I hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day Holiday !

This weekend marks the beginning of summer fun, with BBQ's, camping, and many outdoor activities, and I wish everyone a safe & happy holiday weekend, but please remember what Memorial Day Holiday truly means....

It is a day to mourn, a day to remember our fallen soldiers, our veterans of war, those who fought for our freedom, so that we are able to have that picnic, so we can go camping, so that we may have our freedom to do whatever we want to do! Here is a bit of History on how we come to know and celebrate Memorial Day:

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.

This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Miss.; Macon, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Boalsburg, Pa.; and Carbondale, Ill.

In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)

Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

Here is a video I hope you watch, it was created by a disabled veteran in Honor of his fallen commrades:

So, Please take a moment to remember them all, and give thanks to God above for allowing us to live here in the U.S.A...... for we are truly blessed!....God Bless the U.S.A. !!!

This video will touch your very soul.... A must see...

Please take a moment to please watch it, then take a moment to pray for ALL soldiers who fight for their country, all over the world, for this is their Memorial too!

I wish everyone one an awsome Memorial Day!!

much love & blessings!!!

Dee

Tomorrow is my hubby's surgery, so I will be there all day and night. I wil try to be here Tuesday at some point. I do know he has to stay the night there, due to the added torn muscle that needs to be repaired in his shoulder as well as the rotator cuff thingy. We have been busy yesterday and today preparing, buying stuff he needs to take with him, (whities/all cotton, etc.) Sweats, and easy on shirts for him to be able to get off and on for the next 2 months. We also took a day trip to our mountains yesterday. We both needed that! It was sooooo beautiful, but Very Cold! Brrrrrr.....

I took quite a few shots of the water and ice formations. I will post them when I have the chance. (yea, when ever that will be) Never enough time in the day anymore, with working full time now, that seems that is all I have time for now days. I wish I could go back to part time again, especially with Wolfie off for a bit, recouperating. Financially, we are set, no worries there, but we are trying to save extra for our retirement, so we can travel across the U.S. I am really looking forward to that! I only hope we are well and able by the time retirement comes! LOL! I know I am going to "retire" when Wolfie does, even though I wont be of age then, I have worked since I was 16years old, after school, in between babies, and while I was in college, through it all, like most folks I know, and I am tired! I want to pursue my photography and digital art again, pick up where I left off a couple of years ago. (Wolfie let me quit my job and stay home for a year to get my photography sales up n running) I still sell online, and I get quite a few orders, but nothing major where I cannot fill the orders on the weekends. Sigh!

Oh well, enough of my "whining", I will "trudge" on until I can do what I love. lol sorry folks...I guess I am a little worried about Wolfie's surgery, after all, it is going to take time for him to recover and get things back to normal around here. He will be able to go back to work in a week or two, but only because he is the boss of his company. He wont be able to type though, well left handed, he can, but he will mostly delegate and go to meetings and such, perhaps talk to clients over the phone, etc. The driving will be left handed too, so I hope he can drive the truck, if not he will have to take my little car...what a site that will be...Wolfie is 6'4" LOL!....well thats it for now folks. I will let everyone know how the Wolf made out as soon as I can.

On a quick note: Today I celebrate 20 days of being smoke free!...Yahooo!!!!! I still have a period or two in the day where something "triggers" the mind game of "NEEDING" a cigarette, but I will not give in!.....I have come too darn far!....Next on the agenda is excercise!...I have slacked in the treadmill department, but I need to make the time!...anyway...Until next time!!!!! Muahzzzzzz!!!

I hope all is well with everyone, much love & blessings!

Dee

For my Wolfie!