I want to preserve the past. It’s not because it’ll be drifting away and forgotten, it’s because these people need remembrance. The July 4thcelebrations will soon be underway. We also have men and women fighting for our country, today. Whether or not you believe in what the US is doing overseas, is irrelevant. These soldiers sing our praise everyday.

Both of my boys were in the military and so was one of my grandsons. My oldest was in the army for four years and stationed in Germany for two and then California. I was grateful for his return to the U.S. Bosnia was the problem at the time of his service and I prayed constantly so that he didn’t have to go there. I did visit him over Christmas in Germany. He was in the field so long and so often that his new wife couldn’t take the separation and they soon divorced. He wanted me to come for the holiday so he wouldn’t be alone. We had steak for Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, I catered to four lonely soldiers as they ate a stuffed turkey and talked about home and mom. I also went to a bar with him, and his friends came by and told me stories of home, mom and family. It was an honor that I’ll never forget.

My youngest son was in the national guards so fortunately, he wasn’t stationed further away. I did miss him terribly when he went for basic training. He also had a young wife and soon after, a baby. She couldn’t handle all of his weekend training and being gone two weeks out of the summer so they divorced.

My grandpa Carl Lindquist fought in WWI over in France as well as his brother Albert. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of my grandpa in uniform but do of my uncle Al.  I’m very proud of each of these men who fought for our country. They came home to a victorious country, not like the Vietnam vets.

                                                          My uncle Al Lindquist

I had had a fiancé when I was still in high school who joined the marines and went to serve our country in Vietnam. Upon his return, he was a different person all together and our engagement was canceled. I never understood the reason behind the breakup until many years later when I happened to run into his sister. Agent Orange had taken hold of his body and mind as well as PTSD. He was never the same. He married twice but both ended in divorce. He was afraid of having children because of the repercussions from Agent Orange, and he was right about that. His wife’s first pregnancy ended in a disaster because of the chemicals from his body. Fortunately, he later had two healthy children.

                                 
My grandpa Carl Lindquist

All of our warriors deserve our love, respect, and gratitude. 
God Bless All of Our Soldiers!

Barb
                                  



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