The Greatest Sacrifice---"Slave" Labor!

I have been very blessed in my life with MANY dear, what I would call "bosom" (if you don't get that reference, go watch "Anne of Green Gables") friends. A few days ago, one of my lifelong friends called me up out of the blue. It was my friend Kim U., whom I have known since we were Jr. High age.

Kim's hubby is in the U.S. Navy (THANK YOU for serving, Carlos!), and they are being re-assigned to a base in Hawaii. She was calling to tell me that on her way there, she and her two boys (ages 6 and 2) had a 4 hour layover at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. She wondered if there was any chance I could drive out to see them?

I was soooo excited! In the past eleven years since Kim married a serviceman, we have only seen each other ONCE since her wedding, and that was last summer ('07) at our Class of 1987 2oth High School reunion!! (We have kept in touch by email and U.S. Mail sporadically, and the occasional phone call over the years when one of us has a baby!). See Kim TWICE in a year's time? OF COURSE I was going to drive to the airport! (It isn't really that far for me, about 30 miles from where we live).

So the children and I got all packed up, drove to the airport, met up with Kim and her boys and had a delightful time, even though we actually had only a little more than an hour to visit! I made muffins, and we took a picnic blanket and juice boxes and activities for the children---we actually attracted QUITE a bit of attention in the airport, haha! (Several passersby inquired if we were a day care center!! HAHA!). It was so fun!

On the way home, the children were wondering why Kim wasn't very excited about moving to Hawaii, which seems like a very exotic and exciting destination to THEM! ;) I was explaining that she was glad to be in a nice place, but Kim felt sad because she knew that she wouldn't be able to return Stateside in the next three years to visit her family, because it is not cheap!

The children wanted to know why she was moving there if she didn't want to go? Then I had to explain that Kim's husband and their whole family were blessing the rest of us because of the sacrifices he makes to serve our country.

I said, "They are re-locating to Hawaii because that is their new assignment for the next three years".

Natalie was indignant! she said, "What?! Is he a slave??".

HA! (Out of the mouths of babes!). Yes, Natalie, it's something like that.

God bless our U.S. Servicemen and their families, all over the world!