Home of the free, because of the brave

I have always been a very patriotic person (I'll admit I tear up when I hear the National Anthem or God Bless the USA) but to be quite honest until this year I never gave much thought to Memorial day. I always looked at the holiday as the start of summer, a day for friends and grilling hot-dogs and three-day weekends. My dad and I rode in Rolling Thunder one year - a motorcycle rally where hundreds of thousands of motorcycles ride to DC on Memorial Day as a tribute to those who have served. It's an amazing sight, they close the highway down and people are on the sides of the roads and overpasses waving flags- I remember there being motorcycles as far as I could see in front of me and behind me and it sounds like a massive thunderstorm. (Clips here and here kind of give you a feel for what it's like) It is one of my favorite memories with my dad and I felt so honored that we participated in that together. Although that is one of my fondest memories - this Memorial Day is different for me, for two reasons:

(1) This past September my good friend Jordan was killed in action while serving with the Marines. We grew up together and his death shocked me to the core. I still think about him often - he was a super funny guy who could quote Forrest Gump like none other, impersonate Elvis and was so musical it would knock your socks off. He was an unbelievable guy with a super sweet wife and an incredible extended family and it's sad to think that he didn't come home as planned with his fellow Marines. I take comfort in the fact that he died while doing something he loved. For some the military is just a job, for others it is a way of life, for Jordan it wasn't the former but the latter and he was proud to serve his country.


(2) I married a man who is a member of the US Army and now everyday I think about the armed forces in a way that I never did before. I never realized the sacrifice, hard work and dedication the those in the military and those that married into the military force. It's one of those things that I always knew but never really fully understood until I faced it myself. Moving 4,000 miles and an ocean away from those we love is just one of those sacrifices, though it is nothing compared to the sacrifice that others make.

This Memorial Day, in addition to enjoying your weekend, I ask that you take a minute to remember those who have fought and died for our freedoms.

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and on a lighter note, don't forget to support Kitties for Camo:

Whatever you get into this weekend, be safe and have fun!
Happy Memorial Day Weekend, friends!