A Musical Salute

 Last Sunday the kids and I headed down to DSM for a Star Spangled Salute- a patriotic concert by the Iowa Military Veterans Band.  

It was a very red, white, and blue event!

We got to celebrate and cheer for a 94-year-old World War 2 veteran, a POW survivor, a Gold Star family, and a Purple Heart recipient, and we stood up and cheered for Grandpa Mark and Uncle Bubba when they played The Army Goes Rolling Along.  

There were a LOT of old people there, and it warmed my patriotic heart to share a piece of my happy childhood memories- both military band music and recognition of soldiers- and to watch my kids experience a military concert.  One day I would like to take them to an active duty soldiers concert.  Not that they didn't fully appreciate Moon River and the Glen Miller tribute, but I think they would enjoy the music of a younger band even more.  

On the way home from the concert the kids had lots of questions about soldiers, war, and military life, so we called up our favorite soldier of all- Grandpa Mark.  

He answered their questions about Pearl Harbor, life in war, chemical warfare and national defense in a very age-appropriate way, and showed them some of the treasures he's collected over the years from his military service, including helmets, a rifle with a bayonet, medals, memories of jumping out of airplanes, and pictures and stories of my brother and cousins, his brothers, his dad, and his grandpa, all who have served our country.  It was a HUGE part of my childhood (four elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools all because he was serving in the Army) and I'm grateful that we took an afternoon to spend time with and think about the soldiers we love most.  We're so proud to be part of a family that serves this country!