freedom isn't free.

I have heard those words my entire life growing up in a military home, but today those words hits so close to home it hurts. At 3 o'clock this morning I heard my sister getting up. In less than in hour she would be driving herself to Jacksonville. What's in Jacksonville at 4 am? She was headed to MEPS to have a physical done so that she can officially become a member of the Air National Guard. As of now she is actually still waiting to be processed all by herself. The hardest part for me is that today signifies her first day of being an adult. For so long I have hovered over her like a mother hen making sure no one looked at her wrong, said something mean about her, or hurt her in any way, shape, or form. Now I can no longer protect her, I must let her go. I think that this is as hard for me as it is for my parents. Yes, I know that she will only be a weekend warrior, but that is for now. Soon enough she will be moving on up into the full blown Air Force. She will be leaving very soon for boot camp which is in Texas and for 6 weeks my room will be empty without her. This situation is so bitter sweet. On one hand I hate to see her growing up and moving on in life, but on the other hand I am so PROUD OF HER! I have always been one that has been proud of our troops, after all my daddy did serve for 20 years, but now I am so willing to stand up with millions of other Americans in the face of opposition and say that our troops are what makes our country free. Something Sarah Palin said on Wednesday night during her speech stuck out in my mind,"I'm just one of many moms who will say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm's way." My sister may not leave for Iraq in the next year, she may never leave for Iraq, but this statement reminds me that there are people's sons and daughters, mommies and daddies, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, and husbands and wives that are setting foot into dangerous territories every single day. With that I challenge you as you sit in your nice comfy couch, watching your nice big t.v., and eating your dinner to remember that it is men and women like John McCain, my daddy and now my sister that have given some or maybe even all so that your luxuries, rights and freedoms would be protected. And I say God Bless America.