Independence Day

While I have always appreciated the men and women who serve in the Military...over the past few years I have what I would call first hand knowledge of what these amazing people and their families really sacrifice for the rest of us.

Our friends, Tom & Lisa, live in Havelock, NC. This is located between New Bern and Moorehead City right near Cherry Point Military Base. Tom and Lisa do not serve in the Military but Lisa works for the Marine Federal Credit Union and because of that and based on the area they live in most of their friends and neighbors are either active or retired military.

Our family has been blessed to meet many of these families on our trips to the East Coast. Here is what a lot of us forget:

Military families are in one place for only about 3 years before they get "re-stationed" - Can you imagine starting over every three years - especially if you have school age children.

Military parents miss things that most parents take for granted. We know parents that have missed:

The birth of their child
Their child's first steps
Graduations
Birthday's
Christmas
Weddings
Funerals
And the list goes on...

On the flip side of that is the spouse who is here in the States taking care of the family, house, etc... all while worrying about the safety of their husband/wife. So you see it is not just an individuals sacrifice...it is the entire family making the sacrifice for our freedom.

This is without talking about how they put themselves in harms way when they are called up to active duty and the things they see while overseas.

I hope our kids are processing this as we continue to meet these amazing people. Joe and I have made it a habit to thank them when we see them at Tom and Lisa's - because without them and the sacrifices they and their family are willing to make we may not enjoy all the freedoms we take for granted.

Thank you too all the families serving or supporting our military...may God keep you safe.