Memorial Day, Teenagers and Hiding at Walmart

I'm not sure how you spend Memorial Day but our family doesn't get together.  In fact my husband had to work today.  Today is the day before finals start for my two teenagers. They have spent the weekend studying.  Tensions are running high in this house as you can imagine.  My husband made schedules for them to go by so that every subject would get studied.  They haven't left the house now since coming home from school on Friday.  One working in her room and the other working down at the kitchen counter. 

With it being a long holiday weekend my son's friends are gone and unavailable to play.  I have spent the weekend rearranging furniture and cleaning my office in between entertaining him.  Saturday we went to see Star Trek, Sunday we went to church and then he played with one of his friend until we went to the camp nearby for a festival.  Today we have been watching a Pawn Stars marathon and I think we are just bored enough at this point we are going to venture out to let him spend his gift cards for Walmart.  He has his eye on the newest Big Nate books.  He is a reader like his mom. 

The girls are so stressed that we can't even look at them without them getting mad.  Compound that with the fact that Aunt Flo is in town visiting them and you have a dynamic that the boy and I are trying to avoid. 

As I sit at my desk I can see the Navy pictures from both of my grandmothers.  In fact, one of my grandmothers started in the Navy but when they found out she had lied about her age she was kicked out.  When she came of age she went into the Army.  If I turn my head I can see the picture of my dad from when he was in the Marines.  There is a line of Marines in my family.  There are military vets on both sides of my family and also in my husbands family with nephews currently serving in different branches. 

I don't know if you are spending your day together with family members having cookouts or coming home from camping trips.  I don't know if you are spending your day hiding from teenagers or taking advantage of Memorial Day sales.  No matter how you are spending your day, might I ask you to stop for a moment and remember those who have fought for the very freedom you are enjoying today?  We may not be able to be with them but don't forget to remember.