The other morning there was a terrible accident on the highway not too far from our house. The first thing I wondered: Did we know the people involved? Hearing the news helicopters hovering overhead in the early morning hours, led me to continually watch the news. One southbound vehicle crossed over the highway and careened into two northbound vehicles. It was reported later that the driver was avoiding a deer. Unfortunately she--the driver, and one of her daughters died in that accident. She also had her other two girls in the vehicle. One daughter sustained many injuries, and the other only had burns from the seat belt. The drivers of the other two vehicles had injuries, but none life threatening.
Come to find out, the family was a neighbor of my massage therapist. I ran into her at the movie theater yesterday. I inquired how things were going, and the news broke my heart. The girls will now go live with their dad--the parents had been divorced. There is at least that much good news in this tragedy, in that they won't have to go to foster care. She proceeded to tell me about the injuries the little girl received. Multiple injuries, that also requires reconstruction to her face. It dawned on me, you rarely hear the aftermath of these horrific accidents on the news. How drastically the lives are changed, the months, or even years of rehab. The countless surgeries accident victims face. Plus I can't imagine the internal scars these two young girls will carry with them over the course of their life.
I pray these girls will recover, and be able to live long, happy lives. We've only had a glimpse into their lives, and may never know how things turn out for them.
When life hands you lemons... Picture by CW
Friday, November 11, 2011
Veteran's Day
This is a thanks to the many veteran's in our family: My father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother, 2 brothers-in-law, and my husband.
Growing up in a military family gives you a different perspective on the world. We were privileged to travel to distant lands, experience a lifestyle that people only dream of (with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in foreign cultures), etc. Were we rich? No, the government doesn't pay their soldiers nearly enough! But that didn't stop our families from doing things.
Even as a military brat, I forgot the sacrifices our fathers and mothers made in their duty to our country. I never thought much that my dad was a Vietnam vet, because it was part of his job. It didn't sink in to how much he must have seen on his 3 tours while he was over there, and all the sites he had seen while he had traveled to multiple places across this globe. Over the years I know how much he missed with us kids because he was away on TDY's, and I would be angry that he missed this or that. But I was being a kid, and didn't appreciate how he must have felt.
I didn't appreciate the sacrifice he made every day for almost 30 years of rising every morning to get up and do his job.
So, thank you, soldiers near and far for rising every morning to do your job. Thank you to the soldiers of the past, present, and future who chose to serve their country, and those that have sacrificed ultimately for us. We appreciate all that you do.
Growing up in a military family gives you a different perspective on the world. We were privileged to travel to distant lands, experience a lifestyle that people only dream of (with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in foreign cultures), etc. Were we rich? No, the government doesn't pay their soldiers nearly enough! But that didn't stop our families from doing things.
Even as a military brat, I forgot the sacrifices our fathers and mothers made in their duty to our country. I never thought much that my dad was a Vietnam vet, because it was part of his job. It didn't sink in to how much he must have seen on his 3 tours while he was over there, and all the sites he had seen while he had traveled to multiple places across this globe. Over the years I know how much he missed with us kids because he was away on TDY's, and I would be angry that he missed this or that. But I was being a kid, and didn't appreciate how he must have felt.
I didn't appreciate the sacrifice he made every day for almost 30 years of rising every morning to get up and do his job.
So, thank you, soldiers near and far for rising every morning to do your job. Thank you to the soldiers of the past, present, and future who chose to serve their country, and those that have sacrificed ultimately for us. We appreciate all that you do.
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