Last week I flew to Fort Leonardwood, Missouri to watch my oldest daughter graduate from basic training. There are no words to describe how I felt when my daughter marched in through the doors of the stadium wearing her fatigues and standing tall. I listened to her yell with her squad the soldiers creed. As I sat there looking at her, many thoughts crossed my mind. Over and over again I thought to myself how blessed I am to have such a beautiful daughter both inside/outside. If it wasnt for her, my ex husband, his wife or me wouldnt have been able to see her graduate.
So many things I have missed in my daughters 18 yrs of life. Due to a drug addiction that I had, I missed 5 years of my daughters lives. When I cleaned up and came back around, all 3 of my daughters let me back in their lives and over time forgave me. And while I can never make up for lost time, I was able to be there for something so important as what my daughter had decided to do with her life.
I sat there next to my ex husband and his wife who up to 6 months ago, I couldnt even talk too. During the times of when I was gang raped/raped by an ex boyfriend, followed by a drug addiction to meth, my girls were led to believe that I didnt want anything to do with them. Along with my ex asking me quite a few times during my addiction to sign over my rights as their mom. But nothing compared to those years starting with the first Christmas we were separated, having my daughters no longer calling me mom but by my first name and calling their step mom-mom. During the 5 yrs that I didnt see them, I had to tell myself over and over that in time my girls would see the whole picture. And thats exactly what happened. Now here I was sitting by my ex, setting aside all differences and sharing the next special day of our daugthers life aside from the day she came into this world.
Sitting there and thanking God for giving me such beautiful and amazing kids. I cant take any credit for what my daughter has become. But I know where to give thanks to God for what my girls are becoming as they grow up.
To top it off with my daughters graduation, I met some wonderful people who where there as well for their kids graduation.
While waiting for the doors to open the morning of graduation, there was a mother with her daughter and one son, as well as her husband awaiting to see their oldest son graduate. As we started talking, she informed me about her son standing in front of her and how he was a miracle. And you ask, what kind of a miracle? A miracle of having 4 yrs in remission from cancer!!!!!!! My biggest empathy is for kids with cancer! I follow a good amount of kids on Caringbridge, Caringpages as well as Myspace/Facebook praying everyday for a cure as well as praying for each of these stories I follow and their specific needs. It was so AWESOME to hear of a child who was able to beat cancer. She shared with me how long he did chemo/full body radiation. She told me how about hers sons Stem Cell Transplant and how it saved his life. I was so blessed to hear of his story and to be able to share the happiness that beamed from this mother. She gave me her sons Caringbridge site url so that I could read his story. Following that, I watched my daughter standing up on stage with her unit in her Class A uniform, letting us know who she was, where she was from and why she was there! It is a day that I will never forget. It was a day that I took my freedom and living in this country a lot more serious. While I may not like the president and what is going on, my daugther has taken an Oath and trained just in case there is a day where we have to once again send out our soldiers to defend what our country is and believes in. Thankyou Brittany for the job you have chosen to do. For being ready to defend and honor your country should there be another war.
My heros are every child that has cancer and for every child that will be diagnosed with cancer, for all the angels in heaven that have lost their life to cancer, for every parent that has to experience going through the pain of seeing their child so sick. My heroes are the men/woman such as my daughter who are willing to lose their lives to defend and honor our country, as well as the kids such as my son who are on the spectrum of Autism and have to learn how to adjust to everyday life with little or no communication.
God bless all of my heroes!
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