Memorial Day

My Chloe bug and me at the Encampment Mall

Julie LOVES Chloe and wants so badly to be her Mommy :)

Grandma Bonnie and Chloe

Grandpa Larry telling about all of our amazing ancestors

Ronnie at the grave of Israel Ivins and family (some of his ancestors)

My ancestors, William Mangum and Sarah Delight Potter, that helped settle the cotton mission

This little gravestone about had me in tears. On the front it says "Our Babies" and on the remaining three sides it had the name of each baby and how long they lived: the first I saw said "died in a few minutes", the next "lived only an hour" and the last had a birth and death date that were only a few days apart. I mourned so much in my heart for those parents who had to endure that in this life, but rejoiced that they can be together in the life after this. Graveyards are always so special to me-I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to reading the headstones because they show you a small snippit into the lives of those buried there, which can be devastatingly sad or wonderfully happy; a husband and wife, buried side by side who died within a few short years of each other, after a long marriage or in contrast, the infant headstone that I wrote about.

Memorial Day was a lot more emotional for me this year as I enjoyed the rich blessings of family in my life and mourned for the lives that could have been-whether lost in infancy, on the battle grounds for our country or by some other means. Knowing that I enjoy these gifts, while others never reached that part of their lives hurts, even though I truly know that they "went to a better place". We attended the Heritage Choir Memorial Day concert and I was in tears almost the entire time in gratitude and awe of the inspiring people that have served our country. I imagined their lives and the things they had to leave behind (and those that presently do) in order to protect our families and our freedom-something they felt was worth sacrificing their lives for.

Thank you to all Veterans and to those that presently serve our country. Words can not express the gratitude that I feel for you and for your families.

We had an awesome day off and enjoyed bbqs with both of our families :)