But, have you ever heard of the term "blue star mothers"? Well, in WWII, families would display a blue star for every child they had in the service. It would be hung in the window for all to see. If the service member was injured, a silver star would be affixed to the blue star, and if the son died, a gold star was affixed to it. The banner or plaque or flag could be flown during times of war or hostilities.
Two of my co-workers have children in the service. Susan, whom I mentioned before, has two sons, one who just came home from Iraq, and one who is still there. She has power of attorney for the deployed son, and it has weighed on her, making sure his affairs are managed and bills paid. Tomorrow, she's flying to another state to check on his house and belongings and, well, his girlfriend! I made her a banner and gave it to her last night at work, since I won't see her again for a couple of weeks:
Based on the fact she was speechless for a few minutes (a real rarity for her!), I'd say she likes it.
M.'s daughter and son-in-law are both in the service, and she is raising the baby granddaughter until mommy comes home, hopefully in late May or early June. This is the banner I made for her:
She works in ICU, and they were having a bad night last night. I pulled her aside in a quiet moment and gave it to her, with Susan standing by. M. burst into tears. Seems her daughter was to complete a mission 4 days ago, and M. hasn't heard from her yet. I cannot begin to imagine how she's feeling right now.
You know, my only child is a mere 2 1/2 hours away, working in a job she loves, and preparing to move to a new town for a new job in August, when she'll be 8 hours away. I've been missing her, since my schedule and hers haven't jived enough to see her since February. But that is nothing compared to what these moms face every single day. They deserve more than just a banner, but it's what I can do to support them. I truly need to count my blessings.
4 comments:
I gave a flag quilt to a friend whose son is in Mosel. She has told me over and over how that small quilt gives her strength. You have done a wonderful thing for these women. I too can't imagine having a child in harms way 24/7.
what a wonderful thing to do!
What very sweet of you! You know they still do the 'blue star' thing. The Princess sent me my very own blue star pin. She is about to return to civilian life and I am oh so grateful to have had it remain blue *s*
What a gift you've given them. Here's hoping that their stars remain blue.
Post a Comment