Fallen Soldier

Being that I like to keep my blog positive, I was not sure if I was going to post this - but I am. Last week a 20 year old soldier from the town next to us was killed in Iraq. It was north of Baghdad and they were in a fight with insurgents. They said today that they now think it was friendly fire that actually killed him, but either way it is a tragedy. When I left home to go to the post office and work, there were people outside waving American flags along Hwy 116 that runs through our town. I turned left onto 116 to go to the post office and drove by Germantown Hills Elementary School (where Justin will go). They had all of the kids lined up along the fence line waving flags. I lost it - I was crying like a baby. I was sad for the family and fiance of the soldier killed, but I was also so moved by the community support. It made me so happy to live in such a great town. Whenever people ask us where we live, Rob and I are proud to say Germantown Hills. It's a town known for it's great school district, good sports teams and reasonable housing costs. Until we moved here though, we had no idea what a great town it really is! Everyone is so friendly - the grocery store, bank, pharmacy, hardware store, etc...I have yet to have a bad experience. After seeing everyone showing their support, I stopped at a parking lot next to the school and joined everyone. They had a procession of fire trucks, police cars, humvees, the hearse carrying PFC Pannier and Patriot Guard Riders take his body from the National Guard in Peoria to his home town of Roanoke. I think that the situation takes on a whole new light now that I am a mother....

So while this is a sad situation, the community support shown for the family made me realize what a great place we are raising our family in. Everything happens for a reason, and I really think that this is where Rob and I were meant to end up. We have a healthy family, jobs we love, great friends here and a nice house. Like the sign in our dining room says "Happiness is a journey, not a destination"!