Memorial Day ~ 2009

I've had the privilege of living with and around many of our country's heroes for the last 20 years. Thank you to all those who do and have served. Mari had this on her blog portraying the reason we celebrate the day (she got it from Mike), and I liked it so much I copied it to put here:

"Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action. Remember freedom is not free, someone paid for it with their lives. If you can read this, Thank a Teacher. Since you have the freedom to read this, Thank a Veteran."

This picture was taken of Hubby and me with my grandpa in June, 2003 at my grandpa's WWII 250th Field Artillery BN reunion.

Oddly enough, this picture was taken exactly 66 years ago today in 1943. It is my grandpa and his younger brother Claude with their mother.

This is my grandpa and grandma, sometime after their wedding but prior to him going over to the war.

This is my grandpa when he 'ran into' his brother-in-law Bill, my grandma's younger brother. They were in Obermoos, Austria.

" Remember only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you...Jesus Christ and the American soldier.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom."