I love this land- God Bless the USA

The girls and I went and voted yesterday! 

I really wanted to bring Rachel to the voting booth with me. I wanted to show her that every voice counts in this country. I wanted to show her what her Daddy fights for. I told her how this is the land of the free and the home of the brave. I know she's only three, but I think she understood a little bit of what I told her.

A few months ago the girls and I were out garage saling when low and behold my car began to overheat. We had been out and about for quite a while and the girls where very grumpy and tired of sitting in the car. My frustration level continued to rise as I pulled into a gas station and began tending to the car. That dumb car. Why does it keep doing this to me? I told the girls we would have to wait for the car to cool down and we went inside and got some candy. Overall I was just in a bad mood. 

I got the girls back in the car and all of the sudden a older lady pulls up. She had a grandma air about her and a gentle smile. She asked if we needed help and I told her that we were fine. She then asked Rachel and Maggie if they'd like some strawberries and pulls a bunch of fresh strawberries out of her lunch bag.The girls were in heaven! As they munched on strawberries the lady and I began to talk. I told her that ever since my husband deployed to Afghanistan my car seems to hate me. She laughed and told me that that's typical! 

It sure is.

Eventually she shared with me that she too had a loved one who served in Afghanistan  Her son was killed in action nine months ago. I was speechless. I don't live on an Army post, and I just don't know many people who deal with deployment so when she told me about her son it all became very real. Not that is wasn't before- I just never felt so raw in my life. I immediately stopped whining about my car and thanked Heavenly Father that my husband wasn't only strong and healthy, but alive. I embraced her and told her how grateful I was for her son and his family. That was a hug I'll never forget. She then told me that she would pray for our little family, and I knew without a doubt that she would.

As I walked out of that voting booth today with my girls in tow, I couldn't help but get emotional. This is an amazing country. So many heroes have sacrificed their very lives for the cause of freedom. Every time I sing the national anthem I tear up and think of how blessed I am to be an American. 

God Bless the USA