial Day is about found myself soften the true meaning of Memorial Day so I would not scare them since we have tried not to explain what death is in complete detail to them yet. My child though understands more than we give them credit for and while I was explaining that Memorial Day is a day to remember all of the men and women who have died in a fight for our freedom they answered that the men and women who died “died for the right reasons but other people really hurt them.”  We recently took our child to a World War Two memorial and I was so impressed by my preschooler wanting to know all of the meanings behind all of the exhibits some of which were very brutal depictions of death at the beaches in Normandy. My child loves history which thrills me to no end because my Bachelors Degree is in history.  I have a goal of teaching my child the true history instead of the sterilized politically correct history that teachers are now forced to teach.

What I find though on this Memorial Day my child is not alone. Adults also do not understand the meaning of Memorial Day.  The men and women that fought and died for us have been forgotten and replaced by the neighborhood barbeque. Our country is amazing and we have all of the freedoms that we all take for granted because of the soldiers who gave their lives for those freedoms.  In our young nation’s history some of those men and women chose to fight, others were drafted but their sacrifice was all the same. We as a nation often forget that we are still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan and no matter what your political views on the wars we need to remember that every day men and women are dying and are injured fighting in those wars.  Families lose husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and sons and daughters to keep us safe. 

So today on Memorial Day when you are going to the pool, firing up the barbeque or saving money at the local superstore remember at the very moment you are enjoying the freedom to do so someone died so you could have that freedom.

Go Fish - The Mom Song- A Gift For My Daily Mommy News Friends!-So True!

Cutting state budgets but also cutting our children's future!

I found something out today when I took my child to the library.  With all of the budget cuts in every state recently very few people know that many state librarians who are also teaching our children are also losing their jobs.  My family has been going to the local branch of the library since my child was an infant and has attended the weekly story time since my child could walk.  My child even had a birthday party there and celebrated with all of the librarians. We look forward to going to the library weekly and have made going to the library not only for the books but for the wonderful librarians a part of our weekly routine.  Now my child is ready to start school and will need the library to assist them while they learn to read and get books to assist my child in their education. I was shocked and saddened when I learned from sources at the library that at least 3 senior librarians who have watched my child grow up will be losing their jobs at the end of June due to state budget cuts. I literally cried when I heard that these librarians who have not only helped my family but hundreds of other families will lose their jobs due to the new state budget.  I assume that not only our local branch but also other branches of the libraries will also be losing beloved librarians.  These librarians have the gift of educating not only our children but also adults.  I am literally frightened and in tears when my child is living in a world where the teachers in the school my child is about to start in the fall are losing their jobs due to budget cuts and now the librarians who educate our children are losing their jobs. I understand that budget cuts are necessary but we are not only cutting the state budget short-we are cutting short the future of our children!

What do you want for Mother’s Day?

What do you want for Mother’s Day?  That is a question that my husband asked me last weekend. He followed up that one with the dilemma that he claims he is faced with because my 40^th birthday is in a few weeks so that was a lot for him to come up with ideas for both Mother’s Day and my birthday!  As I tried to hold back the sympathy tears that I had to stifle back for him I said “honey how are you going to handle all of the pressure of shopping for one person!!!!” I say this as the person as all of you moms out there are who are the multi birthday, anniversary and Christmas planner for all of your families and extended families. 

As Mother’s Day quickly approaches (it is 5 days away for all of you dads) I find myself doing my usual making my husband a list, telling him which stores he can go find the items at and getting the coupons ready for him.  First let me clarify my husband is very thoughtful and generous and has gotten me wonderful gifts through the years.  Tomorrow is our ten year anniversary of the day we met and I think back about how when we first met my husband would pick me a flower out of his garden and give it to me to brighten my day. That gesture did not cost a penny but meant millions to me.  Over the years my husband has surprised me with beautiful bouquets of flowers but to be honest they paled in comparison to the flowers from his garden because of the beauty of what he did.

Now as I am sure you can all relate to life has happened. What I mean by that is time-lack of it due to work and family responsibilities has taken away the time necessary to stop and pick a flower.  We actually have flowers in our yard at home which are roses that my husband got me several Mother’s Days ago but unfortunately the rose bushes have died due to lack of time to care for them.  I wish that time could be a present that could come in a box for Mother’s Day.  As I hear all of the commercials for jewelry, flowers and miscellaneous gifts intended for Mother’s Day I find myself wanting to say but not knowing how to put into words those items are not what moms really want for Mother’s Day. I know what I want for Mother’s Day can not be ordered from Proflowers, Kohls or Kay’s Jewelers. As a mom we take care of our children and husbands 365 days a year. One day a year is set aside as a means of thanking moms for the 365 days with a monetary gift or gesture and then the next day life returns to normal.  I could give my husband a list of what I would like this year along with store locations and coupons and I could also call the restaurant that I would love to go to for brunch and make a reservation but today I have decided that I do not want to do that.  I want one day out of 365 that I do not have to plan.  I am the one who plans the holidays for all of our family members and I want one day for someone to plan everything for me. Can planning fit in a box? I do not know. I want to be surprised this year and what would mean more to me than anything is a gift that was planned for me. As I think back 10 years ago I never asked for the flowers my husband picked for me out of his yard and life has changed and now I as all mothers do every year provide my husband with a list.  I have talked to so many of my friends who have gotten their own Mother’s Day presents and told their husbands what their husbands have gotten them.  I do not want that for myself.  I want to be surprised. This is my year of not providing lists for gifts for myself. Everyday of a mother’s life is a to do list. I know my husband will think of something wonderful for Mother’s Day but I want him to think of it this year ;]