Sunday, May 25, 2014

Honoring our Military

This weekend is set aside in the USA to celebrate our military - Memorial Day - for those who lost their lives in battle to keep us free, for those who served and came home to become husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  My Dad is honored in our family for serving in the US Marines - he went in on the first wave at Iwo Jima, an island in the South Pacific, where he fought during World War II.  My husband Dayle flew a helicopter in the Vietnam war and was shot while flying, in the thigh and barely kept his leg.  Had my Dad not come home, I would not be here and had my husband not come home our three children would not be here.  Gives you pause to think, doesn't it?  We go each year to clean Dad's marker and talk to him.  I fill Dad in all how the family is doing and Dayle talks to him too.


This is what the marker looks like when we arrive.  ::sigh::



And this is what it looks like after Dayle sweeps, scrubs clean and puts a special polish on it made for bronze markers like this.  Do you visit your family graves?  Many of the ones here don't look like anyone visits them.  But all in all, this cemetery is full of flowers and people visiting their long lost loved ones.



This is the military section and each year the Boy Scouts put flags at each grave.


While Dayle cleans, I arrange flowers in the bronze vase that Dayle and I had installed.  We always bring them from the farm as I think Dad would like having them from our home.  All set for visitors.


This was a special moment for me.  After Dayle finished spiffing up Dad's marker - he felt sorry for "William" next to Dad as it looks like no one ever EVER visits him.. so Dayle cleaned and shined his marker too.  That's the kind of man I married.  Love him!



Then we met my sister Roberta and her husband Ted for lunch - and then came back with them to the cemetery.  We are the two that are in the Daughters of the American Revolution together and are extremely patriotic.


Sis snapped a photo of me and my hero.


Dayle loves cannons so we took a photo of the one they have on display in the military section.


Today Travis and Kristi and the boys are enjoying the warm weather on the deck - they've painted a birdhouse that they hammered together and now they're working on putting together something with a LOT of nuts and bolts and metal parts.  :-)


The boys are showing grandma their handiwork.  :-)  See the pile of weeds on the left?  Kristi weeded the pond garden area while we were at the cemetery.. woohoo!


Caleb just brought in his tractor that daddy and he put together to show grandma! 


See how pretty the garden is looking?  The pot on the left is one of two that we planted jasmine in and both are leafing out well.  Dayle wintered over his pots of geranium and begonias and we're both astounded at how well they are doing!


And my moss roses are coming along.  The color on this one blows me away and this is why I adore moss roses.



My yellow and white million bell petunias are growing, but I need to hang them lower so I can enjoy them.  These baskets are reallllly heavy.. I'm thinking I might need to use some rope to lower them some.



I do hope you pause today and think about those in the military who dedicate their lives to make sure you can live free and are protected.  And have a super great weekend!
((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

17 comments:

  1. What a sweet gesture for y'all to clean your daddy's marker every year and to clean the one next to him this year too. I'm sure that man was smiling down from heaven at what you did for him. I love the picture of you and Dayle! What a great picture! Your yarn is looking so lush and green and healthy. We're watching the race right now...it'll go until 10:00 or after. Cap is grilling a steak for us to share and roasting some corn on the cob. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I was growing up we'd always visit the cemetery where our relatives are buried. Last time I was there I couldn't find my brother's grave, sigh. Will try to stop next Sunday while down there for a memorial service for my aunt who died a week ago. We cleaned off dad's grave stone last time we were down. Over an hour away, one way. Always love your backyard on your farm. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for posting, Teresa. I am grateful for those who have given their lives investing in our peace, and for all those who have served or are serving in the military. I currently have a Great Nephew who is serving in Afghanistan.

    When we lived in MA, my mom said our family would gather at the cemetery where our family members are buried to honor them and tend their graves. Most of my life I have not lived near there so I have not done that, but since my husband is interred at the Willamette Cemetery, I do sometimes visit there.

    Your son's family was creative! Yea for the weed pulling, tractor building, and birdhouse painting! xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you to Dayle for his service. I don't have many graves to visit because my relatives often choose to be cremated. My husband's brother died as a teenager and I personally wish we had a grave to visit, as my children and I never knew him. I think it's wonderful that Dayle is so committed to your father's grave and honoring his memory. I remember seeing this last year too and he really is a fabulous man. I love your hair up like that, you look really cute. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Today's post nearly had me in tears. What a wonderful couple you and Dayle are. Love that picture of the two of you and gosh you and your sister are so alike. I bet everyone says that. LOL xox

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the picture of you and Dayle... You look like you lost a lot of weight and both of you look great! Thanks Daryl for your service to our country.
    Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uh oh...just deleted my comment. Loved this post!!!
      xo Kris

      Delete
  7. We remember and honour our heroes on 23d of February or 9th of May too, the Victory day in WWII. It was so good of Dayle to clean that grave too.. sad if noone is there to take care of it.

    Your family gathering looks lovely, boys enjoyed activities with parents, you can they are happy :)
    Beautiful garden, you take such good care of your plants.
    Have a nice day! Teresa Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Every year I enjoy our visits to the cemetery with Dayle. You are both so wonderful, both to be admired for all you do and for who you are.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the fact your husband cleaned the marker for the person next to your father. My dad's ashes are at the new veteran's cemetery just outside of Spokane. It is an amazing place, set in the midst of Eastern Washington farmland.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonderful . So good to remember such special people

    ReplyDelete
  11. There is nothing that bothers me and my husband more than cemeterys who take such poor care in keeping grave sites clean... especially for those grave sites of our heroes! We thank you for your father's and husband's service!

    ReplyDelete
  12. God bless you and Dayle! You are both amazing people and I am so happy and proud to call you my friends! I love the way you get so involved and always for a special purpose and honoring our heroes! Thank you for being such wonderful humanitarians, xoRobin

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love this tradition that honors your father each year! The care and love Dayle puts into caring for your dad (and other's) marker shows the depth of his character. I truly respect him for that.
    Blessings,
    Aimee

    ReplyDelete
  14. We watched the dedication to the Fallen that was on PBS last night . I worked today,but I still remembered

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wonderful that your Dad has such special people to visit him.

    ReplyDelete

I absolutely love comments and thank you so much for taking time to leave me a note. :-)