~I REMEMBER...~

Every day I remember. 
I remember his leaving, waiting for each letter, watching the nightly news with fear in my heart.  I remember being afraid when the phone rang..
I remember when the General's car pulled up in front of our house with the flags on the fenders....they caught up with me half a block away and told me it was alright....it wasn't my husand.  He was alright.
I remember how kind the postman was when there was no letter.  The cookies I sent, the harmonica and the guitar and the hundreds of letters I wrote. 
But it was the nightly news...watching the helicopters land and the bloody wounded rushed to them...
The names Vietnam and  Da Nang will alway strike fear in me.
I remember.....

I remember when our fourth child was born and they sent Pat the news aboard the ship and later the  San Diego Tribune sent our photo to him with the caption beneath "Daddy hasn't seen him."  I have that Newpaper clipping.  Danny was walking by the time Pat held his son for the first time.
When we met the ship in San Diego Pat tried to gather all of us in his arms at once..

And I remember when he came home each time...the joy and the relief. 

The freedom we enjoy comes at a price.  A very high price..
That's all I wanted to say...but mostly..
Thank you.  Thank you to our young men and women who serve.  We care...
******

Thank you, Patrick for leaving me with seven beautiful children. 
I miss you.  I always will
I remember.
Love,
Mona