Freedom

So I stole this header from my friend Tiffany's blog. I was going to ask her but didn't get a chance but I am sure she won't mind. I saw this picture the other day and was hit so strongly by it. Sure they are nice words, no freedom is not free, but there is so much more to this picture. See the sweet little boy is Tiffany's son Kaden who, along with his baby brother Preston, is one who pays for such freedom. He was without his Daddy for a year while Dad was away with the Military, had to leave the only home he has ever known and move across country away from all his family and friends, and then just had Daddy gone again for 6 weeks I believe and just got him home a few days ago. Now I have huge respect for the men and women of our armed forces who put their lives on the line everyday and share that cost of freedom, but today as we celebrate this wonderful country and it's independence I just want to acknowledge the little tiny everyday soldiers who perhaps pay the biggest price of all for the freedoms we enjoy. Ones who are too small to where a uniform and who's struggles often go unnoticed. Take Donovan for instance, who despite all my explaining and reassuring as it isn't true, spends everyday thinking that Daddy's job is to kill suicide bombers. Who one day asked what Daddy's armor is made out of and when I asked why.. because he needed to make sure it was bomb proof. Who worries about what if Daddy turns into a suicide bomber. Who, even though he plays and laughs and seems to not have a care in the world, when he has a crayon in his hand is drawing soldier Daddy shooting the bad guys. Who innocently said one day after not hearing from Daddy for quite a while that he figured it was because he was dead. Who got a new t-shirt with a jeep on it that reminded him of Daddy's jeep and he said, "oh good now when I am playing and having too much fun and forget, this will help remind me that Daddy is at war". What a unimaginable weight these little children carry around with them everyday. Such a heavy reality they live and barely comprehend. Though they know more than we think and more than they show. Yet they do laugh and play and disguise their fear and uncertainty everyday. So again I remind you that Freedom is not Free and today I want to thank all the little children who pay that price for us. They don't have a choice but they pay anyway. They smile and laugh and love and pay it anyway. To Kaden and Preston and Donovan... Thank you. You are braver than us all!!!