For My Sweet Girls: All Gave Some, Some Gave All

The girls and I gave some, Todd gave so much, but Wes gave all. When 9/11 came, it changed our country forever, but I never thought my life would have been so personally affected by the chain of events that would occur from it. My nephew, Wes, was serving in Iraq in 2005 and lost his life when clearing away debris that was in the road and an IED exploded. My brother Dan lost his baby, and words cannot describe how painful it was to watch my brother say goodbye to his son. Wes looked so much like him. He had the most gorgeous eyes and he was loved by everyone who knew him. I will never, ever forget everything that he sacrificed and how brave he was.

The year Todd was in Iraq was one of the hardest years of my life. I know I had the easy part, I was at home, safe with our girls. But to have someone you love so much over there, it was like there was a dark cloud over me the whole time. I missed him so much, he was so down all the time, and it was so hard for me to do anything and enjoy it knowing what he was going through there. Todd served in Iraq at Camp Victory near Baghdad International Airport for almost a year. I knew soldiers were selfless but I had no idea everything that they go through and leave behind for their service. Todd was taken from his family, his home, his country and his new baby to do the job he promised he would do. I have so much that I could post about that year he was there, but here is one story that I wanted to share.....I went to one of the Detroit Tigers world series games here in Detroit with Mom, Mike, Becky & Dan back in the fall of 2006. Todd was with his unit in Iraq. Well, Becky made a sign for us to hold up for Todd hoping we could get on TV. All of us took turns holding up the sign the whole game. I recorded the game and when I got home, I watched the whole thing and never saw us on TV. But, a few days later, Todd was stopped by a few soldiers he didn't know on base, and they asked him if he had family back home that went to the game. He told them yes and they said that they saw our sign when they were watching the game on TV in Iraq! And another soldier from his unit actually saw it and recorded the game and played it back for Todd! I guess there is another network that broadcasts sporting events for the soldiers, called AFN, and they showed our sign!!! Todd appreciated it so much and told me that it really helps the soldiers there to know that they are supported back home.