Memorial Day

Memorial Day has special meaning to me now. I guess being a military wife, certain holidays tug at your heart strings more than they did before, and Memorial Day is one of them. Memorial Day is a time to reflect and remember the sacrifices that the military gave us. It's also a time to remember the sacrifices that military families give as well. There is no doubt that while the active duty member certainly sacrifices a lot, the families they leave behind have their fair share of trials as well! We have to live every day life without our husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter. Bills must be paid. Taxes must be paid. Houses must be cleaned. Trash must be taken out. Cat litter boxes must be scooped. Lawns must be mowed. And the list goes on and on and on. Then you have to add it the extras when children have arrived. Diapers, school, tests, after-school activities. We become single parents until our spouse comes home. Not something we like to do! And of course, it never fails that whenever your spouse is gone, something major has to happen. The car breaks down. Your child breaks and arm. It's never ending. Like I said, life goes on.

This Memorial Day we decided to visit the Fredericksburg National Cemetary. In July 1865, three months after the restoration of peace between the states, Congress authorized the establishment of a National Cemetery in Fredericksburg to honor the Federal soldiers who died on the battlefields or from disease in camp. The site chosen was on Marye's Heights, the formidable Confederate position which had proven so impregnable to repeated Federal attacks on December 13, 1862. The cemetery contains the graves of over 15,000 United States soldiers. Most of them are Union soldiers who died in the battles and camps around Fredericksburg. About 100 soldiers are 20th century veterans including at least two spouses. Over 80% of the soldiers are unknown. (I'd like to tell you I came up with that on my own, but I didn't! I got that information from the Battlefield Information Center! I'd hate to be accused of plagerism on my blog!) Each Memorial Day Weekend, the Boy Scouts light 15,000 luminaries to represent the 15,000 soldiers buried there and place an American flag at each grave. It's a breathtaking scene and I highly reccommend that people check it out if your ever in the area.

Just an interesting side note: only United States soldiers are buried in this cemetary, since it's a 'National' Cemetary. Soldiers that fought for the Confederate States are buried in the Confederate Cemetaries in the area. Since they did not fight for the United States, they are not allowed to be buried in a National Cemetary.