And Forever in Peace May You Wave

Flag Day. A little, mostly unrecognized holiday, and yet, in it's quiet and simple way, it is one of my favorites. Perhaps because of the lack of hoopla. Perhaps because it takes very little preparation to pull it off. No baking and cooking for days, no shopping or wrapping or stressing over costumes or cards. The recipe for a successful flag day is simple. Wake up. Display Old Glory. Reflect on what she represents. Salute her. In the midst of raising children, along with teaching them to tie shoes and make beds and read books and write sentences, my children were also required to learn the words to "You're a Grand Old Flag." As soon as they could talk it was one of the songs we would sing for hours upon end until they knew EvERy wOrD.
Yesterday I e-mailed this picture to Whitney on her mission to wish her a "Happy Flag Day." Later when we heard from her, she sent a special post script JuSt FoR Me. "Thanks mom for the photo. I just love Flag Day. Remember how you made us learn all the words to "You're a Grand Old Flag? Sister Mullins and I will be singing them all day today!" Moral of the story: I salute the flag. I salute my daughter. And, I salute myself as a mom. Whitney reminded me that the things that matter the most really do stay with your children. Long after they leave our home , whenever they see a flag I know they will be singing,"Every heart beats true for the red, white, and blue! Keep your eye on the Grand Old Flag!