Thanksgiving Memorial

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Last week, I wrote a post on being Thanksgiving to others.  I didn't realize, until the next day, how poignant the post was.  Monday morning, I received an email from Sew Much Comfort's Ambassador at Landstuhl that the soldier mentioned in my post died from his injuries in Germany on Thanksgiving day.  It has taken me almost a week to be able to sit down and write this follow-up post.  I don't know how to properly give him the honor and thanks that is his due.  Nor do I have the words to express all that I want to his family and his brothers in the Army.


I don't know much about him.  I met his mother in an airport while she was on her way to Landstuhl.  She is a lovely, wonderful, warm and friendly person.  Instantly, you felt the love of mother for child.  She was kind enough to share photos of her son with me.  I carry them with me always.  They are burned on my heart - part of me forever.  He left a young wife, a young family. 


I am thankful for this soldier from Ft. Campbell, KY.  His service to the country is something that I can never repay.  He gave his life that we may live in the freedom we take for granted.  I am thankful that he was willing to serve this great nation. 


I am thankful for his family, for sharing their son with me.  They brought him up to be this tremendous human being and gave him the strength and courage to go into battle.  Thank you for standing by this young hero and being his source of strength. 


I am thankful for his military family.  Thankful for the military being willing to send the family to Germany to be with this soldier.  Thankful to the military for being willing to send the soldier to a German hospital that gave him the greatest chance of surviving his injuries.  Thankful for the military sending a military member on orders to be with the family.  Thankful to all of those who came to give the family support.  Thankful for the ICU staff at Landstuhl who were shocked and devastated at the news of his death.  Thank you for your compassionate concern for this young life, your loving care of each service member and your tireless efforts on behalf of so many.


I am at Ft. Bragg for SpouseBUZZ Live today.  I had the honor and privilege of being on the post yesterday.  It is humbling to sit and be among so many who have willingly done so much.  The hotel, the first night, was filled with young soldiers who had just returned from Iraq.  They were larger than life to me.  I thank them for their service.  Even being part of the military family, I find myself always in awe of those who serve.  Their selfless gift of themselves astounds me.  I am so proud to be part of people who, day after day, give themselves in service to others and a cause bigger than themselves.


We all have so much to be thankful for from the military.  The civilian world so often forgets this in their day to day life.  The reality of a military life is not theirs to bear.  But we are reminded of the sacrifices in our lives as military spouses.  So much so that I think we can become complacent to it.  It become just who we are and we forget to see it as the gift that it is for this country. 


So, I thank each of you for all you do - for the lives you have chosen to lead, for the struggles you go through daily, for the courage and strength you give to your warriors.  I thank the family of this young hero from Ft. Campbell, for sharing their son/husband/brother/friend with me.  I thank Jonathon for serving and for his sacrifice for our country. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I will strive to have been worthy of this sacrifice.  I will strive to be someone that others are thankful for and to honor his sacrifice in that way.


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