XOXOXO...AMY...XOXOXO
ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS
MEMORIAL DAY 2010
REMEMBERING THE SOLDIERS WHO
BOUGHT OUR FREEDOM...
THANK YOU SOLDIER BOY/GIRL
WHEN I WAS IN 9TH - 11TH GRADE I WAS A
MEMBER OF THE LEGIONETTES COLOR GUARD
MARCHING BAND.
WE WORE THICK GOLD SILK TOPS WITH NAVY
BLUE PLEATED SKIRTS AND WHITE MARCHING
BOOTS WITH BIG WHITE POM POMS.
I CARRIED THE RIFLE AND WAS ON THE LEFT
SIDE OF THE FLAG. OUR HATS WERE JUST LIKE
WHAT
THE PRECIOUS VFW MEN WORE WHEN SELLING
THEIR CREPE PAPER POPPIES.
WHEN WE ARRIVED IN FRONT OF THE JUDGES
WE TWIRLED OUR WHITE RIFLES WITH PRIDE,
PRAYING WE DID NOT DROP OUR RIFLES.
I ACTUALLY HAVE THE PICTURE THAT WAS
ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWS PAPER
BUT HAVE MISPLACED IT.
THAT WAS ONLY STARTING IN 1969...EVER SO
LONG AGO.
THE RED CREPE PAPER POPPIES BRING BACK
A HAPPY, WARM MEMORY.
THE ORIGINAL INSPIRATION FOR THE
VETERANS TO SELL PAPER POPPIES
FOR MEMORIAL DAY CAME FROM THE
FAMOUS POEM:
IN FLANDERS FIELDS
WRITTEN BY
~JOHN McCRAE IN 1915
IN FLANDERS FIELDS THE POPPIES BLOW
BETWEEN THE CROSSES, ROW ON ROW
THAT MARK OUR PLACE; AND IN THE SKY
THE LARKS, STILL BRAVELY SINGING, FLY
SCARCE HEARD AMID THE GUNS BELOW
WE ARE THE DEAD.
SHORT DAYS AGO
WE LIVED, FELT DAWN, SAW SUNSET GLOW,
LOVED AND WERE LOVED, AND NOW WE LIE IN
FLANDERS FIELDS.
TAKE UP OUR QUARREL WITH THE FOE;
TO YOU FROM FAILING HANDS WE THROW
THE TORCH; BE YOURS TO HOLD IT HIGH
IF YE BREAK FAITH WITH US WHO DIE
WE SHALL NOT SLEEP, THOUGH POPPIES GROW
IN FLANDERS FIELDS.
IN 1922 THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
BECAME THE FIRST VETERAN ORGANIZATION
TO SELL POPPIES NATIONALLY FOR
MEMORIAL DAY.
I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE WOULD
TELL PEOPLE
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
WHEN IN FACT IT IS A VERY
SOMBER DAY, WHEN A MOTHER,
A WIFE, A GRANDMOTHER, OR AUNT, OR
SISTER HAD/HAS TO SAY GOOD-BYE
TO THEIR SOLDIER BOY/GIRL OVER AND OVER
BUT SO PROUD.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES
WHO HAD A LOVED ONE DIE IN THE WAR.
TO THE SOLDIER....
THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING TO KEEP
AMERICA FREE.
SOME DAY WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN, I CAN
THANK YOU PERSONALLY, AS WE BOW BEFORE
JESUS WHO BOUGHT OUR ETERNAL FREEDOM...
LEST WE NOT FORGET
SIMPLY DEBBIE