Looking Back - and Ahead.

It's been a little over 3 years since I sat down at my computer and began this blog. It's been a journey of ups and downs, but all of the twists and turns, and each one of the steps along the path have been blessed by God. Stephen has returned from the sand, Laurie is in the top third of her class, and we have had a wonderful 10 month adventure with a little boy named Kasey.

Being a Two Star Mom is very important to me. But we have Scott back home in Buffalo, and his little 5 year old daughter - our granddaughter Veronica. We affectionately call her Binker - although I have no idea how our family came up with that nickname. And then there is Luke - our 12 year old grandson - our former daughter in law's son by her first husband and whose picture will be added to the ones above when we have a new one of him. Seven years ago when Scott and Tina married he became our grandson (actually we loved him from the moment we met him)- and he always will be. Divorce changes things, but not our love for the children involved in our lives. Things haven't been easy for Scott recently, but are looking up now and it's really going to be nice to spend some time with him as he makes his own plans and to let him know that we believe in him just as we believe in what Laurie and Stephen do.

In my very first post in July of 2006, I said, 'It’s not just about the soldiers, but about the soldier’s sibling - your son, and the things going on in his life.'
True to that statement, next week we will leave this beautiful state and travel back to Buffalo to see Scott, and Veronica, and Luke. We have been blessed by God's grace and He has given us good health and modest means - enough to travel where we like across this great country and still be able to travel back "home" (far apart but two states are home to us now) to see our children and grandchildren as often as we like. When parents have two children (actually, three counting Stephen), they want to be involved in all of their lives. And yet, we know when to bow out for awhile. Stephen and Kasey are fine here - a happy little boy who adores his daddy...and a daddy who is content in all of that, and proud of his wife who is working so hard to achieve a goal not easily reached. I am not looking forward to leaving our boys for 3 months, but we are getting excited at the thought of seeing Scott and the kids. Once a mom and grandma, always a mom and grandma. It will be good to see our friends, to sit in my favorite pew at church with my good friend Betty, to worship with my Christian family, and listen to our Pastor's awesome sermons. Not to mention that to travel with Ron is always a unique experience in itself - we do love our road trips. I am so thankful for his sense of humor. We are both working on patience. :)

Lily has finally become a contented doggie. She knows this is home, I think. Of course she will be wondering what gives next week when we take our "show" on the road again. Sometimes we look at her and you can almost see it in her eyes or read it in the way she cocks her ears...."why did you people leave a perfectly good house with a deck with warm sunbeams shining on it (perfect for naps), and lots of room to play?" Other times I think if she could talk she would just say, "are you kidding me???" She hears me say that all the time. :)

And tomorrow is my last session with my physical therapist - my physical therapist's husband just left for his deployment. She is kind of young, but not a stranger to deployment as this is the third time they have experienced it.

About 18 months ago, when we knew Stephen's deployment was imminent, we were visiting Laurie and Stephen and Kasey when they were on temporary duty away from here. As always, they made the best of it.

One day while we were there, Laurie had to go over on post to the PX and I wandered into one of the little boutiques outside the main PX and came across some military pins. One in particular caught my eye - it was a typical yellow ribbon pin, but with a charm of the Army star attached. I bought it and wore it nearly every single day when Stephen was deployed. It didn't matter if I was dressed up, or dressed down. The pin went on and I wore it over my heart, along with my two star pin. It now lies on the table here next to me and I figure I have a few good choices as to what to do with the pin: I could put it in my keepsake box as a momento of this time in our lives when God blessed us so by bringing Stephen home safely. Perhaps I could continue wearing it in support of our still deployed troops.

Or I could give it to my physical therapist - to let her know that she isn't alone, and that this mom of two soldiers cares about her soldier and appreciates his sacrifices and hers as well. And that is what I will do tomorrow. I can leave a bit of who I am behind me. I will probably never see this young woman again, but I will think of her often, and her husband too.

And so, as life does, we move forward - never forgetting to look back at the blessings and to be thankful for the present.

God is so good.

May He bless you.