Friday, December 26, 2014

~The Gift~

What a year brings....


I think back to this last year....all before our littlest was turning  1....3 more daughters moved out...The loss of some dear Loved family 
friends ,gone before their time or just walked away {I wonder if they know how much they are missed }....reconnecting with my baby sister after 25 plus years... and two daughters joined the military.... yes....it has been a year...a year of change.  


This Christmas it wasn't about the wrapped gifts under the tree...the 
festive decorations...the stockings filled with trinkets & treats...The grand meal on the table....

This year ...the big gift was TIME .

 The time to be together as a family... 

Time...it is a fleeting thing...

There are no guarantees...
There are no do overs....
We get one shot/one chance.

We live a different life then we did a year ago....
What may have seemed important then ,no longer holds the same feel...the same value ...

Case in point....
We wait by the phone
We hold our breath
We write letters to our soldiers...send care packages
We love other peoples soldiers  
We make friends with other soldiers parents
We wear their Dog tags
We listen to the news more carefully    
We pray HARDER
We hold our faith TIGHTER
We hold our children tighter still!!
and all the while continue to raise the children that are still home...have an open ear when needed .

The day is fast approaching when we again make the drive to the airport and say good bye to our soldiers home on leave and go back to our new norm .....

And in all truth and honesty ...I will miss seeing them popping their heads in the fridge/pantry ....pouring a cup of coffee....laying on my bed before I put the baby down for the night and watching a cartoon  with him...

and yes , I will miss seeing this....

....I'm going to miss this....and the shoe will feel a bit more empty
and quiet.


                                                 ~I am a  Army Mum~
                                                   ~Strong & Proud~
                                                           ¨*•♪♫•*Little Old Lady¨*•♪♫•*