June 14th
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On this day in 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the flag of the United States of America. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that established June 14 as Flag Day and in August of 1949, an act of Congress established National Flag Day.
Recently I read a post about a veteran whose apartment complex told him he could fly his flag until the day after Memorial Day but then it would have to be removed. Apparently their complex didn’t allow for any religious or political banners, flags, or propaganda to be displayed and the company believed the flag of this country fell into one of those categories.
I proudly fly the flag pictured in front of our little town home. My husband has risked his life in combat on numerous occasions to give me the right to do so. My uncle died in battle in Vietnam; his body never to return home. And my grandfather sat on the beach the day the bombs started falling on Pearl Harbor. I am not just a proud Marine wife; my heritage makes me a proud American.
This flag has flown during war and peace, from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, September 11, and the current struggled in Afghanistan and Iraq. This flag flies to remind us of our history and of our dreams. Fly it high and proud, America!
Happy 235th Birthday Army !
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Old Glory
By · CommentsWhat do you think of when you see the American flag?
The Stars and Stipes
Pride. Patriotism. Honor.
Those are just a few of the words that come to mind when I see the “Stars and Stripes”. I asked my two oldest children what they thought of when they think of the flag. My 13 year old replied “the Pledge of Allegiance, our Country and all the lives that have been lost to defend it.” My 10 year old said “everyone who has served for our Country.” I have to say that I am very proud of their answers. It seems that too many citizens have lost respect for our flag and all that it represents…that makes me very sad as a Patriotic American.
What do the red, white and blue mean?
“The 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies of the US: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia. The 50 stars represent the individual states that make up the nation. Popular history states the red of the flag represents valor, white stands for liberty or purity and blue represents justice, loyalty and perseverance. These meanings are unofficial though.” (http://www.worldflags101.com/u/usa-flag.aspx )
JUNE 14TH ~ FLAG DAY
On June 14th, 1777 the Continental Congress authorized the “Stars and Stripes” as the official symbol of the United States of America. On June 14th, 1785 a school teacher in Wisconsin, Bernard Cigrand, declared that date to be the birthday of the flag and dedicated his life to teaching children and adults alike the meaning and history of our Nation’s flag.
Show your pride…fly the colors!
For more information and the history of the “Stars and Stripes” and Flag Day:
Name something you cannot live without…Your phone? Wallet? Keys? For military significant others something we could never live without is our best friends! They get us through those long lonely nights when our men are away. They are there when everything feels like it will fall apart. They serve with us as we live our lives as military wives. Best Friends Day falls on June 8, 2010 so lets celebrate our best friends!
A Little History Lesson…
We set aside days to pay tribute to parents, presidents and professionals. Why not take a day to celebrate the one person we can always turn to? Best Friend’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of June; plus the first Sunday, in August we have Friendship Day which was started by Congress in 1935. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh, as the world’s Ambassador of Friendship.
No one is really sure what were the reasons were for the making of this day, the world scenario of those times most likely played a roll. With the devastating effects of the WWI & increasing hostilities between countries, there was a greater need for friendship and camaraderie not only among nations but also among individuals. With our men & women going off to fight another war we need to raise that camaraderie again we need to show that the spirit of American cannot be & will not be broken.
Real Life Best Friends
At the beginning of this post you saw a picture of two real life best friends. Alexandra & her best friend Stephanie met through the Marine Corps. Unfortunately, they no longer live in the same state but they do travel between San Diego and Las Vegas to see each other.
Alexandra just found out she will be moving to Japan with her husband & as hard as it will be for her other friends it will be the hardest on Stephanie. “Side by side, or miles apart… best friends are together if only by heart.”
Your Best Friend
Celebrate your best friend this June. Take them out for lunch & for manicures. Tell them how much they mean to you. Doing something special like write a letter for them to read & to keep for memories. If you have to move away from your best friend make a scrap book for each other. You will be able to take special memories with you & they will be able to keep the memories you choose for them.
No matter if you are near or far let your best friend know you love them & are thinking about them. It doesn’t have to be on Best Friends Day it could be any day of the week. When life is so uncertain knowing we have one person we can always lean on will make a huge difference in the life of a military wife!
Roxanne on Army Wife Talk Radio
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Last month, our CEO/Founder Roxanne Reed was a special guest on Army Wife Talk Radio. She was there talking about the Jane Wayne Mentoring program as well as the new project that she will be launching next month.
Make sure to take a listen — Click here for the MP3
You can also find out more information about the upcoming project Building Business Military Spouse Style on Twitter and Facebook as well.
“A friend loves at all times.”
By · CommentsThere are so many b
est friends that I am thankful for this year on June 8th, also known as, “Best Friends Day”!
I have my best friend from elementary school, Maegan, who I can go weeks without talking to and when I pick up the phone and call it’s like we just talked yesterday. I have my best friend Pamela, who I grew up with and spent almost everyday after school with. I have my best friend Molly, who has been there through my toughest life moments and was my maid of honor when I got married. All of these women mean a lot of me and keep me grounded to my life back home.
Of course, I also have my best friend Cait, who I met while my husband was walking our dog and who has been a constant help in my new “marine dependent” life.
I can always talk about deployment and field operations with my other friends, but it takes a lot of explaining and they try but still don’t really understand. The second I tell Cait about these things she laughs and we rant and we both feel much better. I know I helped her get through her husband’s deployment and I am so thankful I have her to help me get through my husband’s current deployment. When I am worried she listens to my fears, and lets me complain about things I have no control over with a non-judmental ear. She also lets me know when it’s time to put on my big girl panties and suck it up!
While my husband is deployed I have a lot more free time on my hands and Cait is always there to include me in her plans with her husband. They’ve brought me on shopping trips to Raleigh and countless outings to the beach and for that I am very thankful. Neither of us can cook for less than 4 people (our husbands’ single friends love us) so she invites me over for dinner very often since I don’t cook very much while I’m alone. Of course friendship isn’t just about what a friend can do for me, but more about the feeling that you are not alone in your struggles. I’m reminded of a favorite quote, “Joy shared is joy multiplied, while a sorrow shared is sorrow divided”. We revel in each others’ joy (homecomings!!) and help bear the burden of each others’ load together (long deployment nights spent worrying). And who else will look at me and say, “Ooh-Rah”, with sweat pouring down their face when we have a great workout at the gym?
Don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful for all the spouses I’ve made friends with!
It’s just that Cait and I share that special something that will keep us friends even when my husband and I move back to Maine and are once again considered civilians. She’s told me time and again if I ever missed this crazy life I could always come visit her at another duty station. She will always be on my Christmas card list, and I will always think of her when I lay my head down at night and review all the reasons that I’m blessed in this life.
She’s not just a friend while my husband is active duty, she is a friend I will cherish and love for the rest of my days. I can only thank the Marine Corps for bringing us together.
A Marine Spouse Appreciation Event
By · CommentsOn May 7, 2010, we participated with Marine Corps Community Services in the Marine Spouse Appreciation “Beauty Boot Camp” held at Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia.
There were over 85 spouses and 23 participants providing services and information in attendance at the event! Massages, makeovers, blood pressure checks, manicures, self-defense techniques, and teeth-whitening were some of the services available. Information was provided on health and wellness along with Marine Corps family programs and career opportunities. Pink camouflage gift bags with our sponsors’ logos were given to each participant. The bags were filled with make-up samples and information from MCCS. The event boasted 25 door prizes in 3 hours, thanks to amazing sponsors!
We had such a wonderful time with these ladies and can’t wait for next year’s event! Below are some great pictures we wanted to share with you.
How will you spend the weekend??
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On Memorial Day, most Americans will break out the barbecue grills, beer, chocolate cake, etc., and gather with family and friends to celebrate the holiday weekend.
But Memorial Day is so much more than that! It is a day to pause with solemn gratitude and deep respect for all our fallen service members, POWs, and MIAs who have given their lives for our country and our freedom.
On military installations all over the U.S. and abroad, there will be parades, celebrations, cookouts, and picnics. Not everyone will be celebrating on May 31st. For our troops in harm’s way, it will be just another day ; for their families, it will be another day without their loved one.
Memorial Day which originated in 1868, when Union General John A. Logan designated a day in which the graves of Civil War soldiers would be decorated. Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday was changed to Memorial Day in 1888, becoming a holiday dedicated to the memory of all war dead.
Every day in my military life is Memorial Day. We remember our friends and family that have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. So many of the freedoms that all of us enjoy are because of the blood, sweat, and tears of all of our veterans and the sacrifices that they made.
Blue Star Museums
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BLUE STAR MUSEUMS
600 museums across America will offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer
Six hundred museums have come together to create Blue Star Museums, offering free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2010.
Military personnel and their families may visit www.arts.gov to find a complete list of the participating museums. Blue Star Museums is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and 600 museums across America. Blue Star Families is an organization which supports military families and increases awareness of the unique challenges of military life.
Happy Birthday BJ
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Happy birthday BJ — member of our Blogger Brigade
From Rox , Tammy and the Jane Wayne Staff