How blessed we are!!!!!!!!!!!
We live very close to Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport and had the opportunity this morning to welcome HOME 117 soldiers from Iraq! Tears, chill-bumps, and great patriotism were all around. PandaGirl and I got up at 5:30am in order to meet about 60 other people from our church to go be a part of the welcoming team.
Seeing the real live people gave new meaning and "meat" to my prayers "for the troops". Now I have real faces to recall and I shook their hands. Some were older and had clearly been in the Army as a career, but the ones that just got my heart were the twenty-somethings fighting for me to live in freedom! I am thankful now more than ever for what goes on daily in Iraq. I will make a more conscious effort to "pray for the troops". They are REAL! Not that I ever doubted our soldiers were real or not, but having a hands on experience opened my eyes to stop being so self-absorbed and consumed with the insignificant worries of daily life. Thank you, God for these precious people!
The part that really got me was that there are groups that arrive EVERY morning from service and are sent off EVERY afternoon. I was told the send-off is solemn, no kids and you get to sit and talk with the soldiers. I want to do that, too. I would love to sit and pray with them before they go off and protect my butt from terrorists. The groups we welcomed this morning are only on a two-week break and then they go out again. My life seems so incredibly easy and blessed when looking at the life these soldiers live all for our blessed USA. Hope you somehow can understand my joy and appreciation for our experience this morning.
21 comments:
Thank you for going and welcoming them home for those of us who do not have the opportunity!
What an awesome opportunity to go welcome them home! I'd love to do something like that! I love to take the kids to real life lessons like that.
Tears welling up right now. What an AWESOME thing to do. And how great for Panda Girl to be a part, and get a better understanding of who these men and women are that protect our country night and day.
I'm crying right now as i'm reading this.
This made me cry just reading it! How awsome it must of been to be there in person. I would love to experience that some day, just to be able to show them that we trully appriciate them!!!
Thank you for your post and photos. So glad you got to welcome home those fighting for us. Judging by your photos, the soldiers greatly appreciate all the support shown to them.
We had the same experience in Ohio. My gd and I were getting ready to fly to Dulles/Washington and there were tons of military personnel coming home from Iraq. We stopped to watch and clap for them. I sooo appreciate everything they do for us on a daily basis!
What a wonderful way to spend your morning and such a teachable moment for Panda Girl. And so beautifully written.
What a great thing you did! I try to get the boys to tell every serviceman they see "Thank you for serving our country!" It is so important!
Absolutely awesome!! I am cheering you too for doing that!! We need to support these men and women - we have quite a few we pray for daily with our boys - they are dear friends of ours that are now serving in Iraq - so we are SO glad you did that!!
What an AWESOME opportunity! This was such a well written blog post. I love it!!!! ;)
Thank you for sharing your trip to welcome the soldiers. It was a great post!
Did you know Tommy L. Hillman was just sent to Afganistan (spelling) this month on the 1st? Please pray for him, I know Michelle is worried about her firstborn being over there.
Love ya!
Oh, Tell Funderstorm she has her blog on members only and my blog address wrong. lol!
That is so so so so so cool. I love that PG went with you -- what a memorable experience for you both!
What a great idea! I would love to be able to do that with my boys.
Would love to do this with the kids. Where can I get information on times and dates and where to go and such?
Well, the tears are flying down my face. I am so doggone proud of you and your group.
Double case...my childhood was spent also at those depots and airfields crying...(with Momma) watching the soldiers from every DIFFERENT uniform branch of service....as my brothers all went over THERE... and again when they returned; not to forget the one 'missing in action'. (or watching him reach the penticle of success in Washington DC Capitol and the Pentegon and yet....his last salute to our beautiful FLAG...PLEDGING HIS ALLEGIANCE...suffering with POST War Depression Syndome, from those war experiences. His last flag draped over his coffin...as well as my two other brothers and my Daddy.
As Mr. Greenwood so beautifully puts it "I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN'...at least I know I'm free...and won't forget the ones who DIED FOR ME....AND THE WORLD!
Pandagirl, U R blessed...and U R a Blessing! Love, Mom
Thank you for sharing this beautiful moment in your life. I feel so small sometimes when I think about what it must be like for those men and women who make the military their life so that my family can live safely.
I've got tears in my eyes! What an amazing thing you guys did!
Wow...what an awesome welcome home....blessed indeed!
I pray for these soldiers each and everyday!!That was great that you all went there to meet them and make them feel wonderful!!
What a wonderful thing to do! I would love to be there to greet the troops one day. We pray for them all daily and are grateful most of our friends have been able to return home already.
Post a Comment