This Thanksgiving Matt and I decided to host two airmen stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for Thanksgiving dinner. I have always wanted to do this...but we never lived close enough to a base to do so. When we were able to do it this year I was so excited! Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday (for many reasons) and the more around our table...the merrier!! Thanksgiving morning Matt and my brother loaded up the two older kids (who were super excited I might add) and headed to San Antonio to pick them up. When they arrived I was taken aback by their gracious spirit. It felt like they were a part of our family instantly! I think the most suprising thing to me was this.....when asked about war.....neither one of them quivered or hesitated in saying, "Mam we are ready to defend." But when Matt and I told them they could use our phone and computer to talk w/ family and friends....you should have seen the tears. Oh, I'm getting emotional thinking about it again. Then my tears turned into laughter! Since my husband Matt was a US Marine...he knows what boot camp is like and what it entails. We offered to go to the store (ok....I am NOT an advocate of shopping on Thankgiving day....but for these two...an exception could be made) and get them ANYTHING they wanted. Their request: orange juice, gummy bears and strawberry twizzlers!! How funny is that!!!!!!!! Their eyes lit up like my children's do on Christmas morning!! When it came time to eat....I have never seen so much food get piled on one plate in my life! I realized they were eating quite fast...and then one said to the other..."dude we can slow down...we are not at boot camp"!! They are so used to eating in such a particular way...must be a hard habit to break! They were so adorable talking about the flavoring of the food! And then it came time for dessert...seriously, I don't know how they had room...but they did! There was a definite look of satisfaction on their faces!!
I am so thankful that the Lord placed these two young men in our lives. To be as young as they were....they seemed so mature beyond their years. These men are two of the mere thousands that have made the ultimate sacrife.........to defend our great nation......and who are willing to do so without question or reservation. To say that we are humbled....would be an understatement. We continue to pray for their safety and peace of heart/mind ...as we do for all the other troops. May God bless and keep each one of them. This is one Thanksgiving I will NEVER forget. We are blessed beyond belief.
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