Ay yi yi!  As I re-read the site I realized how often I talk about being poor as a child.  How embarrassing!  While we didn’t have a lot of money, we were well provided for.  We had food, we had shelter, we had clean clothes, we had toys.

These are things all parents want for their children.  A friend of mine going through a divorce just bought a house.  Because her divorce is not yet final, her soon to e ex husband had to also sign the paperwork. Once the divorce is final, he will be removed from the deed just as she will be removed from the deed of the house he is in.

However to get him to sign, she had to remind him that having a stable home is what the 3-year old needed in order to have a sense of stability.  He signed.  Proof that most parents – even during bitter times – do try to put their kids first.

I have never experienced divorce by my parents or in my own marriage, but I’ve read more and more about people who are in the situation.  One friend and his wife have four rambunctious boys separated.  Another friend started a new life with a new woman.  I think I keep hearing about it because when money gets tight (and it does when the economy tanks), couples fight more and marriages fall apart.

How can you save a marriage when money is tight?  Talk.  Talk about money.  Come up with a plan.  Then have a plan B.  Don’t blame your partner.  Seek counseling.

Having grown up as an Air Force brat, I learned early on to respect the people who serve in the military.  The sacrifices they make are great… while the biggest is loss of life and limb, there are other sacrifices that often go unnoticed.

The men and women who serve are often stationed far away from their family.  In fact, my parents did not have the privilege of their own children getting to know their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for more than a two-week visit once a year.   How many first birthdays did the grandparents miss?  How many baby showers, parties, first communions, and other special events were not attended by families who could not overcome the miles that separated them from loved ones?

So today I want to thank not just the people who actually served in the military, but their families too.  They missed a lot – usually without complaint – because their sons and daughters were willing to sacrifice on behalf of our great country.

Thank you all.

Photo of my sister and brothers feeding the ducks at the park located at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas.