Happy Memorial Pop!

Happy Memorial Day Pop!

Born first son of 18 children in October 1922 to a poor farming family in Central Mississippi the world must have seemed large when he enlisted in the Army at 17. His service career took him from the Aleutian Islands, the Phillipines, all through the south Pacific ending in Hawaii.

Time passed, he married my mother, raised a family, ran a business, and made a home. He didn't dwell on the war, it was just something that he was expected to do as a man. Fight for your country and all the freedoms that you enjoyed.

While growing up we only heard the lighter side of the war. We were shielded from a majority of the horrors that he endured. On visits home he and his brothers would gather on the side porch and the darker side of the war would emerge.

"Memorial and Veterans Day are days set aside to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate price for your freedoms it is your duty to honor them" was his creed. He was a member of the VFW, flew a flag in front of his house, stood for the national anthem and with quiet conviction lived what he believed.

Even though he passed away 8 years ago, I still miss him every single day. On patriotic holidays it's just a little sharper and deeper.

Happy Memorial Day Pop. There is a flag on your grave. We remember.

What could you have been THINKING???

Dear Little Mrs Bonehead,
Perhaps you were only going in for a few things.
Perhaps you were tired of dealing with a cranky three year old.
Or maybe you are just a dumbass.
Whatever reason you chose to leave your three year old son strapped in his car seat alone and crying while you shopped in the grocery store I work in was inexcusable.
Alone, crying and THREE years old. What a combination!
You didn't even have the decency to double park in the fire lane to run in for medicine. You walked into the store and strolled around for 15-20 minutes and bought popsicles. POPSICLES!!!!!!!!!!!
You are so lucky. Lucky the police didn't get there in time to arrest your stupid ass. Lucky that we had the presence of mind to have someone (me) stand out by the car and try to console him.
Lucky that some sick creep didn't unbuckle him and carry him right out of your life and into your worst nightmare. Your child is missing, explain to the police why he was alone in the car.
Then you casually walked to the car and when asked the question, "You left your child in the car alone?' you only answered, "Oh, he's okay."
That's when what I suspected was confirmed...you are an albeit, well dressed, young attractive Toyota RAV 4 driving dumbass.
Don't worry, we will meet again but you won't drive off again.
Why didn't I think of letting the air out of two tires? I'll be better prepared if this ever happens again.
Not officially over it.
T.

In a perfect world, every bathroom would have this option.
It would also be acceptable to ridicule these people until they cried.

Oh to be three!

Name: Kyle Patrick

Age: 3

Hobbies: Slaying dragons, being both Superman and Spiderman.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Kyle.

Each time I look at him I am reminded of another little boy, his daddy, 26 years ago.

Same temperment, same goofy sense of humor,
and a chance for Nia (that's me) to spoil the
carbon copy of Drew.